Lorrie Shaw | Contributor

I grab our pet care kit that includes the Furminator, an all-purpose brush, Witch Hazel and heavy gauge nail clippers and head out on the deck to get down to business. My method is by no means haphazard - there is a bit of a motive beyond wanting to keep them looking good and reducing pet hair in the house (the latter of which drives me crazy). 

You see, getting up close and personal with your pets gives you an opportunity to examine your pets' entire body and look for lesions, lumps, changes in growths, fleas, fungal infections like ringworm, hair loss, ear mites, etc. This practice by itself can be lifesaving and is incredibly important in helping you talk with your pets' veterinarian, even on routine wellness checkups. (Remember - the vet relies on you to speak for your pet when they're in for an exam. You're their first set of eyes and ears.)

I begin by starting at the top:

• Eyes - Do I notice any swelling, excessive tearing or dryness? Any scratches?

• Ears - Any odor? How about gunk build-up in the folds of skin under the ear flap (in dogs)? Have they been shaking their head, scratching at the ears? It might be a sign of an ear imbalance/infection and a veterinary visit might be in order. In any case, I am not in favor of ear cleaning solutions that are instilled into the ear. Bad idea. Remember the old adage that you shouldn't stick anything bigger than your elbow inside your ear? Well, the same is true for pets. My policy is no cotton swabs. I recommend wetting a cotton ball with some witch hazel and wiping the exterior underflap of the ear, including all of the cartilage folds. In cats, the ears seldom need attention as cats are meticulous groomers and their ears stand upright - allowing good airflow around that area. I always check for odor, darkish buildup/dirty look/black crusty areas inside the ears - a sign of ear mites (Otodectes cyanotis) which are contagious and can be spread to the other pets. In any case, you should discuss ear canal cleaning/care with your vet and let them handle it.

• I check their mouth. Any sign of trouble there? I look at the gums. They should look nice an evenly pink. Are they grey/pale? (This is a telltale sign of some diseases that needs the vets attention.) Any bleeding? What about teeth that have been compromised? Any foul breath?

• I then proceed to visually and physically look for lesions, lumps/bumps, rashes, ringworm (a fungal infection) - any skin changes anywhere on the body. This is primarily important because a bump can be quite benign and nothing to worry about, like a fatty tumor (a lipoma), or very serious, like a Mast Cell Tumor. I've personal experience on both sides of the scale, so believe me, if you see a bump, no matter its size, get to the vet ASAP. Both of those things were visually identified, tested and confirmed right in my vets' office. As you continue on, lift the tail and check the anal area - anything suspicious going on there?

• The paws are next. Paw injuries are common, so I examine the pads, in between the pads, the nails. Any issues? At this point I usually trim the nails using a good, heavy duty stainless steel pair as both dogs are large have thick nails. A good pair will last you for years and make the task a lot easier. For our cat, I set him on my lap - belly out, rub his tummy and then just grasp each paw - flexing each pad to extend the nail and trim with a pair of regular nail clips that I use on him only. He's good with that. :)

• I finish up with brushing. I use a Furminator first, according to the company's directions, then proceed to using the all purpose brush - taking care to avoid any areas where I might find a lesion.

The latter has in fact happened - to both dogs. Gretchen has a Mast Cell Tumor that is on her leg that her vet and I decided to leave alone (more on that another time). Ditto for Bruiser, who just underwent surgery just a few weeks ago to remove a MCT that began growing unpredictably. He also has a couple of fatty tumors, which are fine. The point of all this is that you're the first line of defense in safeguarding your pets' well being, and although you don't need to be a health care professional - you need to be informed so that you can effectively dialogue with your vet.

This might seem like a lot, but as you get more experienced, it really does move along quickly and you'll get to know what is normal on your pets' body and what needs medical attention. Enjoy that time with your pet; it can be great fun!

Lorrie Shaw is owner of Professional Pet Sitting and lives in Dexter Township with her family that includes a small brood of pets. As a contributor in the pets sections for AnnArbor.com, she's always striving to provide interesting, fresh information on pet related topics. A voracious foodie, in her free moments she can be found huddled in her kitchen standing over a hot stove and listening to any good music. She can be contacted by e-mail.