In addition to the many shampoos that fluff, smooth, scent, shine or enhance color, there’s another category to choose from: medicated bathing aids. There are hundreds of shampoos and conditioners that contain ingredients designed to have a medicinal effect on skin and coat.

Dogs are prey to a variety of uncomfortable skin conditions, ranging from greasy seborrhea to contact allergies. Groomers can help alleviate dogs’ discomfort by selecting the best shampoo for a particular problem, providing at least temporary relief from symptoms.

Remember to refer the pet’s owner to a qualified veterinarian for any kind of diagnosis, especially in the case of severe skin problems. When discussing skin conditions with clients, try to avoid using medical terminology. Even if you know what the issue is, describing it may put you in the position of dispensing veterinary advice without a license. Stick with “red, irritated skin with flaking” or “seems to have excess oils and a few scabs.”


Treating Skin & Coat Conditions
When grooming a pet, there are shampoos and conditioners available to treat a variety of conditions. A pet with dry skin will need hydrating and moisturizing products. Conditioners are very useful for dry skin because they leave more product behind to help retain moisture. On a pet with greasy skin and hair, a groomer can use degreasers–shampoos with high levels of surfactants. On flaking, scabbing or scaling skin, using keratolytic agents that soften keratin, a major component of skin, will encourage the shedding of old skin and growth of new skin, as well as increase moisture retention.

On itchy pets, groomers should use an anti-itch (antipruritic) product. If the pet has odor along with other skin conditions, try products with antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic properties. Lastly, if the pet is experiencing soreness, there are products that contain pain-relieving (analgesic), soothing and cooling ingredients.

A dog may have more than one of these conditions, but many shampoos have ingredient combinations designed to combat multiple problems. For instance, many flea shampoos contain fairly safe insect killing ingredients like pyrethrins or permethrins, but also include ingredients that will soothe irritated skin.

Some dogs may show local irritation if a groomer uses a shampoo containing an ingredient they are sensitive to. If that happens, simply rebathe the pet using tepid water in the mildest shampoo you can find, and the problem should resolve itself. And next time, select another of the many different options available to alleviate skin problems.


Carol Visser is a Nationally Certified Master Groomer and Certified Pet Dog Trainer. Formerly a pet product expert for PetEdge, she and her husband Glenn now own Two Canines Pet Services in Montville, Maine, which provides grooming, boarding, training and day care services to Waldo County.