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The House of Two Bows 雙寶之屋

~ a basenji, a shiba, and their human companions

The House of Two Bows 雙寶之屋

Tag Archives: grooming

Drama-free Dremelling and ‘spoiled’ dogs

07 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by M.C. in Bowdu the shiba inu, Bowpi the basenji, Observations & opinions

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

dremel, grooming, nail trimming, quirks

20140402 BowpiDremel2

Bowpi is an angel about getting her nails filed by Dremel. She’s easy to physically manipulate, and will just flop into my lap like a sack of sand during the process.

20140402 BowpiDremel1

Yes, note the pouch of Fruitables treats nearby. I spent several weeks warming up both Bows to the Dremel after I first got it, conditioning them to associate the sound of the motor with treats, then working them up to the whirring file making contact with their toes. I don’t consider the food a bribe; it’s a mood enhancer, putting them in an agreeable state so I can do things that would otherwise irritate or freak them out.

20140402 BowpiDremel3

Bowdu is a different matter. Even though he comes running for handouts at the sound of the Dremel, he does not like to be held, nor does he typically like his paws to be handled, especially with purpose. A groomer back in Taiwan traumatized him on this one. She did nail trimmings for about $3, and routinely cut into the quick, calling it “normal” part of the process. Well, after seeing his face streaked with blood because he was frantically trying to paw off the grooming loop with his damaged nails, we put an end to that.

After that, he got downright violent about any attempts to trim his nails, even at home. I basically gave up… until I got the Dremel.

Bowdu gets his nails done in the car

I found that he is relaxed and non-reactive when sitting in one of his favorite places — the car. So that’s where I do his nails, and it works out beautifully for both of us. I just pack up the Dremel for our regular outings, and take care of it after he’s been thoroughly chilled by a nice long walk.

Once, a passerby commented on my “spoiled dog” getting manicured in the parking lot. He said it lightheartedly, probably a joke because it seemed an odd place for the occasion, and I must have looked a little ridiculous, crouched in the leg area of the passenger-side front seat while Bowdu perched like a champ above, patient paw in my hand.

But I was annoyed by the assumption that I was doing something excessive for Bowdu, and therefore “spoiling” him. (My parents, who don’t understand my relationship to the dogs, frequently use that term too.) How is this radical notion that working with our animals, in full consideration of their history and their feelings, an act of “spoiling”? Knowing his trauma, I meet him on his terms. That’s just basic consideration out of my sense of responsibility to him, acknowledging his capacity to express fear, personal preferences, and trust.

From that day on, I’ve been making a conscious effort to excise that term from my vocabulary, because I don’t see my pets in terms of wasted resources. I’d rather have our “spoiled” relationship where we can relish our mutual excesses, instead of a “normative” relationship, contained and impoverished.

The cost of things: April 2013 + Packlove.com invites

01 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by M.C. in Finances, Food, drugs & other ingestibles, Links

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

budgeting, fromm family dog food, fromm's dog food, grooming, pet finances, taste of the wild, tick removal, ticks, zukes

This is my third year of tracking our pet finances here at the House of Two Bows. This is an ongoing effort to get a practical sense of what it costs to keep two 20 ~ 30 pound adult dogs in an area of the US with relatively high costs of living. Previous posts in this series can be found under the category of finances.

20130413 Down for the count

The Cost of (Pet) Things for March 2013:

  • Food: $66 [previous month, $72]
  • Treats: $11 [previous, $9]
  • Grooming: $7 [previous, $8]
  • Accessories and misc: $0 [previous, $0]
  • Vet & Medical: $0 [previous, $265]
  • TOTAL: $84 (running average for 2013 ~$162/month)

Why are you photographing my foooood?

Kibble-wise, we seem to be swimming in a constant stream of Fromm’s. It helps that I’ve accumulated quite a few nice coupons, including the latest one for a free 4-pound bag of Salmon Tunalini with the purchase of any 12-pound bag. This happens to be my favorite Fromm formula (see review), so we stocked up on sixteen pounds of this grain-free, fish-based kibble.

