Our policy: Here at Always About Pets, we pride ourselves on doing what is most humane for our furry clients. Please know that if your dog has excessive matting, we are NOT going to torture your dog by pulling and tugging at their matts. The most humane thing to do with excessive matting is to shave the coat. We will only ATTEMPT to de-mat a coat if we feel the animal will not suffer any pain. Please note that ANY de-matting is lengthy process for the groomer, and the animal, and additional compensation will be involved.
The life of a matt: A matt starts out as a little tangle, which takes days to form, and only minutes to remove. If left alone, in week or two, you’ll have a knot. Knots can take hours to remove by trimming and clipping. If left unattended knots will evolve into a full blown matt. Matts restrict the skin from air and circulation and this can lead to infections, dermatitis, even maggots!
What you can expect after matting is removed: Please be advised that after matting is removed, the dog’s skin will try to repair itself from all the smothering and restriction that it’s been under. You can expect your dog to shiver as the blood flow returns to normal in the affected areas. You can expect your dog to be sore as all the nerves react to their new found freedom. You can expect your dog to hide, or to sleep a lot, as he won’t want to be touched from the soreness. Please be patient as it will take a few days for your pet’s skin to return to normal.
An excessively matted dog.
Prevention: So, if you are the type of owner who loves that flowing coat, you will need to do some work BETWEEN grooms to prevent matting. We will be more than happy to give you tips on maintaining your pet's coat between grooms. The most basic thing you can do is to invest in a COMB, not a brush or slicker brush. Brushes only skim the surface of the coat, leaving the bottom of the coat to matt against the skin. Use a comb, and be sure it goes clear to the skin to prevent those tangles from growing into matts.
An excessively matted dog.