# Can a Furminator damage skin?



## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

So I bought a Furminator about a month ago. The first time I used it I was blown away! I loved it and so did Zig. 

I use it about twice or three times month. Last time I used it was two weeks ago. 

Day before yesterday I noticed some flaky skin on Ziggy's back near his rump. As I looked deeper under his coat I noticed a bunch of little dry, flaky bumps (some with scab-like tops). At first I thought that he had another staph infection! But I really don't believe that is what it is.

The soreness of the bumps seem to be going away after a bath and some topical cleansing spray, but I'm wondering if the Furminator may have scratched his skin in some way? The bumps run straight down his back almost perfectly aligned with his spine. There are no bumps anywhere else.

Either it's the Furminator or he's got some doggy seborrhea?

Has anyone who uses a Furminator ever had anything like this happen? The majority of bumps seem to be where his coat is thinnest - at the lower half of his back. He looks like he's got a bad case of dandruff.


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

A while ago when the vet shaved off the hair over some of Dusty's little fatty lumps, I noticed little red lines from the Furminator on top of them. Unless there's a lot of fat covering his spine, it's possible that the same type of thing happened to Ziggy. It's easy to get all excited about getting that hair out and be pretty rough with the Furminator, but you really have to be gentle with any areas of thinner hair, bony areas, bumps, etc.


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## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

I betcha that's what it is because while he's not underweight he's a perfectly good weight and that's not a lot of cushion over his spine.

I will be very gentle from now on around that area. You are right, once you get going with that thing it's so amazing that it's hard to stop.


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## Bock (Jun 23, 2008)

I could see it happening if you are really rough with the furminator.


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## Alohaimee (Feb 15, 2009)

We had that problem with Maximus and the furminator too. We learned to be gentle and love it when we do use it. =)


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

My husband was furminating our older golden while watching a movie on the DVR and he over did it. We noticed two large bald patches on our boy caused by over-furmination. That started him on a road of itchy scratching that took most of a summer to treat. When we use it now it's always with a gentle touch and we make sure to pay attention to what we are doing. It's a great tool, just be mindful when using it.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

I was thinking of getting one.
Now I am not so sure that I should.


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## KAW (Jun 11, 2009)

I brought up the subject of Furminators last week. I am still not completely comfortable with it. I used it yesterday(VERY GENTLY) and while it did remove tons of hair, his coat looks uneven and somewhat jagged. Someone suggested trying it on your own arm to see what it feels like and it doesn't seem to hurt. But I just don't like the look of the coat afterwards. I hadn't heard about hurting the skin which just adds a more significant layer of concern.


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

Well it's not the Furminator's fault. I've heard of slicker brushes causing similar problems. You just have to be gentle.


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## Zeppelin (Jun 28, 2009)

I have never noticed anything like that with Zep, but i am careful and i try to brush him once a week, just a few strokes within the same area. He seems to love his brush, he rolls over for me, flips to the other side as if to say "still a little thick over here mom...". Now that i've heard this, i'll be extra dilligent in making sure i'm not over doing it...that Furminator is so addicting!!


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## Alohaimee (Feb 15, 2009)

If you are worried about the furminator, a kitty slickerbrush is nice to start with. It does the same thing as a furminator and is a bit less intimidating IMO. We have one and to the boys dismay, it is pink. They do love it though. I cycle thorugh brushes and tools to see what I like the best. The furminator is good after the beach for us and we use the kitty slicker daily. It leaves the coat super soft and shiny too! Bonus!!
Hope that hepls!


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## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

Gosh I feel terrible about this. Ziggy's skin is still flaking but healing nicely with the antiseptic spray I'm using. I'm not so sure I'm going to use the furminator on his lower back anymore. I will definitely not use it directly over his spine. I don't believe I was rough with it, but maybe I was apply just too much pressure. 

He LOVES to be brushed. Loves it. He will stand or lay there and let me do just about anything I want to do as far as grooming goes.

I think I'm going to really limit my use of the furminator from now on to shedding periods.


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## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

Oh! I'm going to pick up a kitty slickerbrush! Sounds like a wonderful idea.


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## Ripley's Mom (Apr 22, 2009)

It sounds like you might be pushing a little hard. I had our groomer show me the right way. She said that alot of people push to hard and go the wrong way with it. You are supposed to go with the flow of the hair and not use to much presure when brushing. I have used it on Ripley for some time now and check her skin very closely and have found no scratches from when I do it or when she comes home from the groomer. I use ours about every 10 to 15 days during her heavy sheding...

Ripley's Dad


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## Doodle (Apr 6, 2009)

The video I watched on the furminator clearly stated that you must use it with little to no pressure, and not to go over the same area more than a couple of times or it can irritate the skin.


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## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

I am not a fan of the furminator on Goldens. It does cut the guard hairs in addition to pulling the undercoat. On dogs like a GSD or a Beagle it works O.K. if you are very gentle. But it is SOOO easy to overdo it and hurt the dog. I think using a molting rake or even a comb with closely spaced teeth (held perpendicular to the skin) is the best idea (and much less expensive) for daily use and a tool like a Mars Coat King for deshedding a coat in bad shape.


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## rockcp21 (Dec 29, 2011)

GRZ said:


> So I bought a Furminator about a month ago. The first time I used it I was blown away! I loved it and so did Zig.
> 
> I use it about twice or three times month. Last time I used it was two weeks ago.
> 
> ...


A furminator is an awful tool to use on a golden retriever coat. It takes too much coat off. Just as shaving ruins a coat. The dog must have it's undercoat of hair which has "hair guards growing in it" once the hair guards are taken out, or shaved off, the coat will not grow as intended.
A weekly spritz of water mixed with a little dog coat conditioner sprayed on, then, if you get a grooming dryer such as this one,
( has different colors)








Metro Air Force Commander 2-speed AFTD-2 Dryer


Metro Air Force Commander dryers are powerful floor/table dryers with 2-speed performance, allowing you to groom large or small breeds with one dryer!




www.cherrybrook.com





Just blow the spritzed coat & brush with a slicker brush. The power of the dryer will blow out shedding coat. You'll see it flying off. Maybe do it outside, or in a garage. Then finalize it with a "Greyhound Comb" it's just the name of the comb. You may need to blow it weekly until shedding hair is out. Of course, this works really great with a real bath in a tub, as bath with dog shampoo & a conditioner will also help remove shedding hair. Towel off gently with a Shammy towel, or regular towel, then spritz some conditioner on coat & go dry dog with dryer.
You'll be shocked at what comes out. They usually need a weekly bath or spritz to really get shedding under control.


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