What Causes Matted Hair On Dogs

Mats are more prevalent in long haired dogs and cats especially during shedding season.

What causes matted hair on dogs.

Pet hair that is severely tangled and becomes matted pulls tightly against your pet s skin. Dogs also get matting tangles and knots from a lack of being regularly groomed. Tangling occurs when long haired dogs are not brushed on a regular basis much like a human s long hair would tangle after a few days of no combing or brushing. If your itchy dog scratches herself often or bites at hot spots the fur becomes wet dirty and tangled.

Matted hair in the paw can cause foot problems. Matted hair is a painful condition most commonly seen in dogs and cats with long coats. Mats can also result from dogs scratching themselves and getting. I got my dogs first aid kit out and found the blunt nosed scissors.

The condition is caused by tangled knots or mats which cause discomfort and even lead to health risks. Dogs who like to swim are more prone to getting mats because the moisture causes their hair to curl and it dries wrapped around itself. The extra fur needs to be adequately extracted via a brush or else matting will occur. Matting is dense or tangled clumps of hair in a pet s coat.

Causes of matted hair in dogs. A severely matted dog is not a happy dog. Small mats or knots are easy to remove if the dog is brushed daily or several times a week. If the dog has long fur the owner may notice an area of matted hair that appears to irritate the pet causing excessive grooming at the site.

Attempting to brush or comb out matted hair can cause severe pain for your pet because tugging on the hair pulls on nerve endings in the hair follicles where the hair grows. Sometimes dogs that sit a lot will get matting on the spot that they are sitting on. When the dog sheds the dead shedding fur can become tangled in the live coat. Needles to say this biting can discolor the hair and cause skin infections.

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. Earlier this month the dodo told the story of a amaze bobb a dog with an extreme case of matted hair. My dog was licking her paw all the time. Many dogs who are bathed but not thoroughly brushed and dried also develop matting.

This condition in turn causes pain similar to someone pulling your hair. Matting often occurs in areas of friction. What causes matted hair in dogs. Under the collar behind the ears in the armpits or on the lower legs are the most common areas.

After close inspection i saw a tangled mass of matted hair that was hard and was bothering her.