I am intrigued by Fromm’s new grain-free Pork & Peas recipe, which we’ll probably try with the next coupon I’ve reserved. This month, I made the mistake of purchasing a small bag of the new Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon formula, which hypes the Wild! Boar! in the recipe. In my mind, I had cleared it as a “pork-based” kibble, when it’s really no such thing. You’ve got to get through beef (first ingredient) and lamb meal, as well as several other ingredients, before you even get to the wild boar…

Wild boar mentioned 3 times. Beef, lamb, ocean fish, etc. not mentioned at all until list of ingredients.

Wild boar mentioned 3 times. Beef, lamb, ocean fish, etc. not mentioned at all until list of ingredients.

Though it’s my fault for not looking carefully, I hate it when pet food companies do this. Grr…

Not that the Bows have been complaining. I’ve been feeding it in low ratios, generously cut with Salmon Tunalini. What a ridiculous protein medley though! The Bows usually don’t get beef at all (except a bully stick or some tendon every now and then, and some buffalo kibble for training). So far, their digestive response has been okay, so maybe this will work after all… but I still wouldn’t use it for our regular rotation.

Some yogurt, raw organs, and turkey parts rounded out the food purchases this month, as well as treats for the dehydrator. Also bought some Zuke’s dental chews that were half off on clearance. These are the first commercially produced treats I’ve purchased all year!

The most important, though slightly overpriced grooming item this month was this tick key.

Tick keyTick key

After years of hiking, sometimes even in deep woods, and only two ticks in all our years, we ran into three ticks in the course of two days — one on Bowpi, one on Bowdu, and one on RJ. When I saw the first one, I drove directly to the nearest pet store and picked this up. It really does do the trick with minimal fuss, which was particularly important for Bowdu. Hopefully now that I have one, I won’t have reason to keep using it.

20130409


In other news, looks like the floodgates have been opened on Packlove.com, a new design-oriented social network for dog lovers. Lots of people are handing out invites lately. We have quite a few left too, so if you’re interested, just leave a comment with your e-mail filled out in the form (the e-mail will only be visible to me), and we’ll send you an invite ASAP!

The House of Two Bows can be found at:
http://packlove.com/Bowdu
http://packlove.com/Bowpi

Bowpi is also planted on the site somewhere other than her profile. Did you spot her yet?

The cost of things: March 2013

01 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by M.C. in Finances, Food, drugs & other ingestibles

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

budgeting, canine dental, coconut oil, glucosamine, grooming, jarrow formulas, pet finances, supplements, vet, virbac

This is my third year of tracking our pet finances here at the House of Two Bows. This is an ongoing effort to get a practical sense of what it costs to keep two 20 ~ 30 pound adult dogs in an area of the US with relatively high costs of living. Previous posts in this series can be found under the category of finances.

The Cost of (Pet) Things for March 2013:

  • Food: $72 [previous month, $135]
  • Treats: $9 [previous, $3]
  • Grooming: $8 [previous, $15]
  • Accessories and misc: $0 [previous, $12]
  • Vet & Medical: $265 [previous, $0]
  • TOTAL: $354 (running total for 2013 ~$188/month)

Well, if it wasn’t for Bowpi’s vet visit (regular checkup) and box of prescription flea meds, we would’ve been in the double digits this month… Alas, it’s not like I get to arbitrarily decide, “Hey! This month my dogs will get NO vetting even if it’s an emergency!” If it’s time to pay those bills, you just gotta pay up…

At least we had quite a bit of food socked away from last month. March’s total includes about $50 worth of supplements that will average out over extended periods of time. I got a couple 16 oz. jars of Jarrow Formulas Coconut Oil, which I’m guessing should be enough to last a whole year. A 32 fl. oz jar of Liquid Health K-9 Glucosamine was also purchased for $25.95 with prime shipping on Amazon. The last container (different brand, pictured below) lasted almost five months for Bowdu at half daily dose, alternating with other joint-friendly things some days.

