The grooming extras worth paying for in Dubai are the plain ones. They are a proper de-shed and blow-out, de-matting, nail trimming, a sanitary and paw-pad trim, and ear cleaning with a check.
Scented finishes, coat colour, facials and nail polish change how your animal looks or smells for a few days. They do nothing for skin or coat. A few fashionable services can do harm.
What does the Dubai climate do to skin and coat?
Four things drive most of what groomers and vets see here.
- Air conditioning all year. Dry indoor air and constant artificial light mean indoor cats and dogs shed steadily, with no clear season.
- Humidity from June to September. Skin folds, ears and the base of a thick coat stay damp. Yeast and bacteria grow in the damp, and long coats mat faster.
- Sand and dust. Fine grit works into the coat and between the toes after walks, and irritates skin and eyes.
- Tile and marble floors. Indoor dogs do not wear their nails down. Hair growing over the paw pads turns a polished floor into an ice rink for an old dog.
Good grooming in Dubai deals with those four. The rest is decoration.
Which grooming services are worth paying for?
De-shedding and a proper blow-out
Huskies, Pomeranians, golden retrievers, German shepherds and other double-coated breeds carry a dense undercoat. A bath, a high-velocity dryer and the right rake remove the dead undercoat so air can reach the skin. This helps a thick-coated dog cope with heat far more than a fragrance does.
Full drying matters as well. A coat left damp at the skin in humid months is how hot spots start.
De-matting or clipping a felted coat
Mats pull on skin and hide sores, parasites and moisture. Persians and other long-haired cats mat within weeks in summer. Removing mats with guarded clippers is a welfare job. A cat who will not tolerate it may need sedation given by a vet, which is one reason to groom inside a clinic.
Nail trimming
Long nails change the way a dog stands and can curl into the pad. Indoor cats, above all older ones, get overgrown and ingrown claws. This is usually part of any groom. It is worth doing every four to six weeks, even between full grooms.
Sanitary trim and paw-pad trim
Short hair under the tail and around the groin keeps urine and faeces off the coat. Trimmed paw-pad hair improves grip on tiles and lets you see cuts, burns from hot pavement and grass seeds.
Ear cleaning with a look inside
Gentle cleaning of the outer ear is useful for floppy-eared dogs in humid months. The value lies in someone looking. A red, smelly or painful ear is an infection, and it needs a vet and not a wipe. Routine ear-hair plucking is no longer advised for healthy ears, because it inflames the canal.
Medicated baths, when prescribed
A medicated shampoo prescribed by a vet for a diagnosed skin condition is treatment. Contact time matters, so the shampoo has to stay on the coat for the minutes stated on the label. A grooming room that follows that instruction is worth the fee. The same shampoo sold as an upgrade to a healthy dog is not.
Which extras are cosmetic?
These do no harm in most animals. Buy them if you enjoy them, and know what they are.
- Perfumes and scented finishing sprays. The smell lasts a day or two. Cats dislike strong scent and will over-groom to remove it. Skip them for any animal with itchy skin.
- Facials, mud masks and spa packages. A gentle face wash is useful for tear-stained Persians and Shih Tzus. The rest is a pleasant name for a bath.
- Whitening and colour-enhancing shampoos. They brighten the coat for a photo. They do not improve skin.
- Bows, bandanas and nail caps. These are harmless if they are removed at home. Watch that nothing tight is left on a leg, ear or tail.
- Tooth brushing at the groomer. It freshens the mouth for a day. Brushing only works when it is done daily at home.
Which services need caution?
Shaving a double coat to the skin
Shaving a husky or a Pomeranian for summer seems logical and usually backfires. The undercoat insulates against heat as well as cold, and the top coat shields skin from the sun. A close shave exposes skin to sunburn. The coat may grow back patchy or woolly, and in Pomeranians sometimes not at all.
A tidy trim and a thorough de-shed are the better choice. Clipping is justified when a coat is matted beyond saving, or when a vet advises it for a skin condition.
Coat dyeing
Human hair dye contains chemicals that burn animal skin and poison an animal who licks them. Even dyes sold as safe for animals can trigger reactions, and cats groom off whatever is on the coat. We advise against it.
Anaesthesia-free dental scaling
Scraping tartar from the visible surface makes teeth look clean. It leaves the disease under the gum line untouched and scratches the enamel. Proper dental cleaning under anaesthetic is a veterinary procedure, not a grooming add-on.
Routine anal gland expression
Healthy glands empty on their own. Squeezing them at every groom can irritate them. It should be done when a dog is scooting or licking, and recurring trouble is a reason for a vet check.
Cage dryers and heat
Ask how your animal is dried. Heated cage dryers left unattended have caused fatal overheating in salons around the world. Flat-faced breeds are most at risk. Hand drying with someone present is the safe method.
How often should you groom in Dubai?
- Long-haired cats such as Persians need a daily comb at home and a professional groom every six to eight weeks.
- Short-haired cats need a weekly brush. Most never need a bath.
- Double-coated dogs need a de-shed every six to eight weeks, and more often during heavy shedding.
- Poodles, Shih Tzus, Maltese and other dogs whose coats keep growing need a clip every four to six weeks.
- Rinse paws with plain water after sandy or dusty walks, and dry between the toes.
Why groom inside a veterinary clinic?
A groomer sees every centimetre of skin. Lumps, ear infections, fleas, ticks, sore patches and dental disease are often noticed first on the grooming table. In a clinic the session pauses and a vet can look at the problem the same day as a consultation.
Nervous or matted cats can be assessed for sedation by the person qualified to give it.
Cat grooming at Petflix is priced as basic or full, and dog grooming by weight band. The figures are on the price page. The groomer agrees with you at drop-off what will be done.
When to call
Call 055 620 4085 to book grooming at Petflix in Ras Al Khor. The clinic is open 8 AM to 12 AM every day. Ask for a vet to look first if your animal has red or smelly skin, an ear he will not let you touch, a lump under the coat, or mats tight against the skin.