# Advice for grooming an older poodle?



## Oliverlove (Feb 4, 2017)

Oliver is going to be 17 in May. I stopped sending him to the groomer about 2 years ago because I thought it was getting too much him. I had been clipping him myself but it's become progressively more difficult. He has gotten really cranky and hasn't been tolerating anything well. I try to do things a little at a time--for example, when I clip his nails, I only try for 1 or 2 at a time. He gets so worked up and his vet recently told me that because of his collapsed trachea, he may lose consciousness if he gets too worked up and because of his age, he may not be able to be revived. 

I'm not trying to do a typical poodle cut or anything like that. I just would like to be able to keep him as clean as possible. In the last few months, he is tolerating less and less. He is stinky and his hair is becoming matted. I've tried using babywipes for his bottom and while I think they help a little bit, they are not solving the problem----and it's starting to become a real problem----a real stinky problem.

He has started biting me. He doesn't have many teeth left and not that I am okay with him biting me, I am really more concerned that he is getting so worked up. His hearing and vision have declined a lot over the last few months as well, so I think part of the problem is maybe him being scared and disoriented. 


Any advice or ideas? :dontknow:
Please and thank you!!
Janet


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think that the answer is a shave down - short all over, very short around the sanitary area, and keep him that way. Is he strong enough to cope with a sedative? If so, that might be the best way of getting him clean and comfortable, and you should then be able to stay on top of it with very short, frequent sessions. 17 is a great age for a large dog - it is very likely that he is getting rather confused. Would it help if someone held his head, talked to him and offered him smelly treats to distract him? I have found bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) can help as a deodoriser if you are struggling to bath him - brush it in, leave for a while and brush out again.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

You may want to ask your vet about pain meds, your boy is old and arthritic. My old girl Flower is on daily Metacam and joint supplements, gets bathed every other week.

I understand your situation I used to groom my mom's pom who lived to 19 was very cranky about getting groomed. the meds helped, also letting him relax on a heating pad helped loosen up his old joint/muscles. Meeko was a mess when I started, but a little at time I shaved him down. He remained in a short ckip the last 3 years of his life.

Just remember Oliver's old and right now being arthritic everything hurts, work with your vet on making him comfortable, keep your grooming sessions short and frequent until you get his grooming under control.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I can't add anything to the great advice you've already been given...just wanted to say how sorry I am you're struggling with this. So many things get so difficult when they get so old. Talk things over with your vet and see if there's something that can help. Breaking things down into very small sessions of his grooming needs is a really good start. Best wishes to you.


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## ShamrockPoodle (Jan 22, 2017)

Oh-I can so relate to this post. My 15 year old mpoo got turned away from the groomers we had been going to for the past 6 years! He was too hard to handle, nervous, and frantic in the crate. They suggested getting calming meds from the vet. I had a mobile groomer who would come every now and then --she was only able to shave him down--but couldn't touch his feet. I got him to the vet every now and then for the toenail clipping--they had several people who could hold him safely (he was amazingly strong). My husband was the only one who could get hime quickly bathed in the bathtub--about once a week. We put him in his soft travel crate that zipped open on the top and held the blow dryer over top to get him as dry as possible(he would run around in circles). We bought clippers and groomed one half of him at a time when he was sleeping--he still loved to be petted--so we had the technique of petting and clipping! He never really liked his bath before--but the vision and hearing loss made it really hard for him the last couple of years. He did seem to feel so much better after our bathing routine--however-we were worn out! Hope you find a solution--the mobile grooming lady was helpful to me--and said she dealt with that situation a lot.


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

Sounds like a few good ideas above, but it's still going to be hard on both of you. Hope something helps.


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## Oliverlove (Feb 4, 2017)

FJM and TWYLA- Thank you both for your suggestions. I did talk with the vet about sedation. He's not cooperative in her office anymore, so she is not able to give him a thorough exam anymore. She told me that he was a good candidate for sedation but because of his age she said there is a high risk that he might not come out of it. I'm not sure if I want to take that risk.
I will definitely talk to her about supplements. And, the heating pad is a great idea, too.
Thank you!

EDIT:: I am not sure how to post replies. Still getting the hang of this!


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## Oliverlove (Feb 4, 2017)

Caddy-
Thank you!


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## Oliverlove (Feb 4, 2017)

ShamrockPoodle--great idea about using the blow drying while he is in the crate! Thank you!


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## Oliverlove (Feb 4, 2017)

Poodlebeguiled-
Thank you! I am so glad I found this forum and am able to talk to people who understand what I am going through with Oliver. It's awesome to be able to talk to people who truly get it!