Liquid glucosamineJarrow Formulas Coconut Oil

Meanwhile, keeping our treats all raw and homemade really controls our costs in this category. This month’s expenditures included a couple pounds of chicken hearts (dehydrated at home) and two rounds of lamb bone chews. Kibble sample pouches and other freebies kept us stocked for the rest of the month.

Finally, in grooming supplies, got another tube of Virbac C.E.T. toothpaste, seafood flavored. Yum. Dog toothpaste is not cheap in comparison to human toothpaste! By the end of the year, I should have a pretty good idea of what I spend just to maintain Bowpi’s dental health (Bowdu barely needs any help there). Whatever the total, it can’t be as bad as having to dish out hundreds all at once on a full dental checkup with extractions…

Virbac seafood flavored toothpaste... Mmm...

The cost of things: February 2013

01 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by M.C. in Bowdu the shiba inu, Bowpi the basenji, Finances, Food, drugs & other ingestibles

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

budgeting, canidae, dog food, grooming, honest kitchen, kurgo, pawalla, pet finances, pet food express, wag.com

This is my third year of tracking our pet finances here at the House of Two Bows. This is an ongoing effort to get a practical sense of what it costs to keep two 20 ~ 30 pound adult dogs in an area of the US with relatively high costs of living. Previous posts in this series can be found under the category of finances.

The Cost of (Pet) Things for February 2013:

  • Food: $135
  • Treats: $3
  • Grooming: $15
  • Accessories and misc: $12
  • Vet & Medical: $0
  • TOTAL: $165 (running total for 2013 ~$133/month)

Just when I thought I was on my way to saving some money this February, a major household appliance like a refrigerator craps out…

Luckily, we really didn’t lose that much frozen dog food. I was able to shift some stuff over to my sister’s nearly-empty freezer — thank goodness she had space in her new home! and I basically let the Bows gorge on what I couldn’t really save. I think the evidence of this month’s refrigerator crisis is still evident on their torsos…

Anyway, we only lost about $20 worth of dog food (we won’t talk about the human food though), mainly in the form of cheaper and replaceable items like the ostrich frames that I still had leftover from a Creston Valley Meat purchase back in 2011. In purging the freezer inventory, I learned a lesson: we can’t really go through an entire case until I have a bone saw. We also sacrificed a heap of sardines and chicken liver (approx. $2/pound), which I was reluctant to feed too much of at once. However, most of the meats survived!

Wag.com order

So this month’s food purchases actually aren’t due to the necessity of replenishing raw stock. Rather, we were out of Honest Kitchen, so I put in a big order with Wag.com, taking advantage of their free shipping and a 20% discount for first-time orders with a reference code from Maya. I remain resistant to mail order dog supply services, preferring to support my local businesses whenever possible. On the other hand, I’m willing to milk an offer when it’s available. I got a 10 pound box of Honest Kitchen Keen (turkey + oats, one of their cheaper formulas), 7 pounds of Preference (meat-free premix), and a small bag of Canidae Pure Sea, the grain-free, fish-based recipe that I’ve wanted to try for some time. That was $120, and will certainly get us through March and more. The rest of the month’s food expenses came from various sale meats and the usual supplements like fish oil and yogurt.

Treats were more chicken hearts and gizzards thrown into the dehydrator. We got a bit of a boost this month from another round of freebies from Pawalla.com and their new Mini box, which we’ll be reviewing shortly.

Grooming was the surprise expense this month, thanks to that unfortunate encounter with horse poop on the trails.

"Worst trip to the pet store ever."

Usually, we handle all grooming at home, but the horse poop this time was so bad and so stuck to both dogs, I decided to try out the self-service bathing stations at the local Pet Food Express chain. For $15, you get the works — your choice of Earthbath shampoos, a raised, tiled wash station with handy clips built into the surrounding walls to secure your pets, a blow dryer, all the quick-dry towels you need and plenty of time to hose down your pets. I was able to do both Bows on one token, taking about 20 minutes. Apparently the station shuts off after 25 minutes, but I didn’t reach the limit. The best part was not having to pluck Shiba coat out of the drain or washing heaps of towels! I’d definitely spring for this again if a similar situation arises…

And knowing the Bows, it will happen again, whether any of us like it or not.

