Course 04 · Bathing · Lesson 11 of 12

What should you check on the skin during a bath?

Published 29 October 2026 · Updated 29 October 2026 · About 5 minutes · General information only. This lesson does not diagnose or treat any condition.

During a bath, the skin should be checked for redness, flaking, sores, lumps, parasites, wounds and changes in colour or texture, using the wet coat as a chance to see skin that dry hair usually hides. Wet hair parts more readily and lies flatter, so skin that is hidden when dry becomes visible when wet, and the handler hands are already on the dog. The check should be gentle and systematic, covering the whole body in the same order as washing, and anything unusual should be noted rather than treated. Bathing is not a medical examination, and it should not replace a vet check, but it is one of the best regular opportunities to notice skin change early. A bath that includes a skin check is doing two jobs at once, and it should be used that way every time.

What should you look for, area by area?

Look at the head and ears for redness, smell, discharge and sores, at the neck and body for redness, flaking, scabs, lumps and parasites, at the legs and paws for cuts, cracked pads, redness between toes and ticks, and at the belly, groin and tail base for redness, soreness, lumps and soiling. Part the wet coat with fingers to see skin clearly, and feel gently for lumps, heat, swelling and tender spots. Note the colour of the skin, since widespread redness, darkening, or a change in pigmentation can be significant, and note any area the dog reacts to when touched. Ticks, fleas and flea dirt may be more visible on wet skin, and any parasite found should be noted and discussed with a vet, since treatment needs vet advice for the individual dog.

How do you check without causing pain or distress?

Check with flat hands and gentle pressure, parting the coat rather than pulling it, and watching the dog for flinching, turning or moving away. Do not press hard on a lump, do not pick at a scab or sore, and do not scrub over broken skin. If the dog reacts to one area, note the spot and avoid washing or brushing there, and seek vet advice before continuing. Keep water temperature comfortable and pressure low, since a dog that is already sore will be more sensitive to water and handling. The check should be part of the wash, not an additional ordeal, and it should stop if the dog becomes distressed. Gentle, systematic checking gives better information than vigorous probing, which can hurt and hide the very signs it seeks.

What findings mean bathing should stop?

Bathing should stop, or the affected area should be left unwashed, if skin is broken, bleeding, badly inflamed, or covered in sores, if a wound is found, if ears are red, swollen or discharging, or if the dog is in pain. Do not apply shampoo to broken skin, do not scrub a sore area, and do not attempt to treat a skin problem with a home remedy or a medicated product without vet advice. Rinse the dog gently with plain warm water if shampoo has already touched a sore area, dry the dog, and seek vet advice promptly. A bath that reveals a skin problem has done its job as a check, even if the bath itself is incomplete, and the incomplete bath is a success, not a failure, when it leads to timely help.

How should findings be recorded and followed up?

Record the date, area, appearance and size of any finding, whether it is new or changed, and whether the dog reacted to touch there. A short note, with a photograph if the dog is comfortable, helps a vet judge change over time. Follow up by seeking vet advice for worrying findings, by asking the vet what bathing and grooming are safe in the meantime, and by noting the advice and the outcome. If a finding resolves, note that too, since a record of resolution is as useful as a record of appearance. Records should describe what was seen, not diagnose it, and they should prompt professional help rather than replace it. A bath record that includes skin findings is more useful than a bath record that only notes the shampoo used.

What does a workable checklist look like?

1. Wet coat, part hair, check skin area by area in wash order. 2. Look for redness, flaking, sores, lumps, parasites, wounds, colour change. 3. Feel gently for heat, swelling, tenderness, lumps, no hard pressing. 4. Stop washing sore or broken skin, note findings. 5. Record date, area and appearance, refer worrying findings to a vet.

When should you stop and get help?

Stop bathing and get vet help for bleeding that will not stop, a wound, badly inflamed or broken skin, red or discharging ears, a new or growing lump, pain, or distress that does not settle. Do not treat skin problems at home, do not use medicated products without vet advice, and do not continue bathing over a problem that needs assessment. A groomer should only work on a coat after a vet has advised that grooming is safe, if the skin is sore or the cause is unknown. The skin check has done its job when it stops a bath that should not continue.

A bath that ends with a clear picture of the skin is worth more than a bath that ends with a merely clean coat, and the habit of checking while washing will catch many problems at their earliest and most treatable stage.

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