Dogs Mats In Fur

While your dog might.

Dogs mats in fur.

Earlier this month the dodo told the story of a amaze bobb a dog with an extreme case of matted hair. When the dog sheds the dead shedding fur can become tangled in the live coat. If your itchy dog scratches herself often or bites at hot spots the fur becomes wet dirty and tangled. Matted hair is a painful condition most commonly seen in dogs and cats with long coats.

Mats cause severe pain in dogs when they begin to pull up on the skin and tighten around tails and limbs. His lumpy coat gets in the way of his getting comfortable. If not brushed out they continue to trap more fur becoming closer and closer to the dog s skin. Individual hairs rub together every time your pet moves says brooke strong a groomer with reserved barking in alexandria virginia and unless the coat is short or brushed regularly mats are bound to form.

There are many reasons a dog may have matted hair. Mats can also result from dogs scratching themselves and getting their fur wet in rain or snow. Hair mats develop when there is a lot of friction and movement. While unsightly and frustrating to deal with in most cases matted fur is the result of one common reason the absence of grooming.

Dogs that sit a lot or are right hipped or left hipped when they sit will get mats from the fur being compacted in that spot verplank adds. Mats begin at the base and not at the top of the hair. Mats often occur in areas of friction such as under the collar behind the ears in the armpits or on the lower legs where the legs rub together or where the dog comes into contact with grass. Finally grooming is not the only element in maintaining a dog s healthy coat.

Mats form when dog fur becomes tangled and wraps around itself forming tightly wound clumps of the loose dead fur and live fur. The condition is caused by tangled knots or mats which cause discomfort and even lead to health risks. Mats are more prevalent in long haired dogs and cats especially during shedding season. Mats are caused by the tangling of fur and it happens for several reasons.

Certain areas like under your dog s chest around his ears in his armpits beneath his collar and between his legs are all places that are susceptible to matting. Regular visits to a professional groomer is a must to stave off matted dog hair. Every six to eight weeks is recommended. The extra fur needs to be adequately extracted via a brush or else matting will occur.

Tangled fur harbors feces and urine as well as any purulent material from an infection so not only is it painful but the irritation causes itching.