Last accessory was a Kurgo Shorty Bucket Dog Car Seat Cover, purchased on clearance at $12 instead of the regular PetCo price of $29.99. I wouldn’t have paid full price for it, but with that steep discount, I was willing to replace the dusty towels I’d been using for the [futile] purpose of keeping Shiba hair out of the crevices of the Mazda seat. Is it worth it? We’ll see… Bowdu doesn’t seem to notice or care, but he’s not the one vacuuming out the car every few weeks for sake of “presentability”…

Kurgo Shorty bucket seat cover

Self groomers

20 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by M.C. in Bowdu the shiba inu, Bowpi the basenji

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

grooming, shedding

Good thing the Bows do such a good job keeping themselves clean…

12 April 2012 Gotta keep it clean

… because there are some things I’d rather not do for them.

20 May 2012

20 May 2012

20 May 201220 May 2012

Okay, sometimes Bowdu does need a hand…

17 June 2012 Fuzzed out

It’s a hard life having so much fur. But at least he thinks to return the favor.

25 November 2011 Grooming the hand that feeds you

All we are is fur in the wind

02 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by M.C. in Links

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

awards, basenji blogs, dog blogs, grooming, meta, shedding, shiba blogs

This is what happens when you try to pet your Shiba with staticky gloves in the middle of a coat blow…

Petting your Shiba during a coat blow
31 December 2011

So WordPress wanted me to publish my annual stats last year, but I didn’t think it was worth reporting after only five months worth of entries and 8000 hits. Now, another year and 45K hits later, some navel-gazing seems more justified. This also allows us to give thanks all around.

I don’t really like the template provided by WordPress, so I’ll summarize here:

Our top 5 referrers, in order:

  • The Misadventures of a Shiba Inu, or the tell-all tales of two resident Shibas, Loki & Juju
  • The BRAT blog, an exemplary nation-wide (+ Canada), breed-specific rescue network that joins pet owners, breeders, and Basenji lovers alike
  • Our Shibal Inu, the best collection of Shiba comics on the net!
  • Inu Baka, a charismatic group of dogs and people that I’ve enjoyed getting to know
  • Demon Dog Sports, where Prince Zuko reports on life from the other side of the Bay

Most active commenters this year:

  • Jen from Inu Baka leads this chart! She sure knows how to make new dog bloggers feel welcome.
  • Losech from The Adventures of Conker has been running steady with a very active blog of her own, too.
  • Ting from Shio the Shiba’s Blog (now with mooore Emi!) pops in every now and then to leave a whole flurry of comments, like the blogger equivalent of a Shiba/Basenji 500.
  • Vicky, one of our most active commenters without a blog (unless she has an undisclosed one stowed away somewhere…)
  • Adam from The Dogs of San Francisco, another fun local blog that adds personality and charm to this bustling Bay Area that we both call home

The rest of the stats aren’t that exciting. But another cool 2011 blog event was when Mac and “PupChow” nominated us for a Liebster Award. Woohoo! Thanks guys! We’ve been slow about passing it along…

Apparently the terms of acceptance are as follows:

  • Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
  • Link back to the blogger who awarded you.
  • Give your top 5 picks for the award.
  • Inform your top 5 by leaving a comment on their blog.
  • Post the award on your blog.

While [unsuccessfully] crawling the Internet for the origin of this award, I read elsewhere that one is supposed to nominate blogs with a readership of 200 or less. I tend to naturally gravitate towards the “small time” blogs (and I mean that in a good way), so this stipulation does nothing to winnow down my pool of nominees. I’m also never sure who’s willing to pass these things along (and I’m not offended if you don’t), and who regards them as a gimmicky nuisance… So in the spirit of discovery and starting off the new year by paying it forward, I pass this award to the following:

Hinoki the Shiba Inu, one of the latest blogs to storm the Shiba scene, with lots of great pictures to boot!

Dog Newbie (中文), breaking down linguistic borders. This blogger really knows her dogs, and is extremely active in training and dog sports — yet she still finds time to translate and compose original entries about the science of positive training in Chinese.

