What Causes Matted Hair On Dogs

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.

What causes matted hair on dogs.

Sometimes dogs that sit a lot will get matting on the spot that they are sitting on. 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. I got my dogs first aid kit out and found the blunt nosed scissors. When the dog sheds the dead shedding fur can become tangled in the live coat.

The condition is caused by tangled knots or mats which cause discomfort and even lead to health risks. After close inspection i saw a tangled mass of matted hair that was hard and was bothering her. Pet hair that is severely tangled and becomes matted pulls tightly against your pet s skin. When this happens the dog bites at its skin or tries to scratch causing the mat to grow in size and the hair to get even more tangled.

Under the collar behind the ears in the armpits or on the lower legs are the most common areas. Matting is dense or tangled clumps of hair in a pet s coat. Mats can also result from dogs scratching themselves and getting. What causes matted hair in dogs.

Matted hair is a painful condition most commonly seen in dogs and cats with long coats. A severely matted dog is not a happy dog. 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. Occasionally the area may appear as a lump or swelling which is also referred to as a warble the other common name for a cuterebra cyst.

Earlier this month the dodo told the story of a amaze bobb a dog with an extreme case of matted hair. Mats are more prevalent in long haired dogs and cats especially during shedding season. Matting often occurs in areas of friction. 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.

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. If your itchy dog scratches herself often or bites at hot spots the fur becomes wet dirty and tangled. Needles to say this biting can discolor the hair and cause skin infections. Dogs also get matting tangles and knots from a lack of being regularly groomed.

Small mats or knots are easy to remove if the dog is brushed daily or several times a week. Matted hair in the paw can cause foot problems. Causes of matted hair in dogs. This condition in turn causes pain similar to someone pulling your hair.

What causes matted hair in dogs.