To support our efforts, this page may contain affiliate links. We earn a commission for qualifying purchases β at no cost to you. Some pets love a bath, and others, well, it is like bathing a screaming toddler β messy and stressful. The best thing to do, whether you have a bath lover or hater, is to have everything ready to go before you start. This helps move the whole process along efficiently, decreases stress, and prevents you from using the wrong products.
When it comes to bathing your pets, it can be tempting to reach for whatever shampoo you might already have in your shower or grab the dishwashing soap from your kitchen. While this may be ok every now and again or in an emergency skunk attack!
Dogs and cats, unfortunately, are not designed for the human environment. The skin is the largest organ of the body. Its purpose is to protect our pets from infections, parasites, and environmental elements and stressors. It is regularly exposed to outside elements, which makes it susceptible to disease and harm. Keeping it healthy with proper care and diet is essential for our pets. Surprisingly, human and animal skin isn't the same.
Our pets' skin has very different pH levels from ours. Humans have 10β15 layers as compared to pets only having 3β5 layers. Lastly, human skin is generally oilier than animal skin. Animals need less oil than humans since they have fur to protect their skin.
There is a disruption of the sensitive and delicate skin barrier when our pets are exposed, especially repeatedly, to these ingredients. When this occurs, our pets are at risk of developing dry and itchy skin, which may result in bacterial, fungal, or yeast infections of the skin. Additionally, when the thin oily layer is removed, there is more and faster sebum oily, waxy substance growth, as well as smells.
