Grooming Policies.

Vaccines. All dogs must be CURRENT on Rabies, DHPP, and Bordetella. We do not make any exceptions to our vaccine policies. We recommend the 6 month Bordetella vaccine but we will accept 1 year. We will accept positive titer tests for Distemper and Parvo

All cats must be CURRENT on Rabies and FVRCP.

We do not accept home vaccines.

We recommend having your vet fax your pets' vaccination records to us (512-477-8078) PRIOR to your arrival for your appointment. We cannot hold any animal for any amount of time without proof of current vaccinations.

Cat Grooming Appointments. We are one of Austin's only providers of cat grooming services. Due to high demand, and the nature of cat grooming, we require a credit card number to secure your appointment. Because a cat appointment is equivalent to two dog grooming appointments, and because we have so many clients trying to book appointments, a standard fee of $50 for a missed appointment will be charged for lost business. We require 24 notice of cancellation by phone (no email cancellations, please).

Handling Fee. A 50% handling / kennel fee will be assessed for all animals that must be sent home due to aggression, behavior, or health conditions, whether or not the groom was able to be completed

Ear Plucking. Our groomers pluck ears at their discretion. We do not pluck visibly impacted or infected ears. Animals with adverse ear conditions will be referred to their veterinarian

Flea Policy. In order to keep a flea-free facility, all animals found with fleas will be treated immediately, at owner's expense. Treatment is NOT a long-term preventative and should be followed by client's preferred oral or topical treatment after 24 hours

Anal Gland Expression. We express anal glands at our discretion. We will not express glands that are visibly swollen or iritated. We use a minimal amount of pressure and do not force the gland. We cannot guarantee that you pet's glands will not refill quickly. The refill rate of glands varies drastically from dog to dog, breed to breed. There is no discount on the bath or groom if we are unable to express the glands as it is included "free" with the bath.

Note: Many owners are unaware that their pets have fleas and/or the sensitive skin caused by flea bites. Flea bites and flea infestations can cause sensitive skin and irritation. Midtown Grooming is not responsible for sensitive skin caused by flea bites and the irritation that may be caused by clipper blades on areas where flea bites and scratching have occurred. Please see images at the bottom of this page to understand our flea policy

Cats. For safety reasons, cats feet may be wrapped for bathing and grooming. For this reason, we may not shave cats' entire legs/feet. For safety reasons, our cat groomer reserves the right to refuse a cat groom at any time during the process. Handling fees apply. All cats MUST arrive in a carrier

Shedding.There is no "cure" for shedding. While our de-shed treatments greatly eliminate fur, they will not stop future shedding and cannot eliminate 100% of shedding fur. There are many factors that contribute to the level of shedding in different animals including breed, season, age, diet, health, and genetics. Unless you have a hairless dog, your dog, not matter what breed, will shed.

Sedation. We do not offer grooming services for sedated animals. We do NOT administer sedatives.

Time. Grooming drop off is between 7:30 - 9:30 am Mon-Friday and 8 - 9:30 Sat and Sunday. Appointments for pets arriving 15 minutes after the drop off window (or 15 minutes later than the designated in-and-out time) may be forfeited. Pick up is generally between 2 - 4 pm daily. Please note: calling the shop on busy days to ask when your pet will be ready slows down the groomers and effects all out-times. Please schedule on a day when you are flexible. Due to the nature of our services, animal behavior, business volume, and our desire to produce quality grooms...we do not guarantee specific out-times.

Cancellation. We ask for 24 hours notice of appointment cancellation so that we may book other clients and conduct normal business. We allow two missed appointments. After that a credit card must be provided to book all future appointments. A $40 fee applies for missed appointments.

** FREE services with bath. There is no discount on the bath or groom price if the nail trim or ear cleaning that is included FREE with the bath cannot be performed, for any reason

Drying Kennels. For your pet's safety - we do NOT use closed box dryers or heated drying methods. Our grooming animals are dried in open-air, wire kennels with fans. Each animal is then blown dry by hand using high-velocity, non-heated blow dryers. Animals that do not accept blow dryers are kennel-dried only (may cause longer turn-around time and some remaining dampness)

Matted Fur. Matted fur is fur that has become tightly knotted and unable to be brushed. Our groomers de-mat at their discretion. Severe mats will not be combed out due to the discomfort and / or extreme pain that it can cause the animal. Excessive dematting can also cause irreversible skin damage. Such mats must be shaved. We do not leave mats on animals as it can lead to sores on the skin. Midtown Grooming is not responsible for conditions revealed under matted fur or caused as a result of matted fur. Matted fur may cause irritated skin, sores, and other adverse conditions. Matted fur causes the skin to be more sensitive to grooming blades and, because the skin has not been able to "breathe", may result in a rash, sores, or cuts once uncovered. Matted fur increases the risk of cuts and nicks as it prevents blades from moving smoothly through the fur. Our strict de-matting policy puts all animals' health and comfort above cosmetics and aesthetics, when necessary. It is our effort to promote the ongoing health and comfort of all pets at our shop. We understand that many owners do not know that their pet is matted because the "top coat" seems touchably soft. Our groomers are trained professionals who can identify mats that are too tight to be combed. We offer a "back on track" program for matted animals so that we can help you maintain your pet's longer coat once it grows back.

Please see the images below to better understand some of our grooming policies

A matted coat may feel soft on the surface and go untreated. This groom was not performed at Midtown.

Shaving matted fur may lead to cuts / rash in addition to uncovering sores and other adverse conditions. This groom was not performed at Midtown.

Many hot spots caused by flea irritation and skin allergies go unseen. Hot spots are a very common condition seen in Austin. Groom not performed at Midtown.

Sores / rashes caused by flea irritation may become inflamed by grooming blades. Groom not performed at Midtown.

** All of our groomig policies have been created with animal and staff health / safety as our number one priority