Dogs Matting Hair

Why matted hair is unhealthy for your dog.

Dogs matting hair.

The long haired dog sheds its hair into the coat causing small mats to form. This shedding process is not like those breeds that leave hair all over your house. Severe matting can cause discomfort or even damage to the underlying skin or joints depending on the location. Dog fur often becomes tangled and knotted around itself without frequent brushing which is called matting.

Mats can also result from dogs scratching themselves and getting their fur wet in rain or snow. A dog s hair shafts are barbed much like a briar bush with some more barbed than others. The more barbs in the hair shaft the more likely to mat says verplank. And dogs that have double coats with a thick undercoat like golden retrievers and cocker spaniels can mat easily.

Dogs with long silky hair like yorkies and shih tzu s can develop mats and tangles. While the effect of mild hair mats is usually minimal matting can lead to pain and skin infections similar to hot spots. Grooming and maintaining your dog s coat in top condition is therefore essential to the dog s health and well being. Mats are more prevalent in long haired dogs and cats especially during shedding season.

Small matted dog hair can occur daily because your long haired dog is continually shedding dead hairs. Matting is dense or tangled clumps of hair in a pet s coat. 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. As new hairs grown in mats can occur very close to the skin.

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. Mats occur frequently in many dog breeds with curly fine or double coats. You might think matted hair is no big deal. Dogs with hair that is soft curly or wavy like poodles golden doodles and bichons are vulnerable to matting.