Musings of a Biologist and Dog Lover, who coherently and affably blends her studies of science and pets. Her regular features including Mismark Case Studies, Guess the Genotype, Unusual Breeds, and more are very educational.

Shiba Pursuit, an artistic couple with their adorable Shiba puppy, Kuma.

Junk Thief, who typifies what I think of “Basenji people” in the best possible way. The blog is not entirely about his pair of BRAT rescues, Shaka and Audrey, but the worlds he creates through his madly eclectic art should be more than enough to draw you in.

Health update: allergies under control

28 Thursday Jul 2011

Posted by M.C. in Bowdu the shiba inu, Health

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

allergies, canine atopic dermatitis, canine hypothyroidism, grooming, hot spots, skin care, supplements

This is a quick log of Bowdu’s dermal health, and to compare his summer allergies with almost the exact same time last year…

I’m happy to report that there’s not much to report.

IMG_8356
24 July 2011

This year…

  • Raw and home-cooked meals make up at least 50% of his diet.
  • He’s on thyroid support (Soloxine).
  • He gets more daily nutritional supplements (in addition to the ones we were already using last year) like yucca, grass/pollen combatants, Vitamin E, etc.
  • He’s NOT on any prescription allergy drugs (though he’s been getting OTC antihistamines 1 – 2x a day).
  • He’s NOT in a cone.
  • He’s not licking his paw pads.
  • He’s still licking the same spots on his front “wrists” and the top of his back toes, though the spots are a lot smaller.
  • He still hates getting topical ointments rubbed on his parts, unless he’s in the car.
  • His paws are wiped down after every walk through grass and dirt.
  • He’s less smelly and his skin is less greasy.
  • He’s gotten 3 or 4 baths since the beginning of summer, purpose not being to drench him but to wash away allergens and loosen some undercoat.
  • He’s been brushed a lot less, though I will manually remove fur as I pet him, and I’m doing a lot more sweeping.

In summary, he’s doing really well, and is infinitely more manageable this year. The pictures show that he’s not in perfect condition, but again, compared to last year… wow.

However, August has typically been his worst month. He’s also due for another thyroid check, so I’m still holding my breath until we get through the dog days.

I’ll have another update on Bowpi’s skin breakout later. She does appear to be getting better, but progress on her has been a lot slower than anticipated.

IMG_8361

Great walks through great woods brings Bowpi a surprise

23 Monday May 2011

Posted by M.C. in Bowdu the shiba inu, Bowpi the basenji, Health

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

grooming, tick removal, ticks

We’ve had some great walks lately, giving us lots of lovely photo opportunities…

Shafts of light on shiba and moss
Photos taken 19 May 2011

Zoomies when wet

The camera wasn’t quite on the right settings there, but I still kind of like how it turned out. Bowdu got the urge to do a Shiba 500 after wading in the creek.

Queen of all that she surveys
20 May 2011

We went back to this lake area the very next day, when my friend was in town.

There were a couple other dog parks between those woods and when I found this…

IMG_2273
22 May 2011

That would be my first tick, found on the base of Bowpi’s right ear. I think that I found it immediately, since she does spend a lot of time getting pet (and hence, we should have noticed before), and the tick was not yet engorged. Today’s park was the least woodsy of our recent sites, though. At any rate, I didn’t even have a pair of tick removal tweezers, so I drove to the pharmacy to get supplied, then came home and set to work.

Floating in a pool of alcoholic death

Soon it was floating in an alcoholic pool of death. I don’t even know if I got the whole thing, but the vet did assure me that if its head or mouth pieces were still embedded, the skin would naturally eject the remaining parts (yes, I called to check). Obviously the body’s missing a leg or two, but it won’t be needing them any longer. Fie! Good riddance!

IMG_2279

Then I swabbed the area with some instant foaming Neosporin wound cleanser for kids. Bowpi was so good through the whole procedure, even appearing to fall asleep on my knee at points. She didn’t so much as yelp when I finally managed to pry the thing off her, taking a few stray hairs along.

