Are we being cruel when we force animals to bathe in ways that

i'd rather my dog be slightly uncomfortable for a few minutes every couple of weeks rather than get lice and worms and shit so no

our homes, our bathing customs.

>>2433094
is this a real concern? i wash my dog maybe 3 times a year and its mostly just when hes shedding to get the hair out quicker. never had a problem with lice or worms

>>2433094
bathing won't prevent parasites; only flea preventatives (or certain climates) will.

>>2433097
this is pretty good. I bathe my dog a bit more often because he will find ways to get hellishly dirty every once in a while, but unless they're super dirty and smelly there's no reason to bathe them often at all.

also, OP, unless you're doing something like dunking them in freezing/boiling water, getting soap in their eyes, or being harsh to them, no. bathe your pets gently in water that's a little warmer than their own body temperature, with soap specifically formulated for your type of pet.

but, I've found it is easier and less stressful if you just use a faucet/cup/shower attachment to bathe and rinse them instead of filling up the entire tub or sink. I just put my dog in the dry tub, use a pitcher of water to get him wet, lather him up, and another few pitchers to rinse him off. makes bathtime WAY easier than when I filled up the tub.

>>2433092
Well, yes. Especially true wild animals like hedgehogs. But they'd experience worse things in the wild than being in some water so meh.

I only bathe any of them when it's required.

I've been told hedgehogs are extremely messy and get shit caked all over them. Dirt is one thing but shit, piss, mold, rotten shit, etc is another.

>>2433092
It would be cruel to not brush my dogs teeth, even though it's something they wouldn't do naturally in the wild.
While we are on the subject, dogs have been domesticated and lived along side humans for a long time now. So why should it matter what we think they did naturally, in the wild?

How do I wash my hedgehog? With a soft thistle toothbrush?

>>2433167
Here is a YouTube instructional video by a cute blonde you would like to stick your dick into:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1PkCq2HWp0

>>2433092
Depends on the animal.

Dogs, fine and necessary.
Rabbits can literally die from being bathed.

>>2433171
>Rabbits can literally die from being bathed.


...are you fucking with us?

>>2433092
People don't think it's a big deal as bathing children is no big deal but it massively stresses the fuck out of many animals. I don't think the fear of bathing cats for example should be taken as a joke.

>>2433194
There are a number of problems with bathing rabbits, from unknowingly making a sick one even worse because they hide injury and illness so well, to outright killing them from the stress. In any case, it's unnecessary to bathe them anyway since they clean themselves constantly. If they do get dirty, the most you need is spot cleaning.

An old or very young rabbit may need help keeping itself clean, but if it's soiling itself otherwise it's probably sick or hurt and needs to go to the vet.