Furunculosis is a deep skin infection that affects the hair follicle. Shaving hair, especially down close to the skin, can cause the follicle to become irritated and exposes it to possible bacterial infection. It can be caused by different kinds of bacteria. The post grooming kind of furunculosis is caused by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, which grows in grooming-specific environments and is usually resistant to many kinds of antibiotics.
Back Story of Zoe Marie and Furunculosis
I came across this disease on a very personal level when my Aussie, Zoe Marie, was affected by it.
It all started when I decided it was too cold for me to bathe her in my backyard with a hose. Not feeling like cleaning the tub full of hair, I decided to take her for a bath at a professional groomer. What could go wrong with just a bath, right? Huge mistake! As it turns out, a lot can go wrong with “just a bath”.
I left her there for less than an hour and constantly checked on her. Obviously, not even my consistent vigilance could avoid what happened next. One of the times I went to the salon, I noticed a naked, fully shaved Aussie on the grooming table that looked a lot like my dog, Zoe. With disbelief, I asked them, “Are you sure you are shaving the right dog?” The answer was, “Oh yeah, of course. I can’t believe this owner wanted to shave this Aussie, right?”
In my mind, I was thinking, “this Aussie better look very similar to my Zoe Marie”. The suspense ended when they brought me another dog that did not look anything like her, yet was wearing her leash. Yes, that is shockingly right. They switched the Aussies all together and completely shaved my Zoe Marie. Somehow, I ended up feeling lucky that she was not sent home with the wrong family.
From Bad To Worse
As bad as this experience might seem, it did not end there. Two days after the shaving while petting her, I felt many bumps over the dorsal region of her skin. They looked and felt like big, red pimples. I performed some research and found my answer. She contracted a skin infection at the grooming salon due to contaminated shampoo containers/lines or bathing/grooming material. Actuality, this happens more frequently than I thought.
The skin disease even had its very own name: Post Grooming Furunculosis.
What is Furunculosis?
Furunculosis is a deep skin infection that affects the hair follicle. Shaving hair, especially down close to the skin, can cause the follicle to become irritated and exposes it to possible bacterial infection. It can be caused by different kinds of bacteria. The post grooming kind of furunculosis is caused by Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, which grows in grooming-specific environments and is usually resistant to many kinds of antibiotics.
I was shocked when I read how this particular infection can become so severe in some cases it can lead to other generalized infections and also secondary infections such as heart valves, potentially becoming life-threatening if not dealt with promptly.
She did not exhibit any serious symptoms but after reading all the discovered information about this disease I brought her to work with me to perform a culture of one of her skin pustules (pimples). The results were conclusive. Zoe’s skin was contaminated with Pseudomonas Aeruginosa due to her shaving/bath.
The skin culture confirmed the diagnosis of Post Grooming Furunculosis. It was very important to perform the culture test because it not only grows the exact bacteria affecting the skin but also tests multiple antibiotics to evaluate their efficacy on fighting that specific organism.
Zoe’s infection was very resistant, but we were able to start her on one of the antibiotics the culture results had recommended. Due to the severity of the disease the treatment had to be continued for the entirety of a month.
Thankfully, she has fully recovered and her hair seems to be growing back quickly.
I decided to write this article to share my experience with you because we need to be very aware of this disease, which, in some cases, can be fatal if left undiagnosed and untreated. I am a veterinarian (not a dermatologist) and still was not aware of this relationship between the furunculosis and grooming. We were shocked to find out that it actually happens more often than one would imagine.
What You Should Know About Grooming and Furunculosis
If you are used to taking your heavy-coated dog for grooming with professionals, these are some things you should know:
- Shaving heavy double-coated dogs are not recommended because of the undercoat functions as a natural barrier for either heat or cold, and also for protection against possible injuries to the skin. Once the coat is shaved down, there is no guarantee it will ever perform its intended function properly again.
- Make sure the grooming professional is reliable and adequately sanitizes the system that dilutes the shampoo with water or bottles where diluted shampoos are kept. Also, make sure the groomer does not use expired products. After the expiration date, antimicrobial agents that are presented in the shampoo do not work and the product can easily become contaminated. Taking your own shampoo to these places could be a good precaution.
- Be aware of symptoms, which usually appear 48-72 hours after grooming. Symptoms could appear in the form of decreased activity/lethargy/decreased appetite (most likely due to fever or pain – the pustules can be extremely painful) and bumps over the dorsal (back) skin, concentrated mostly on dorsal neck and over the hips, areas where the products are usually applied during bath.
- If you bathe your pet at home make sure you use products that are not expired and avoid scrubbing the back hair against the hair grain. That action can traumatize the hair follicle, making it easier for possible bacteria to become lodged in there.
Conclusion
Now that you are aware of this disease, you are empowered to take the precautions to make sure this does not happen to your fur baby. Make sure if you notice any of the described symptoms and it has been 48-72 hours post bathing/grooming to take your pet to a veterinarian immediately. Some cases can be severe and even fatal, but can easily be avoided if treated on time.