There doesn’t seem to be any ticks on Bowdu, best I can tell through his thick fur. I suppose that heavy mantle also acts as a natural tick deterrent. I hope I never have to experience the fight that would ensue if I had to subject him to a tweezing.

So now we keep a close watch for about a month…

Hardly hypoallergenic

25 Friday Feb 2011

Posted by M.C. in Bowpi the basenji

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

grooming, hypoallergenic dogs, zoom groom

IMG_0961
Photo taken 17 February 2011

Shiba people know that shedding is a regular way of life. I’ve pretty much stopped noticing the monstrous hair balls that manage to find their way under furniture, behind doors, and in still corners until I’m expecting company or when I’m pacing the halls and staring at the floor during anxious, contemplative moments of the day.

What surprises me is how much Bowpi can shed, at times. Just goes to show that you’ve got to be careful if you’re expecting Basenjis to be a “hypoallergenic” breed! Above is a picture demonstrating the amount of fuzz I brushed off her torso with the Zoom Groom, a tool which has now become indispensable for both Basenji and Shiba grooming. Only a minute of effort resulted in that amount of loose fur.

IMG_1144
Photo taken 24 February 2011

She seems to shed in spurts. Sometimes I can’t get anything off her, and sometimes it just comes right out. The heat’s been kicking lately since we’ve had a string of chilly, rainy days, so that may account for some of the recent follicular action.

At any rate, I don’t think we really have shedding “cycles” here, what with balmy Bay Area weather being perpetually in the 60s ~ 70s. Both Bows, especially Bowdu, shed year-round. Some weeks they shed more than others. And that’s just something we need to stay on top of lest we want the house overrun by wild furballs.

Oh wait, too late…

REVIEW: Various medicated shampoos and Bowdu’s feet

01 Monday Nov 2010

Posted by M.C. in Bowdu the shiba inu, Food, drugs & other ingestibles, Health, Reviews

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

allergies, baths, canine atopic dermatitis, canine hypothyroidism, chattem, chlorhexidine, comfortis, dechra, dermapet, earthbath, eqyss, fleas, foot licking, greentree, grooming, ivermectin, ketoconozale, mal-a-ket, medicated shampoo, pododermatitis, selsun blue, septiderm-v, shampoo, space dogs, trichlocarban, triclocarban

Hey, I haven’t posted any updates on Bowdu’s feet in nearly a month! In this case, no news is good news.

IMG_8873IMG_8875
Photos taken 31 October 2010

Yes, his feet are still blackened and calloused. The patch of fur on his thigh that was shaved for his blood draw (see above left picture), over three weeks ago, has barely grown back. I suppose I can blame his hypothyroidism for his prolonged healing times, but in other respects, he’s doing really well.

For the first time in months, Bowdu’s been sleeping cone-free. He’s been continuously cone-free for at least one week now, which is really monumental considering we started with this cone nonsense all the way back in July. We are so proud of him!

Both Bowdu and Bowpi are also now on Comfortis (spinosad), the oral flea medication recommended by our new vet. Despite my desire to find more natural flea preventatives, it was evident that we had too much to manage in our environment and lifestyle to risk even a few flea bites which would set Bowdu off. I double and triple-checked that it was safe to use with Ivermectin, since they’re both also on Heartgard. Assured in triplicate that both medications were safe to use together provided we remained well within proper dosing limits, we gave both dogs their flea meds two Sundays ago, and we haven’t seen a single flea on them after the second day of taking the medication.

IMG_8854IMG_8852

Bowdu’s gnawing and itching hasn’t been completely eliminated yet, but I’d say he’s 90% there. In particular, his back thighs, his groin, and his muzzle still cause him to itch — I think from remnant flea bites and habit. The most important thing to me is that he is not fixating on his paws, and has more or less learned to leave them alone. I’m very paranoid about the possibility of a recurring infection, so we’re continuing to do what we can to manage his bacterial and fungal activity in the meantime.

