Grooming with Mom: Tucker

Lucy, Ace Reporter here on the Groom Beat.
Today, we have only half a story. The ending has not yet been determined.

I know you’re all used to seeing cute pups come in looking a mess and go out all spiffed up. Groomer Mom forgot to get an after picture–she was too upset. No, there were no accidents during the groom. But there were no grooms during the past 12 months for this poor, elderly schnauzer. This picture was taken after Groomer Mom cut a path for him to be able to see a little bit while she kept grooming.

Tucker if 14 or 15 years old. His Mom, an elderly lady, died a year ago, at which time her son took in Tucker. The son had never had a schnauzer, or any dog who needed groomed. He lives in the neighborhood and saw the grooming sign in our front yard. He was hesitant to bring Tucker because he was so embarrassed, but Groomer Mom kept telling him how glad she was that he did. Tucker’s new dad said they couldn’t stand the stink anymore.

Tucker is a good boy and was used to being on the groom table. He was not used to having his face shaved. The hair on both sides of his schnozzle was matted to the skin, so there was no saving his beard. Upon trying to shave the terribly matted left side of Tuckers face, a cauliflower-like growth was uncovered, and the shaving had to go over and around it. That was Groomer Mom’s breaking point with this schnauzer, and her tears started to leak from her eyes. Anyhow, Groomer Mom thinks it’s a papilloma, with hope that the other, smooth ones are also benign. Some are bigger, some smaller, on his back, his cheeks, and his foot. It shows red here from having to shave the thickly matted hair off it.

Groomer assistant Dad had to be called in as Groomer Mom tried – unsuccessfully – for 20 minutes to shave an oblong, hard, matted area on the other (right) side of Tuckers snout, under his eye. The little she did manage to shave and showed red, inflamed skin underneath. She finally quit when Tucker became extremely agitated. And she cried some more.

Groomer Mom used a medicated shampoo with Chlorhexidine and Ketoconazole. Unfortunately, he still had an odor to him when he dried.

When Tucker’s dad came to get him, Groomer Mom showed him this 3/4″ thick, half dollar-size lump of hair on his face. She told him to take Tucker to the vet soon for him to be lightly sedated and have the vet’s office remove that mat. It is notable that in all the years she has been grooming, Groomer Mom has never before met a mat she couldn’t conquer. Then she showed him all the tumors for the vet to look at while he’s there. She was emphatic that he do this soon! He told her that Tucker had missed his spring annual checkup so he would get it all done at once. At that, Groomer Mom again emphatically told him to not allow the vet to give this elderly dog vaccinations, and explained why. She ended by telling him that she had a product called Anti-Vaccinosis to be given right after vaccinations to help counter the heavy metals and other not-good things mixed into the vaccinations, and said she would let him use it if he decided to get the vaccinations for Tucker anyway.

He left with Tucker, promising to bring him back before he gets looking too bad. If he doesn’t, Groomer Mom knows where he lives, only two houses away, and told us we could all poop in his yard.

This is Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with hopes of giving you a successful “after-picture” in about six weeks.