There is nothing better than that first moment after you give your pet a bath and you feel your pet’s soft, silky coat and breathe in that freshly clean aroma.  However, be sure that you’re doing the right thing by your pet by using a pet wash that is especially formulated for them and their coat.  Since there is such a huge range available, it can be hard to find one that perfectly suits your pet so we’ve put together a guide to help you. Read on for more.

What Type of Pet Wash Do You Need?

The first thing that you need to consider when choosing pet washes is what type of pet wash you actually need.  For many people, all that is required is a basic all-rounder pet wash. In this case, just about any standard pet wash is suitable (just make sure it’s tailored to your type of pet – don’t use dog shampoos for cats, for example).  However, if your pet has a skin condition, including dry skin, dandruff, or itchy skin, a protein based shampoo or an oatmeal based shampoo can be of great help.  For some conditions, a medicated pet wash will be required.  If your pet is suffering from fleas, you may want to use a flea shampoo in order to kill the fleas off and relieve the discomfort for your pet.

There are also special washes that are designed for younger pets such as puppies and kittens and you can also find hypoallergenic shampoos that are good for even the most sensitive of pet skins.  If you want to brighten your pet’s white areas, there are also special whitening shampoos available.

If you don’t like the idea of using a standard pet wash, there are many natural pet washes available that minimise the use of synthetic ingredients and chemicals as much as possible.  They often incorporate natural oils, extracts, and herbs in order to help with a wide array of conditions. The label of these washes will tell you what they are best used for.

Ask For Advice

Before buying a new pet wash, it is a good idea to have a quick chat with your vet.  This is especially important if your pet has a skin condition as you will need to find a shampoo or wash that can help with this and not actually make the condition worse.  Your vet will also be able to advise you on your pet’s skin type (dry, oily, normal etc), and tell you if your pet’s coat needs some extra TLC in the way of protein to build it up and make it shinier etc.  If you cannot chat with your vet, then you can also get excellent advice from your local pet store or pet supply store, which will stock an excellent array of pet washes.

Never Use Human Shampoos on Your Pet

You might think that it’s okay to use your shampoo on your pet because, after all, they all do the same thing, right?  Wrong!  Human shampoos are actually way too harsh for the delicate skins of our pet and using them can actually cause skin problems to occur.