What about the Groomer?
Dogs aren't the only ones who get grooming-related injuries. It's easy to be so focused on the dog that your own finger gets in the way and you end up slicing yourself. Don't forget bandages for fingers, too!
Hair, Hair, Everywhere
Nylon is the best type of clothing to wear while grooming dogs. Nylon sheds hair and water to an extent, and it dries quickly. If you are clipping a coarse-coated dog such as a Chow or Terrier, you may end up with a rash on your inner arms from the prickly hairs coming in contact with your skin. Applying cornstarch to your arms and especially to the crease at your elbow will help absorb the moisture that causes the coarse hair to stick to you. It's also a good idea to dust your chest with cornstarch or powder before dressing to prevent pet hairs from embedding themselves into your skin.
It's amazing where hair can embed itself. A groomer had a sudden, sharp pain in her toe and couldn't figure out why, but figured she must have stubbed it or sprained it. After close examination, she saw a tiny dot that looked like a splinter. She grabbed tweezers and pulled out a three-inch-long dog hair that was embedded in her toe. Be aware of hair splinters; if you don't remove them, they can cause an infection.
Bites
When you groom pets, you may get bitten. It's always good to know animal behavior and learn how to read animals, but occasionally it happens anyway.
What do you do if a dog or cat bites you?
If you are bitten, it's imperative that you clean the wound out thoroughly right away! It's also important that you squeeze the wound and make it bleed for a bit so it doesn't heal from the outside in; bites need to drain.
Most people are concerned with rabies when they receive a bite from an animal, but the truth is that rabies is probably the least of your worries. Not many domesticated animals get rabies unless they play with the wildlife. If you are grooming your own pet and he bites you, you probably have only a slim chance of getting rabies. You should be concerned about rabies if any animal bites your pet. A pet whose vaccinations are up-to-date poses a very low rabies risk.
Dog bites can be bad, but cat bites are worse. Cats carry more bacteria in their mouths than dogs do. Due to the shape and size of their teeth, when you have a cat bite it's more likely to seal up on the outside, thus sealing in the bacteria. This is why it's important not to stitch puncture wounds closed.
All bites can be potentially serious; however, the majority of grooming-related animal bites tend to be superficial. Once you've had a bite wound, you learn fast what triggered it and can take precautions the next time.
Equipment Hazards
Poking yourself under the fingernails with slicker brushes is another way for a tiny injury to turn into something more serious. It's very easy to cut yourself on dematting tools, scissors, and thinning shears.
When you have your scissors sharpened they will be razor sharp, and you can easily cut yourself without even feeling it happen. Many a groomer has seen blood on a dog and begun searching for the wound only to discover it's blood from their own finger!
Soaking injuries in Epsom salts and betadine solution for several minutes helps to flush away bacteria and encourages wounds to heal much faster. Keep your wounds bandaged and clean and wear rubber gloves if necessary to protect them.
