Well now I've done it..Frankie is bleeding slightly from his belly

Good grooming practices are essential for maintaining health and happiness for you and your dog. This is a forum to exchange tips and advice for proper care of your dog's hygiene needs.

Frankie

Cheese? PLEASE!

Barked: Mon Feb 27, '12 7:28pm PST


	Frankie got his bath tonight.. I brushed him out before his bath, did not do anything out of the norm as far as the bath itself, then blow-dried him and tried to get the matts out on his armpits, hind legs, and belly...always the hardest places, esp his belly... Well, I got some 'detangler' brush from Four Paws and Frankie was getting a bit squirmy as I was working on the matts...I went to pick him up with one hand and had the dematting brush in the other..he shifted awkwardly and in a moment of haste, moreso out of reflex, I placed the other hand WITH THE DANG DEMATTING BRUSH under his belly for support... He let out a sharp YELP and tried to nip my hand that had the brush in it... No, definitely not the smartest thing to have done, but, as I said, it was mostly out of reflex... I knew it must've hurt him pretty badly, but he seemed okay right after that split second, no more fussing or anything, so I kept brushing away...he was fine, except for when I tried to brush his belly (he always fights when you try to brush his belly, so I did not really think TOOO much of it...) Anyway, the deamatting brush picked up quite a bit of fur (his adult coat is coming in and his puppy coat is shedding...) About twenty minutes after I was done brushing, I noticed Frankie was licking his belly...uhh ohhh... I inspected, and, to my horror, there was a round spot that had blood on it where he was licking... I did not know what to do, I picked him up, wiped it with a warm soft washcloth where it was bleeding (blotted mostly) ands inspected the area...it looked sort of like a scrath... I kept blotting it with the warm soft washcloth and the blood all but disappeared, but you could still see where there was some sort of scratch mark... He kept licking it for abouit another 5 minutes and now he is just hanging out, all calm... I ispected the area again and it is not bleeding...thank goodness... I just need to vent or talk with those who may understand... I do not know if a matt got ripped out of his tummy side or what...poor baby!!! He seems okay now... Lesson learned... He is such a good dog, too, he has already forgiven me and has been running around a bit like normal and still follows me around...although he certainly has every right to be mad at me...but he is not...what a sweet, sweet boy... Thanks for letting me hash this out... Just a little scare and I guess just another day of grooming... Dogs are so amazing, aren't they...?

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Happy

The Boy Wonder

Barked: Mon Feb 27, '12 9:01pm PST


	It happens... that you continued brushing bodes well for him getting better. As for him being wiggly while doing his belly, If you will put him up on a surface and lift him gently up with his front legs so he's standing on his back legs(would be a sight easier to show you than tell you but is what it is) You should then have easier access to his belly as well as being able to see what you are doing a bit better. He should be fine, keep an eye on the area but don't fuss and everything is good.

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Gus

did someone say- 'cheese'??

Barked: Mon Feb 27, '12 9:18pm PST


	So sorry...Poor Frankie and you... that is hard when grooming owies happen. Try to keep him from licking it as it can irritate. I almost got one of those brushes for Gus - he was once horribly matted all over. But the groomer at the store told me not to get it that they are dangerous, too easy to cut the dog. He gave me instructions to use a good comb and detangler spray. It took me 2 hours, but worked. I keep Gussy's arm pits shaved. This keeps down the mats there. As for wiggling - with my small dogs - I teach them 2 things. One is the "be still" command. With Gus as a puppy whenever I needed him to not wiggle I would gently but firmly wrap my arms around him and say "Be still", then I'd wait until he stopped wiggling, I'd mark and treat then say "good be still". It didn't take long for him to learn this. Now I just have to tell him "be still" and he stops wiggling and lays still. Two is that I teach them to lay on their backs between my legs. I sit on the floor, put Gus on his back cradled between my legs - sometimes head toward me, sometimes feet toward me. Sometimes I sit cross legged and he lays on his back in my lap. I home groom so this is the easiest way for me, and since he's a small dog this is most comfy for him. I have full belly access this way. It took awhile for him to be okay with my grooming him while he was on his back, but now he doesn't care - will fall asleep Hope Frankie heals quick!

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Frankie

Cheese? PLEASE!

Barked: Tue Feb 28, '12 7:11am PST


	Thanks for the words of comfort.... I normally brush him on his grooming station, was not feeling well last night and for whatever reason I tried brushing him while we were on the couch...that was probably the first bad idea... He normally is pretty good about being brushed on the grooming table, but with me not feeling well last night obviously my judgement was not the greatest... I do pick him up by his front paws and let him stand on his hind legs to brush his belly..but even then the matts are hard to get on his tummy...I did end up resorting to letting him lay between my legs on his back and brushing him that way...that worked for all of about two seconds, as he was too wound up... All in all it was just bad judgement on my part and I should have waited until he was calmed down...I did not know the brush cut him or scratched him until about half hour after we were done grooming...poor little guy... I agree Grace, I do not like this brush... not only did it cut/scratch him, it is just is nasty to use... Into the garbage it goes!!! Taking time is the best way!!! Thank goodness it was not worse, and Frankie is normal today...there is no 'spot' or tell-tale mark where it scratrched/cut him, thank goodness...and he is so amazing, already having forgiven me for this atrocity...what a good boy!!

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MIKA&KAI

Akita Pals- Always.

Barked: Tue Feb 28, '12 8:25am PST


	So sorry for Frankie's owie. He's forgiven you,so now you need to forgive yourself. I have Akitas and even though they are far less likely to mat than Frankie, I felt really bad when Kai managed to get his undercoat tangled in his top coat and I had to pull a bit with the comb,he didn't yelp he just gave me that awful look they get,that makes you feel really bad. Glad it was just a slight boo-boo. I agree with getting rid of the brush that caused it,and as others have said just keep working at it and teaching him to be still and calm.

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Well now I've done it..Frankie is bleeding slightly from his belly

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Well now I've done it..Frankie is bleeding slightly from his belly

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