July 4th is often the official "kick-off" of summer.  Including your pet in many of your activities can be fun for everyone involved, but be sure to take precautions where necessary. 

Parades, barbecues, family gatherings and fireworks are the hallmarks of our Independence Day celebrations.  But, be aware that fireworks are frightening to many dogs.  When dogs panic from firework noise, they often run and many dogs have been lost this way.   Be sure to keep your pet on a lead or keep her/him indoors.

Summertime Safety

Just as you would keep an eye on small children, be aware of where your pet is and what s/he is doing when you are at gatherings.  Whether you're in the backyard, at the beach or someplace else enjoying a lazy day of summer, don't let your pet get too close to the grill or fire pit.   Avoid gastrointestinal emergencies by keeping your pet away from charcoal and discarded food items such as fish or sparerib bones, pits from fruit (including avocado), corn cobs, skewers and garbage in general. 

If you and your furry buddy are out in the car and you need to stop at a store, NEVER leave your pet in the car.  Even though some people don't think temperatures in the 80s feel too warm; in an enclosed, sunny space such as a vehicle, the temperature can reach over 110 degrees in just 10 minutes.  This can cause heat-stress or heat stroke in a pet, which can lead to death.

If you see an animal locked in a vehicle in a parking lot, intervention may be necessary.  Try to locate the owner of the car through the store or restaurant's paging system or contact the police to free the animal.

March 20th is the first day of Spring, bringing with it longer days, warmer (we hope) temperatures and Spring flowers. 

With Easter around the corner, it's important to note that Lilies are highly toxic to cats.  The leaves, pollen and flower of lily plants can make your cat extremely sick and can even be fatal.  Some signs of lily toxicity are loss of appetite, vomiting, lethargy and liver failure. 

According to the ASPCA, some varieties of lilies are also toxic to dogs and include lily of the valley, calla lily, peace lily or palm lily (which is the houseplant Dracaena).  Dogs who have ingested these lilies may experience stomach upset, tremors and depression.

A few other popular Spring blooms are also dangerous.  These include Daffodils (otherwise known as paper whites, narcissus or jonquils), Tulips and Azaleas.  Daffodils and Tulips contain poisonous alkaloids that can cause drooling, intense vomiting, convulsions, diarrhea and heart problems.  If the leaves of the Azaleas are ingested, they can cause loss of appetite, stomach upset, weakness, leg paralysis, central nervous system depression, cardiovascular collapse and death.

If you suspect your pet has plant/flower toxicity, seek immediate veterinary attention.

Pay careful attention to the type of plants/flowers you bring indoors or plant outside.  There are a number of attractive plants that are non-toxic to pets.  Consider African Violet, Rose, Begonia or Easter Daisy, to name just a few.

Bathe, trim and beautify! The holidays are an exciting time of year for us because we get to primp and pamper our pet clients more than ever.  A number of our clients will request a special haircut for their pets or provide us with beautiful bows or neckerchiefs with which to adorn them. 

Having the holiday family photo taken?  Be sure to book your grooming session ahead of time, so we can have your pet ready for her/his close-up!

We love that our pets participate in all the hustle and bustle of the holidays - from joining us on the neighborhood Christmas stroll to alerting us of all the UPS gift deliveries and "supervising" the delectable treats we're cooking-up in the kitchen.

And of course…curling up with us in front of the fireplace.  There is no place like home when you're with your best buddy.

The holidays are all about giving.  A tasty treat or a new squeak toy will certainly be appreciated, but the best gifts you can give your pet are your love and attention.

With the New Year fast approaching, we'd like to take this opportunity to tell all of our pets and pet parents how much we value you and thank you for your continued patronage.  We look forward to serving you in the coming year.

Wishing you health and happiness this holiday season from all of your friends at Zoomin Groomin!

We are often asked if it is really necessary to bathe a cat.

Did you know that allergy to cats is extremely common, occurring in up to 25 percent of people with allergies. Cat allergy is more common than allergy to dogs, which may be related to the potency of cat hair and dander as an allergen as well as the fact that cats are not generally bathed.

Cats are pretty self-sufficient when it comes to cleaning themselves, however there are times when self-grooming just won’t do the trick.  Professional, consistent grooming will remove dead hair and dander and help to alleviate cat allergy.  Other reasons for bathing kitty?  She may have rolled in something that is tough to remove (such as soot, motor oil or dirt from that potted plant she just tipped over).  Or, perhaps kitty has a medical condition that limits her ability to groom herself.  It’s not an easy task to bathe a feline, especially when s/he scratches or bites, so oftentimes it is best left to a professional groomer.

Tub-Free Cleaning

Our cleaning system involves spraying a pet with an environment friendly Pure Oxygen solution as we brush him. The brush-like wand attachment then vacuums up all the cat dander, hair, dirt and odors. This system uses only about one gallon of water, and, since most of the cleaning solution is immediately vacuumed up, kitty will be mostly dry even before he is fluff dried. Most cats really love this system, since it feels just like being brushed and they never get soaking wet. Pet parents love it too, since it is more effective at removing allergens than dunking kitty in a tub of water.

Nail trims are automatically done as part of your grooming appointment, but a cat’s nails are obviously going to need to be trimmed more often than he needs bathing.  Nails should be trimmed every three to four weeks.  If you’re a cat parent, you’re probably aware of when kitty needs a nail trim simply because of the scratch factor – on your furniture, on yourself…. You get the picture.

Zoomin Groomin can help.  We do offer nail trim appointments for cats and will come to you.  And, for senior cats or cats with ailments, or particularly nervous cats or any pet who is most comfortable remaining in their own 'space', we do personal in-home grooming.