Why Has My Pet Been Shaved By The Vet?

By Dr TD

Picture of fur being clipped from a dog and EMLA (local anaesthetic cream being applied)

​Aside from grooming and the removal of matted hair, there are multiple reasons your pet might have had fur clipped at the vet - and it's not to embarrass them on their next trip to the dog park, or unnecessarily expose them to howling winter winds in the Mountains!
 
(a) For a blood draw, or intravenous catheter placement. This quick clip is to reduce the chance of surface contaminants being pushed through the skin by the needle. It's basic disinfection, not aseptic preparation. Within time constraints, we just want to de-fur and reduce as much dirt and normal skin flora - yeast and bacteria - as possible. We will apply spirit on a cotton ball, and, again if time permits, apply a local anaesthetic cream or spray to numb the skin. Clipper rash is a possible complication.
 
(b) For surgical preparation. After clipping the hair, with margins of at least 15cm around any proposed incision, we apply more concentrated antiseptics, such as chlorhexidine or povidone-iodine, used in combination with surgical spirit. Add gentle abrasion, and you have a surgical scrub. Most flora, excepting those hiding deep in the hair follicles, are now dead. Possible complications are clipper rash and a reaction to the antiseptic.
 
(c) For diagnostic ultrasound/Doppler blood pressure. We need to see inside! And air is the natural enemy of ultrasound & Doppler sound waves. Anyone with a Labrador retriever knows how good that lush coat is at trapping warm air against the skin when your dog plunges into an icy lake. Clipping allows the probe and ultrasound gel to press directly against the skin, with minimal air bubbles interfering.