Q: My pet needs a bath. What shampoo should I use?

The first thing you need to know is that animals and people have a different skin pH, so you should not use human shampoo unless your veterinarian has specifically recommended one. There are some medicated human shampoos that are good at treating specific animal skin conditions, but in general, human shampoos are not compatible with animal skin. The most common problem with human shampoos is that they dry out pet skin. This is especially true with baby shampoos. This doesn't mean that you will cause harm if you use a human shampoo occasionally, in a pinch, but you should not do this repeatedly.

There is an old wives tale that says you should not bathe a dog more than once a month. This comes from the days when we used human shampoos. Today's pet shampoos are formulated to keep pet skin healthy, so you can generally use them weekly and even more often if you are treating a skin condition.

Puppies and kittens often need baths after a messy meal and there are plenty of puppy and kitten shampoos to choose from. If the youngster is very small, read the label to be sure it is safe on animals less than six weeks of age. Stay away from shampoos with flea control products. The added chemical is usually a pyrethrin or pyrethroid, and fleas are pretty resistant to these products. They might stun the fleas long enough for you to rinse and pick them off, but there are much safer ways to control fleas in young animals. Ask your veterinarian for help with this task and stick to mild shampoos like aloe and oatmeal formulations.

Now, let's say you have an itchy dog, but there is no hair loss and the skin does not look flaky or oily. These dogs often have mild allergies and will also respond to the mild aloe and oatmeal shampoos. There are hundreds of natural and herbal shampoos such, as tea-tree pet shampoo, that can be very soothing. If the itch continues, you should see your vet about stronger shampoos that have things like Benadryl or cortisone mixed in. These can provide strong relief.

If your dog has flaky skin, you need to decide if he is truly dry, or if he has oily flakes. That question is usually easy to answer because oily flakes are associated with an odor. Itchy flakes with oil are usually representative of a significant underlying disease and your veterinarian should help you pick medicated shampoos to use frequently. However, if your pet is truly just dry, consider some dog leave-in conditioners. Again, stay away from human conditioners. There are also some nice moisturizing sprays that can help a dog with dry skin.

Cats rarely need baths unless, they are too fat to groom themselves properly, they are sick or if they have exceedingly long, silky hair. Occasionally a cat will get into something that you need to wash off. Most dog shampoos are fine for cats, but be sure to read the label to confirm this. Many flea shampoos that are considered safe for dogs are dangerous for cats, so stay away from those, as discussed before.

Those fat cats, or cats with very long hair, often need a "stripping" shampoo to get off excess oils.

My favorite for them is benzyl peroxide shampoo. Always consult with your veterinarian before you bathe a sick cat.

Dr. Katherine A. Saenger, DVM, owns Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital and Boarding Kennel (www.beesferry.com) and is a former board member of the Charleston Animal Society (formerly John Ancrum SPCA.) If you have questions about pet behavior or health, or suggestions for column topics, e-mail her at vetsaenger@bellsouth.net. See more columns at www.moultrienews.com.