Dogs Matting Hair

Mats occur frequently in many dog breeds with curly fine or double coats.

Dogs matting hair.

Mats can also result from dogs scratching themselves and getting their fur wet in rain or snow. Why matted hair is unhealthy for your dog. The more barbs in the hair shaft the more likely to mat says verplank. Matting or tangling of a dog s hair prevents it from properly carrying out these functions by exposing parts and the skin encouraging the growth of bacteria etc.

Dogs with hair that is soft curly or wavy like poodles golden doodles and bichons are vulnerable to matting. Dogs with long silky hair like yorkies and shih tzu s can develop mats and tangles. Dangers of matted hair in dogs and cats. Grooming and maintaining your dog s coat in top condition is therefore essential to the dog s health and well being.

You might think matted hair is no big deal. A dog s hair shafts are barbed much like a briar bush with some more barbed than others. Some dogs are more prone to mats such as the poodle bichon frise cocker spaniel and any dog with a long coat or who is a heavy shedder verplank says. Severe matting can cause discomfort or even damage to the underlying skin or joints depending on the location.

This shedding process is not like those breeds that leave hair all over your house. The long haired dog sheds its hair into the coat causing small mats to form. Small matted dog hair can occur daily because your long haired dog is continually shedding dead hairs. In extreme cases the dog s coat will become what groomers call pelted when matting is very tight to the skin preventing proper air flow.

While the effect of mild hair mats is usually minimal matting can lead to pain and skin infections similar to hot spots. As new hairs grown in mats can occur very close to the skin. Mats are more prevalent in long haired dogs and cats especially during shedding season. And dogs that have double coats with a thick undercoat like golden retrievers and cocker spaniels can mat easily.