Why All This Pet Hair Everywhere?

Do hairballs ROLL across your carpet like tumbleweeds?

Shedding is a natural process while some pets shed less than others, all pets shed no matter what people say. (EVEN those fancy purebred dogs shed)

So can I prevent shedding in my pet?

Shedding is a common question that I get asked about on this website.

Although often not a medical condition, it REALLY BOTHERS lots of owners and can even be the reason people give up their pets, or do not get a pet in the first place.

Shedding is a natural thing for pets to do.

Different breeds of cats and dogs shed differently. Some shed all year round, other seasonally. Different breeds can shed more than others as well.

Poodles and Schnauzers are some of the breeds that don’t shed very much at all. Their hair grows continuously and needs to be cut.

Breeds like Golden Retriever and German Shepard shed seasonally, so they shed the most during fall and spring. Short haired cats and dogs (like Terriers) shed continuously.

But there are other conditions where the pet may shed excessively.

Conditions leading to excessive shedding:

• Dry coat

• Skin disease

• Hormonal diseases: like Cushing’s disease, etc.

• Trauma

• Some drugs, or medical treatments

Snake Oil Treatments?

There are many new products on the market claiming that they can stop or reduce the shedding of your pet. Some of these are in the form of pills or pastes.

Ingredients in shed stoppers. (really just vitamins!)

Most contain Omega 3 fatty acids, usually from an ingredient called flax seed. Which is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acid and fiber.

Vitamins are another popular ingredient of shed stoppers.

Vitamins like A, B, D, and E are added to these products to help improve the hair coat. The healthier the hair coat, the LESS shedding there should be.

Also, minerals are added as well. Zinc, copper, and selenium are common to help reduce dog shedding and cat shedding.

Many also contain the products from fat containing seeds, like sunflower, and flax seed. If you have an OBESE PET be careful about giving your pet these products because they can be high in fat.

As always, your Veterinarian is a good person (hopefully) to consult with before trying one of these products. They may be able to tell you their experiences with them as well.

So what does this have to do with me?

If you read this far, here are SIX THINGS you can do to cut down on how much hair you find in your house:

1. Brush your pet more frequently. Brushing can prevent a large amounts of hair from accumulating in the house. Brushing a cat or dog on a daily basis not only removes hair but when you use a firm brush like the The Furminator you also can increase the blood flow of the skin, which helps to keep the hair follicles healthy and gives a nice massage.

2. Vacuum your house and car more frequently to prevent hair from working its way into the carpet. The Dirt Devil SE3890 for pets is one of the best currently one market and it beats lugging around the big vacuum for little hairballs.

3. Feeding your pet a high-quality food will help reduce shedding. Again, there are some pet products on the market that claim to reduce the amount of shedding but basically these are just vitamins which are found in complete pet foods.

4. Bathing your pet more frequently as another way to remove excess hair before you find it on your carpet.

5. Use a tape roller or STICKY SHEETS instead of lugging out the vacuum.

6. Give your pets lots of exercise.