Organic vs Natural Pet Grooming

By Ellen Pittleman

Our pets rely on us to keep them healthy and safe and when it comes to grooming, natural and organic seem like safe choices. But are they? Neither the FDA nor the USDA has regulations for products labeled "natural" but “organic” offers government-backed assurance that products are grown and processed without the use of toxic chemicals, antibiotics, and synthetic growth hormones. That said, not all organic lines are created equal.

 Benefits of Weekly Bathing

Regularly bathing your dog with a high-quality organic dog body wash moisturizes the dog’s skin, helps to prevent certain skin conditions and brings a series of health benefits. Skin plays a huge role in immunological defense for the dog and is the pet’s natural barrier against infection. And although a dog’s skin is thicker than a person’s, a dog’s epidermis is only 8-10 cell layers thick while human epidermis is 18-20 cell layers. With a thin epidermis, your pet’s skin is more susceptible to bacteria particularly if the epidermis gets stripped away with improper ingredients.

A pet’s optimal pH skin range is 6.5 – 7.5.  Soap is often too harsh, with products like Ivory Dish Soap at a pH of 9.5 and Baking Soda at 8.3. Choosing an organic pet shampoo designed specifically for your four-legged family is essential, and an organic shampoo extracted from plant-based ingredients is even gentler!

Why Use Essential Oils on Pets

Organic, volatile, liquids that come from a plant’s leaves, blossoms, fruit, stems, roots, and seeds create a plant’s essential oil. These naturally occurring exquisite oils, the plant's essence, lend plants their distinctive fragrance in addition to being the plant’s defense mechanism. Capturing the power of these oils to cleanse and heal your pet’s skin and coat is extremely effective. Many holistic veterinarians recommend essential oils for topical use due to their antifungal (anti-yeast) and antibacterial properties. Simply, essential oils provide specific wellness-enhancing and therapeutic benefits.

At Spina Organics, we infuse Moringa Oil into all of our products. Moringa oil has been known for centuries as a natural moisturizing hair cleanser with good antimicrobial activity against numerous bacterial and fungal species. Our moringa oil is artistically combined with other more familiar, natural healing and aromatic oils to target various skin and coat issues, providing a variety of solutions to leave your pup comfortable, clean, and smelling great.

Hypoallergenic, Unscented Products

The Spina Organics Hypoallergenic Tear-Free Body Wash is a carefully crafted essential oil and botanical blend that features Evening Primrose Oil. The omega-6 essential fatty acid found in Evening Primrose Oil is helpful with eczema or atopic dermatitis, frequent skin issues for allergic pets.

Tearstains are another common bacterial problem. The pet’s fur holds the moistened bacteria in place which leads to rust-colored staining, skin irritation, and in some cases, a nasty smell. Although this can be an indication of blocked tear ducts or other eye conditions, often they’re just an annoying, uncomfortable cosmetic challenge. Antibiotics are often prescribed to combat the medical problem but long-term antibiotic use isn’t healthy; simply keeping your pet’s face clean helps to protect against it occurring or reoccurring.

Spina Organics uses micellar water, common in many human facial care products, to develop the Spina Organic rinse-free Daily Facial Cleanse. Easy to use because it is rinse-free, the micelles are little balls of cleansing oil molecules suspended in the water that surround the dirt particles and break them down, capturing dirt and oil naturally, and leave a pet’s face hydrated and healthy. Pet parents simply apply a small dab to a soft cloth and with a few gentle wipes, the dog’s adorable face becomes brighter and sweeter smelling. They feel it, you see it.

EWG "Clean Product" Rating System

The non-profit Environmental Working Group educates and empowers consumers to make safer and more informed decisions about the products that we use. As a "clean" company, we support the educational information that they provide. Spina Organics Deep Cleansing Dog Body Wash was reviewed and we're thrilled with our ranking:

https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/product/832509/Spina_Organics_Deep_Cleansing_Body_Wash/

We’re happy to offer “clean” products that both you and your fur family will enjoy, and welcome any questions that you may have!