One reason we switched to Comfortis was because it allowed us to bathe Bowdu more regularly, specifically his feet, as recommended by the vet. This is supposed to wash away any accumulated allergens and to prevent his natural flora from growing out of control, since his own immune system is unable to regulate efficiently. As I recalled from the article “Clinical Practice Guidelines from the International Task Force on Canine Atopic Dermatitis,” “There is currently no evidence of any benefit from using other shampoos or conditioners containing ingredients such as oatmeal, pramoxine, antihistamine, lipids or glucosteroids… Taken as a whole, these findings suggest that the benefit from bathing might lie primarily with the action of washing the pet.” To me, that meant It doesn’t really matter which shampoo you use, just as long as you regularly wash affected areas as recommended.

So we started Bowdu’s foot-washing regimen with some shampoos billed as natural or recommended by holistic pet stores — specifically Earthbath Green Tea Leaf and EQyss Micro-Tek Pet Shampoo.

Stop the itching!

Well, both of these aforementioned shampoos smelled lovely, but during the weeks that we were using these “gentle” shampoos, Bowdu still could not be trusted outside of his cone. I think I chose the wrong Earthbath product, since Green Tea Leaf was billed as being for preventative maintenance, not medication. Mediterranean Magic, with rosemary oil, is the one billed as having anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. At any rate, this goes to show that selection of shampoo does matter. I believe I misunderstood the initial “Clinical Guidelines,” which probably make a distinction between medicated shampoos as treatment for known conditions and preventative shampoos.

As for the EQyss Micro Tek pet shampoo, we didn’t give it much of a chance to prove itself. The active ingredient, Trichlocarban (sic) or rather Triclocarban 0.20%, has been reported in recent years to disrupt endocrine activity. Since Bowdu’s endocrine system is precisely what is the problem here (thyroxine, not testosterone, being the hormone of concern), we decided to discontinue use of this shampoo immediately. Too bad if their patent-pending formula is “developed from NASA research on the decontamination of astronauts,” as it claims on the packaging. We already know that many dog lives were lost in the name of the space race, so this association with spaceman technology does not impress me.

So we returned to Septiderm-V (original review here) for one bath, before turning to Selsun Blue (Selenium sulfide) for humans. This is apparently a classic recommendation for canine yeast infections, according to various online sources.

Only after the bath with Selsun Blue did Bowdu’s paws feel noticeably less crusty, and his desire to lick his paws almost immediately went away. Little did I know that the best solution was lurking at the human drugstore all along…

But for all its efficacy, Selsun Blue is still a human shampoo, with sulfates that I worry will overdry Bowdu’s paws (even though I got the moisturizing aloe formula). So for one final measure, I picked up a bottle of DermaPet’s Mal-A-Ket shampoo (with 1% ketoconazole, 2% chlorhexidene, 2% acetic acid). It seemed as successful as Selsun Blue in controlling Bowdu’s itchiness, though his skin felt smoother only with Selsun Blue. We’ll keep Mal-A-Ket on hand (and try to forgive them for bad product naming) as our alternate medicated shampoo as we continue on our twice-weekly foot bathing regimen.


In summary…

PRODUCT: Earthbath Green Tea Leaf shampoo
Volume: 16 fl. oz (472 mL)
Price paid: $16.99 from local Pet Store A
Packaging description: Preventative maintenance for healthy skin & coat
Ingredients: Purified water, renewable coconut-based natural cleansers, extracts of green tea leaf, ginger & Hawaiian awapuhi, aloe vera, vitamin E, olive oil squalene (preservative). All ingredients are natural, 100% biodegradable, and gentle on your pet & you. [Also designated animal cruelty free]
Company information: Earthbath, P.O. Box 411050, San Francisco, CA 94141
Final Grade: W [Withdrawn from review, not considered a “medicated” shampoo]

