Professional Pet Grooming Services
Professional grooming helps keep pets looking and feeling neat, clean, and healthy – and saves you both time and energy.
From haircuts to help your furry friend manage the summer heat, to flea control treatments, shampoos, and nail trims, our grooming, and bathing services include everything your dog or cat needs to look and feel their very best!
Putting Your Pet's Best Paw Forward
At Summerville Animal Hospital we have a climate-controlled grooming and boarding facility where we offer a range of professional grooming services to help keep your pet looking and smelling great. Our professional groomer has the knowledge and experience to groom pets of all temperaments and coat types.
Dog & Cat Grooming FAQs
To find out more about the services we offer and why your pet should visit a professional groomer, read through the answers to our most frequently asked questions about pet grooming below.
- What do grooming services include?
Based on your pet's breed and unique needs, we can provide a combination of the following during a grooming session:
- Bathing: shampoo & conditioning
- Nail trimming & grinding
- Teeth brushing
- Breed-specific haircuts
- De-shedding treatments
- Ear cleaning
- Brushing & de-matting
- Full haircuts
- Why should I have my pet professionally groomed?
While you may choose to take on the responsibility and time commitment of grooming your pet yourself, there are a few good reasons to have the job done by a professional groomer:
They have the right tools.
Professional groomers have a variety of grooming tools at hand, from various clippers and specialty skin products to adjustable grooming tables and bathtubs designed specifically for pets. They also keep a selection of specialty shampoos on hand for cats and dogs with allergies, skin irritations, fleas and ticks, and even for dogs that have been sprayed by skunks.
They have plenty of experience handling dogs and cats.
Professional groomers know what to do to keep your cat or dog safe during grooming. They are experienced in handling seniors, animals with behavioral issues, and more.
They take care of the unsavory tasks.
No matter how much we love our pets, when it comes to cleaning and grooming them, certain tasks are far from pleasant. From shampooing muddy or skunked dogs to removing fleas and ticks and expressing anal glands, a professional groomer will get the yucky stuff done with a minimum of fuss – so you don't have to.
- How often should I have my pet groomed?
The proper frequency of grooming sessions depends on your pet's breed, hair length, and coat type. In most cases, though, regular grooming should be done about once a month.
- How long does a grooming session take?
The duration of a grooming session depends on the size of your pet, and the coat type and length. It also depends on what types of services are required to groom them. That said, most grooming sessions at our hospital take between one and two hours.
- How much does grooming cost?
The cost of grooming varies depending on your pet's breed and size, and the type of coat they have. Whether your pet has any significant behavioral issues can also affect the cost. For a better idea of cost, please contact us for an estimate.
- What are the health benefits of professional grooming?
Grooming is a necessity to ensure your pet stays clean and healthy. This task can remove fur that’s been shed and has stuck to your dog’s coat, fleas, mats, and ticks. Other health conditions can also be halted or prevented.
Because mats can cause knots in your pet’s hair, this can lead to pain and discomfort - something every owner wants to prevent. A good brushing will also make your dog’s coat shine. Their nails will be trimmed to prevent curling and invasion of germs.
Early detection of skin infections or problems is key to your pet’s health, and the groomer will know what to look for. They will find any inflammations, new lumps, infections, rashes, or lesions that may be missed by even the most diligent owner. They may also catch an underlying problem, and the sooner these issues are found, the sooner they can be treated.
- How do your groomers handle fearful or aggressive pets?
Our groomers have spent many hours handling stressed, anxious, or aggravated animals. In cases where the animal is especially fearful or aggressive, sedation during the grooming session may be recommended. Most of the time, though, our groomer can manage the animal with the following steps:
• A quiet, peaceful environment
• Offering treats
• Frequent breaks
• Opening a window or playing music
• Asking a dog to do something it knows (like 'sit' or 'shake')
Bathing Services
Our pet bathing services are available by appointment, and include shampooing, nail trim, ear cleaning, and anal gland expression, as well as blowing drying and brushing.
We stock a range of products specially formulated to suit a variety of skin and coat types and match the right product to each pet so that your dog or cat feels as great as they look!
Benefits of Bathing
There are several sanitary and dermatological benefits to regular bathing sessions for cats and dogs. Bathing:
- Removes dirt & odor for cleaner skin and coat
- Softens and conditions coat
- Reduces shedding
- Helps treat and reduce symptoms of any allergies & skin conditions
- Helps us monitor your pet's health