Matted hair on your Dog or Cat can cause serious problems and cause a great deal of pain. It is with great sadness that I have to write this blog.  A couple of days ago a beautiful little puppy came to visit me for his first groom.  He is a super cute little boy and his owners love him very much. I have changed the name of the puppy to Bobby as not to reveal his real name. As soon as I saw Bobby I could see his coat was very knotted and soon realised his legs were very matted and advised his owner what needed to be done.  The matts were very close to his skin so the only thing any good groomer could do would be to shave the matts off so as not to cause little Bobby any pain.  Understandably, the owner was shocked at the prospect of having Bobby's legs shaved, as it wouldn't be the look she wanted.  I advised her to think about it and talk to her partner and come back in a couple of days in order that I could help little Bobby feel happier and more comfortable.  I explained the following to Bobby's owner and decided to write this blog to help others understand why matts are so bad for your lovely pets.
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I can't see very well at the moment. After this Shih Tzu's groom he was happy that he could see where he was going and his eyes felt great.
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Matting Causes Matting can be avoided if you brush or comb your pet regularly and also get him/her groomed regularly by a professional groomer.  It is important that owners understand how to maintain their pets coat in between grooming appointments. When a coat gets tangled and knots, the knots can join together.  Knotting can be caused for many reasons.  If your pet gets wet and dirty and is not cleaned and brushed, it will often result in knotting.  If your pet has skin irritations (sometimes called hot spots) he/she may bite the area and get it wet and dirty... a big cause of knotting and matting.  Remember, if us humans don't comb and brush our hair, it gets knotted and it is then very painful and uncomfortable to remove the knots, so why would it be any different for your pet? Bad or Extreme Matting Bad or extreme matting can very dangerous to your pet in lots of cases aagonizing pain.  Their skin can became inflamed and sore this can also become ulcerated, pussy and infected due to the skim not being able to breath.  Also fleas will be able to lay their eggs in the warm matted fur and other insect will do the same as it is the ideal breeding ground fresh blood to tap on to,  to feed the baby insects an ideal nest.  also the insects with defecate  causes even more problems for your pet. Mean while your poor pet is getting more and more uncomfortable and suffering.
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This little chap was in a state a very matted little Yorkshire Terrier. He was running around like a puppy after his groom.

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I am a cute little Cockerpoo but at the moment you can't tell what breed I am. I can't wait to be free of all these matts.

Never be tempted to cut matts out with scissors, as matts are usually very close to the skin and you are at risk of causing an injury to your pet, resulting in potentially expensive vet bills.  It is always far safer to get a professional groomer to shave the matts off for you.  Your pet may look a bit weird at first until the coat grows back, but at least he/she will be happy and more comfortable.
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A very over due Bichon waiting for his groom.

Finally...did you know that serious matting can result in your pets circulation being cut off?  This can result in your pet ultimately losing a limb. Extreme matting on the face can cause blindness if left.  I have personally seen this in a dog I was asked to groom not too long ago and I was so shocked, I found this very, very hard to deal with. The Good News Grooming your dog every day and getting them groomed regularly by a professional groomer can avoid many problems. If you would like a free consultation about any of the points raised in this blog, or about any other grooming matters, please contact me. Best Wishes, Mary Poochy Woochy Dog Grooming & Pet Care Services 01928 717037 / 07899 736140