PRODUCT: EQyss Micro-Tek Pet Shampoo, Maximum Strength
Volume: 16 fl. oz (473 mL)
Price paid: $16.99 from local Pet Store D
Packaging description: “The fastest acting skin problem shampoo ever developed! May on contact neutralize any skin problems. MICRO-TEK Pet Shampoo contains our patent pending formula developed from NASA research on the decontamination of astronauts. Combines ingredients to create the healthiest environment for healing. […] Stops biting, licking, and scratching; Neutralizes contact allergies; Neutralizes dry flaky skin conditions; Contains no soap or harsh detergents; Will not burn or hurt open wounds; Safe for puppies and kittens; Non-steroidal, Alcohol free; Reduces skin redness caused by irritation; Non-toxic – environmentally friendly”
Ingredients: Active ingredients – Trichlocarban 0.20%, Inactive ingredients: Deionized water, sodium laureth sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocamide DEA, polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Polyquaternium 10, Allantoin, Sodium PCA, Glycosamino-glycans, Trichlocarban [again?], Aloe Vera, Extract of Clove, Thyme and Lavendar, DM Dm Hydantoin, Methylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Salt, Fragrance
Company information: EQyss Grooming Products, Inc., Carlsbad, CA 92013
Final Grade: C

PRODUCT: GreenTree Septiderm-V Skin Care Bath
Volume: 8 FL. OZ. (240 ml)
Price paid: $9.99 from local Pet Store B
Packaging description and ingredients: See original review from 18 August 2010
Final grade: B

PRODUCT: Mal-A-Ket shampoo
Volume: 8 Fl. Oz (237 mL)
Price Paid: $16.99 at local Pet Store E
Packaging description: Antiseptic, cleansing, medicated shampoo formulated for dogs, cats, and horses
Ingredients: Chlorhexidine Gluconate 2% w/w, Ketoconazole 1% w/w, 2% Acetic Acid in a shampoo base
Company information: DermaPet Inc., located in Potomac, MD, recently acquired by Dechra Veterinary Products (UK)
Final Grade: A-

PRODUCT: Selsun Blue Moisturizing Formula with Aloe
Volume: 11 Fl. Oz. (325 mL)
Price paid: $9.99 from Walgreen’s
Packaging description: For relief of flaking and itching due to dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, and to help prevent their recurrence
Ingredients: Active ingredient – Selenium sulfide 1%, Inactive ingredients: water, ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, dihydrogenated tallow phthalic acid amide, sodium chloride, cocamide DEA, dimethicone, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, titanium dioxide, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, sodium isostearoyl lactylate, DMDM hydantoin, fragrance, citric acid, sodium citrate, FD&C blue no. 1
Company information: Chattem, Inc.; P.O. Box 2219; Chattanooga, TN 37409
Final Grade: A

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My say (recent posts)

  • Bowdu 寶肚, the Precious Tummy 25 August 2020
  • Bowpi 寶媲, the Precious Companion 2 August 2020
  • Roll of 28, Day 28: Yesterday’s clouds were dramatic — today is ok 1 March 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 27: She wore red shoes 27 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 26: First dibs 26 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 25: My first fish taco 25 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 24: MGMT 24 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 23: Illuminated perspective 23 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 22: Desirous duo 22 February 2015
  • Roll of 28, Day 21: The View from the DJ corner 21 February 2015

Your say

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  • Lisa (Sinjin and Sienna’s mom) on Bowdu 寶肚, the Precious Tummy
  • Down the Rabbit Hole: A Closer Look at the Design and Concept of Iconic Tim Burton Characters | A Little Bit Human on Top 5 Dogs in Tim Burton movies (guest post by Anubis, the Barkless Dog)

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What we talk about when we talk about dogs

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★ Basenji Peeps

  • 2 becomes 1
  • Basenji blogs on Blog Mura
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  • BRAT – Basenji Rescue and Transport
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★ Shiba Links

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  • Volunteers 4 Paws (formerly Inu Baka)
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Rescue

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  • SIRA – Shiba Inu Rescue Association
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  • TUAPA – Taichung Universal Animal Protection Association
  • Walkin' the Bark

We're not just Shibasenji-centric (it's just what we're used to)

  • Animal Emotions
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  • Ask Dr. Yin
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Freshly sniffed (featured links, regularly rotated)

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10 great books on dogs

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