wikiHow to Maintain a Pet's Hair

Five Methods:Brushing RegularlyDietPreventing Dry SkinKeeping Them HealthyTo the Vet

It is important for a pet owner's pets to have a healthy coat of fur. There are many reasons a pet's fur can lose its shine and most are easily fixed. Each different type of animal or specific breed of animal have specific fur characteristics and an owner should research these to make sure their pets coat is up to par.

Method 1
Brushing Regularly

  1. Image titled Maintain a Pet's Hair Step 1
    1
    Brush your pet's hair regularly. Consider the length of the fur. If the animal has relatively long fur then you will have to brush their fur more often. A pet owner should brush their pets regularly because it helps get rid of knots and dirt. It also helps spread natural oils through the fur that help the fur keep a healthy shine.
  2. Image titled Maintain a Pet's Hair Step 2
    2
    Keep the brushing positive. The sessions should be a positive interaction between owner and pet. You can give your pet treats before, during, or after to make brushing seem like a reward. If your pet has knots brush carefully so brushing is not associated with pain.

Method 2
Diet

  1. Image titled Maintain a Pet's Hair Step 3
    1
    Make sure your pet is getting the nutrients it needs. Oftentimes, when their diet is not good enough their fur suffers. If an older animal starts refusing to eat it could be because their food is too hard for their teeth. If you give the animal hard foods, try changing to a softer food and see if there is improvement.
  2. Image titled Maintain a Pet's Hair Step 4
    2
    Do research on the specific nutrients your pet needs. Different animals may require certain foods and some might need more work than others to keep them healthy. Try using brands known for being good for your pet and make sure you read the ingredients. Some animal foods don't have what your pet needs and your pet could be lacking essential nutrients because of that.

Method 3
Preventing Dry Skin

  1. Image titled Maintain a Pet's Hair Step 5
    1
    Check for dry skin. Dry skin can prevent your pet's fur from being as healthy as it should be. Reasons behind dry skin are listed below.
    • Itching due to Fleas (use treatments to get rid of them)
    • Harsh soaps
    • Bathing too often or not enough (considering the breed)
    • Omega-3 deficiency
    • Skin Infection
    • Parasites like Mites
  2. Image titled Maintain a Pet's Hair Step 6
    2
    If your pet continues to have dry skin after you appropriately treat it, you should take your pet to the vet because it could have an underlying medical condition.

Method 4
Keeping Them Healthy

  1. Image titled Maintain a Pet's Hair Step 7
    1
    Understand fur ages with your pet. If your pet is getting old and their health is deteriorating then their fur will also deteriorate. Fur health and animal health are directly linked to each other.
  2. Image titled Maintain a Pet's Hair Step 8
    2
    Keep your pet healthy. If you have an unhealthy animal they will have unhealthy fur. If the unhealthy fur is caused seemingly by nothing and you have tried all of the above and none have worked it could mean that your animal has a medical condition. Please take your animal to the vet to get them checked out if they are not improving.

Method 5
To the Vet

  1. Image titled Maintain a Pet's Hair Step 9
    1
    Keep the check-ups up to date. Vets look out for any possible skin problems.
  2. Image titled Maintain a Pet's Hair Step 10
    2
    Follow the vets orders. They can also diagnose any medical conditions that could cause unhealthy fur.

Tips

  • Make sure you know the characteristics of fur for your animal's species and breed.

Warnings

  • If the animal has unhealthy fur that persists after proper treatment take them to the vet as soon as possible. It could be a medical condition.

Article Info

Categories: Pets and Animals