Pet Health, Interesting Facts, and Trivia
Choosing a High Quality Shampoo

Why Can't I use Human Shampoo on My Pet?

Courtesy of Professional Pet Products

Many people think that bathing their family pet is a job for just any old shampoo. "After all, he's just a dog". However, that couldn't be further from the truth. If you treat your pet like a member of the faimly, and you want him to be both healthy and pleasant to be around, the type of shampoo you use is very important.

Humans and pets have very different types of skin and skin problems.

Your pet's skin secretes Sebum (a waxy oil) which attracts dirt and contributes to an accumulation of bacteria, skin diseases, and offensive odors.

Additionaly, pet hair follicles have multiple hair shafts which makes follicles more prone to blockage by debris or Sebum (schnauzer syndrome). The lack of sweat glands throughout the body complicates the cleansing of pores since the skin does not have the ability to sweat and naturally cleanse and flush itself.

To cleanse the skin of debris and odiferous build-up, a full body shampoo is a must for your pet.

Bathing removes scales, crusts, organisms (fleas, ticks, and lice) dander, loose hair and other debris. Regular bathing (with the correct formulation) will measurably reduce these conditions and help prevent human allergic reactions to pets.

Your pet is more susceptible to skin turnover problems because pet skin reproduces more quickly than human skin. A good shampoo will help alleviate disorders of skin turnover (most of which are accompanied by odor, itching, and irritation) by washing away dead layers and giving new layers a chance to breathe.

Dryness (most often caused by improper diet, artificial heating, or poor quality shampoo products) are the most common factors associated with "itching".

Properly pH balanced and formulated pet shampoos and rinses are very effective in relieving itching problems, which can lead to more serious conditions. Human shampoos and (worse) dish washing formulations are extremely drying and can measurably aggrevate "itching"

Human Shampoo will DRY a pet's skin and coat. Human shampoo is meant to strip oil from the hair. You wouldn't want oily hair, but your pet needs the oil on the surface of his skin and on the hair shafts to keep the skin and hair supple.

Soft, moist skin and hair will prevent breakage and shedding as well as enhance the performance of such treatments as flea spot-on products.

A high quality, non-detergent pet shampoo will take away the odiferous build-up of oil and replace it with rich moisturizers to protect and enhance skin condition.