breathing mask

[2crazydogs]

Does any use or know of a good breathing mask to use during shavedowns. With all that hair flying around it can't be good to breath in. Does any know the effects of breathing in dog hair for a number of years. Just a thought considering I am in the first few years of my grooming career and I don't want to read down the road that dog hair is bad for your lungs.

[Ruggins]

My husband gets a really nice reusable and washable one from woodcraft, a wood working supply store to use while using the lathe. lasts for a long time, is mostly cloth, very comfy and doesn't get in the way. To really get rid of flying hair get a clipper vac, very best money ever spent in my shop, swear!!

[rapuzzled]

I've thought about it, but thought that it would just be more of a pain in the butt. I was force drying a large double coated dog in the drying room, and my mom dropped by the shop to pick up something from me, and saw all the hair flying in the room, and couldn't believe that I didn't wear some sort of mask. I have the same fear that in a few years they are going to discover that a large amount of dog hair is really bad for your insides, lol. I would imagine that all of us have hairballs in our vital organs!

[RevWind]

I have heard it called "Fuzzy Lung Disease" by some groomers. Partially kidding, partially not. I'm sure hair doesn't disolve in your lungs very easily. That's why I pushed my boss into getting the clipper vac. If nothing else, for health reasons. I get poked fun of when I wear a mask for blowing out hairy dogs. God forbid I should wear goggles too...I'll save that for mobile.

[Scoop]

I'm not mobile but I NEVER GROOM without a mask. The first couple of years I didn't wear one and was always sick, with respitory problems. I started wearing a mask and I don't have any problems anymore. I firmly believe that you are jeperodizing your health by not taking this simple precaution. Even if I had a clipper vac I would still wear one to blow out dogs. I also wear ear protection. Even putting a piece of cotton in your ears will save you. I also put cotton in the dogs ears. I don't always wear eye protection, doesn't seem to bother my eyes much. However when cutting those really thick toenails it is wise to wear eye protection, I have had a nail hit me in the eye and become imbedded. That was no fun. As far as masks go, I have worn a few different types, but what I wear now and really like are the ones from Davis. Another queation that has come up on this board is; are the dogs afraid of you when you wear one? My answer is NO. I have NEVER had a dog react in any way to it. Also people have said they would be embarrassed if the owner saw me wearing a mask, why? As far as I see it is safety equipment, just like any other profession, such as construction workers wearing hard hats, or steel toe boots or painters wearing masks. NEVER take your health for granted, protect yourself, wear the mask. Sorry to go on and on it is just something I VERY MUCH believe in.

Scoop

[RoosMom]

Scoop is right.......

I have read articles in the past about groomers having permanent respiratory damage from years of breathing in hair particles. Unlike other types of irritants, whatever hair goes into your lungs STAYS there- forever.

[HoundLover]

hm...now that i think about it...i havent gotten sick in years. everyone else in my family would get sick and i would never catch it. now i worked at a grooming shop for 7 months straight...drying dogs and cats all day. now all of a sudden i catch a cold from my sister who got it from my dad? hm...really odd isnt it! i think ill invest in a mask when i go back to bathing and drying dogs and cats...(im still looking for a job LOL! although a grooming job might have to be put on hold right now as i need a full time job right now...need money to get my life started...my last boss screwed me over royally by firing me out of the blue.)
gives me something to think about...
Hound

[TAILSRWAGON]

I just can't bring myself to putting on a mask. I picture this dog on the table and you coming at it with a mask over your face and rubber gloves on your hands and If I were a dog I would be freaking out.
I do use the clipper vac and love it. Also I keep my mouth shut as much as possible during the big hairy drying time.

[ferret]

Masks

Davis makes them. They come in different colors. They are washable nylon with a type of soft mesh inside with elastics to hold in on your head. They work well, but its hard to deal with on hot days, when its 100 degrees outside and your sweating as it is. I wouldn't enjoy wearing a mask all day long for every groom I do. But I'll wear it when I really want to. I wear it mostly when I'm HVing big hairy beasts and the hair and dander are flying everywhere. Yuck!

[wet noze]

I use a mask made by a company called "Carolina (Ear Loop Face Mask)". The ladies in my nail salon wear them. They let me try one out to see if I liked it and then they ordered me a box. I'm sure you can order directly from the company. I use 1 a week then throw it out. They are not expensive and very worth it. I'm mobile and I always see all that hair and dander flying around...who needs to inhale that. I use model #400602. They have a website www.barnhardt-mfg.com. They are very lightweight and don't scare the dogs at all. I really like 'em. They also have an 800 number but I don't think I'm allowed to write that. The company is in Charlotte, North Carolina. PM me if you would like the phone number.

[HoundLover]

another thing...my dad walked into the bathing room when i was HV drying a golden or a shepherd once...and all the hair was flying around...and i guess he commented to my mom..there's hair flying all over the place how can she breathe in there? i dont really mind it...i also keep my mouth shut as much as possible when drying the dogs. i do NOT like dog hair in my mouth LOL! also when i worked at a petsomething for 2 wks...it was recommended to keep your mouth shut unless you want to look like one of the groomers there who had hairy teeth LOL! i can just picture it now...a customer comes to pick up the dog and you have black dog hair all over your teeth and your smiling at them LOL!!!!
Hound
ps. i also will probably only wear a mask when blowing out the big hairys...ie labs that are blowing alot of coat, huskys, sheps, etc etc

[RoosMom]

The "big" hairs aren't the problem....

ps. i also will probably only wear a mask when blowing out the big hairys...ie labs that are blowing alot of coat, huskys, sheps, etc etc

It's all of the tiny, fine hairs you have to worry about. I know some of them are so small, you don't even see them unless the light hits them just right. Those are the ones we should be worried about.

[Soap]

It's all of the tiny, fine hairs you have to worry about. I know some of them are so small, you don't even see them unless the light hits them just right. Those are the ones we should be worried about.

Yeah. I started wearing a mask from Davis. I don't know how good it is for fine particles but it's better than nothing.

[RoosMom]

Yeah. I started wearing a mask from Davis. I don't know how good it is for fine particles but it's better than nothing.

The masks help alot. :-)

[sheilabgroomer]

I just got a mask from Davis. I like it, it doesn't fit too tightly over my face so I don't feel like I am being smothered (major claustorphobia!). I also just use it when I am blowing out the major hairies, but I really need to start wearing it more. Have you ever seen how much hair is floating around when a sun mote hits just right? It is kind of scary. And what another poster said about the little hairs that you can't see being the most dangerous ones is probably true.