Pet grooming is more than just making your pet pretty. How is grooming related to health care?

Brushing
Brushing is an activity that closely resembles petting, and most pets enjoy the attention enormously. Use a soft brush or a fine-toothed comb that will penetrate undercoat and effectively remove dead hair, but will not irritate the skin. Brushing stimulates circulation in the skin, removes dead skin cells as well as shedding hair, prevents tangles and matting of the hair coat, and removes dirt and debris from the fur. Brushing your cat regularly also helps prevent hairball formation. If your pet has a thick wooly undercoat, you may need professional assistance to learn how to properly work with the coat the first few times.
As you brush your pet, run your hands over his or her body and check for lumps or skin growths, ticks, scabs or other signs of skin infection, or other abnormalities. Checking your pet regularly during grooming allows you to find these things early, before any major medical problems develop.

Nail trims
Most dogs should have their toenails trimmed every 2-3 months to avoid nail overgrowth, which can lead to twisting of the toes, toe sprains and arthritis, split toenails, and nail bed infections. You can trim your dog's nails at home with a good quality pair of nail trimmers, and any vet or groomer can teach you how. This is easiest if you and your dog have worked together since puppyhood, but older dogs can get used to the idea if you start by trimming only a single toenail per session. Always trim conservatively, since hitting the nerve once can disrupt your dog's trust for months to come.
Indoor cats should also have their nails trimmed every 2-3 months, but cats that go outdoors should be allowed to maintain their nails in case they need them to escape from a predator.

Ear cleanings
Many breeds of dogs require regular ear care. Some of the terriers, poodles and smaller breeds have hair growth inside of their ear canals which must be cleaned out regularly or it impedes air flow and leads to infections. Many floppy-eared breeds, especially breeds created for water retrieval, should have their ears flushed out with a pH-balanced solution regularly to prevent wax buildup. Dogs that swim, dogs that are prone to allergies, and dogs with a history of previous ear problems should all have their ears checked and cleaned regularly as part of their home grooming regimen.
Cats generally maintain their ears well without assistance, but they should still be checked regularly for signs of infection or growths within the ears.

Dental care
Brush your pet's teeth? Well, yes. Dental disease is one of the leading causes of illness in older pets. Tartar buildup and gingivitis are a bacterial reservoir which constantly leak into the pet's bloodstream and lead to infections of the heart, kidneys, liver, and other organs. The best way to prevent all of these problems is to keep your pet's teeth clean. There are enzymatic toothpastes available in flavors that pets love, such as beef, poultry and seafood. Toothbrushes are available in all shapes and sizes for all pets. There are dental chew bones for dogs, tartar control diets and treats for cats and dogs, and new options are becoming available almost daily.
Make it a habit to inspect your pet's teeth regularly as part of your grooming regimen and use some of these special dental products to keep your pet's teeth clean so that he or she does not succumb to dental-related illness.