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Oliverlove, I am going through it but my boy doesn't sound quite as freaked out as yours. I have a post in "other animals" forum about my Chihuahua mix, Jose` and what he's going through. He was so nervous today at the vet's that the vet thinks that's what triggered a seizure he had a few hours after we returned. My fella doesn't bite or anything and I can still do things with him in the way of doing nails and so forth but at the vet's he was shaking violently part of the time. The other part was honky dory, as he got to meet a little Schnauzer and they really hit it off...such a sweet dog that guy was too. It was just the blood draw I guess and the urine draw, taking him away from me. He's a mama's boy. 

So, I do hope you find a solution. It is indeed scary to use sedatives on such an old dog.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

It's been over 10 years since I had to put our tpoo to sleep at 18 years - and I don't really remember the details of grooming. She wasn't senile and unlike some elderly pets, she did seem to have decent vision - no cataracts. But she was in significant pain from arthritis and had a hard time standing - took forever for her to stand up so I used to help her. She also slept most of the time.

I never had a "stinky" problem . I'm not sure if you mean smelly gas or loose stool sticking on the butt - if you do it's possible Oliver is having trouble digesting his food? It could also be related to some medication he is on.

I kept my tpoo clipped very short but with the pom pom tail, top knot and long ears so she was still poodly near the end - no bracelets, no longer body fur to avoid mats. She never loved the clipper so near the end I was using the scissors more often and doing it while she was sleeping. Same with nails - while she slept. 

I had always taken her into the shower with me to wash her - and most of the time I washed and rinsed her in my arms- so I continued to do this and had no problems with washing and with a short coat I just towel dried.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

I wasn't talking about sedation, but about pain meds like Metacam.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Metacam is an anti-inflammatory. So it won't have the narcotic effects to relax the dog. It's like if we took Ibuprofen to calm us down. It wouldn't work. But an opioid like Oxycontin or hydrocodone might help that way. But all those are for pain. So a sedative of some kind would probably be best for a psychologically upset animal if they can take it. It's more risky with a very old dog. You might ask about Rescue Remedy, an herbal thing. But I sort of doubt it would be enough. It would be nice if you and the vet could come up with something that would help sooth him. And add to that a little behavior modification...breaking things down, associating really good stuff with the chore. (like steak pieces) Getting him clipped down short like Fjm describes might make it easier for every day maintenance. Poor fella.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

I understand that Metacam is an anti-inflammatory, opioids like Oxycontin or hydrocodone are central nervous system suppressants yes they are for pain management but can and do interfere with breathing which the OP expressed in her original post that her dog was having difficulty doing. 

To me,Metacam is a lesser of evils that we used successfully used on mom's pom Meeko who also had respiratory issues that made sedating the dog is any manner impossible. Again just a suggestion to try in conjunction of doing grooming small steps to get the OP's tpoo Oliver's coat back into comfortable manageable state.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Oh, I must have not explained myself. I would never think that those narcotics should be given to the OP's dog. They definitely can interfere with breathing. I just meant that they would be more likely the drug that would help relax...not that it should be used in this case. 

I'm glad the Metacam worked for your Mom's dog Twyla. Whatever works that is safe is the main thing.

I'd focus on behavior modification if there's no drug or herb that can be used..really, really break things down into teensy, tiny parts of the whole grooming process. This dog sounds really very upset. Again, I hope you find a solution.


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## hellothereitsanna (Jun 7, 2015)

My mom's mpoo is fairly young, but he's still a brat at the groomer. we manage to drag him in there when necessary, but he's really difficult to groom at home in-between. I know this might sound silly, but usually to get his butt done one of us will talk to him and get him focused on a toy or treat, and the other will sneak up behind with scissors and snip off whatever smelly bit he has back there. maybe you can just do a few short snips while you're cuddling and he won't even notice?


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## portermom (Jan 7, 2017)

I have a 16 year old standard so I know what you mean. If he isn't feeling up to much, I have my groomer just shave his feet, face, and behind. She is much more efficient than I can be, and sometimes they are more respectful of strangers. You might try a mobile groomer. I also use a clean soapy towel for in between cleaning his face, feet and butt. I would stay away from any meds at this point. Also if his vision is going that may be why he is growling or snapping. I know it is really difficult. Best of luck to you!


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## TXPoodle (Jan 23, 2017)

Poor baby...maybe give him an aspirin a day...it'll help with his pain. He is obviously not in a good place if he is nipping at you (prob from pain or confusion). And wow, a collapsed trachea...eeks. Maybe is sounds worse than it is.
The hardest thing we have to do and we are blessed to be able to do, it relived them form their pain if there is limited quality of life left. Poor pumpkin.


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