Posted by Carla, a Canine To Five Dog Handler who is studying to be a groomer. Learn more about Carla and our other awesome team members.
Owning an animal is a big responsibility. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to make sure you are providing the best care for your pet. There are many things that people do that may be considered neglect or abuse, and you might not realize that’s what your doing.
As a grooming student the biggest issue I’ve come to see is Pelted dogs. Pelting refers to when a dogs mats are so bad and so tightly wound that the skin begins to become irritated. Most pelted dogs have severe pelting all over their body, which can lead to a variety of issues. The mats can be wound so tightly that it can actually tear and pull at the skin until blood circulation is lost. Often times there are sores that will arise due to a lack of oxygen getting to the skin. Some people may assume that their pet is itching and biting because they have fleas, although that is not always the case. Imagine weights pulling down on your skin every time you move, that is essentially what it feels like for a pelted dog. Fleas and other pests may get stuck underneath the hair, which makes it impossible for them to be eradicated. If there is pelting around the groin area urine and other fecal matter may get stuck and rub up against the skin, which also leads to irritation, not to mention the smell factor. If your dog is pelted that means that it is beyond the point of getting it out with a bath. Wetting the mats only makes it worse, because when the mats dry they become even tighter. The only thing that you can do is get your pet shaved down, by a professional. DO NOT try and cut the mats out at home, taking shears to a mated dog without the proper training can be very dangerous. When the skin has been exposed to pelting it can become very loose and sensitive to nicks and cuts. Even professional groomers have to beware of clipper burns, and areas that are especially sensitive to injury.
The prevention to this problem is regular maintenance and grooming on your pet. Brushing your pet often and nipping mats in the butt before they get out of control is the proper way to handle this situation. You want your pet to be use to manual grooming from the time they are a puppy. Waiting until your pet is older to perform normal grooming procedures just makes the them more resistant to the idea. Your pet needs to know and accept that normal maintenance is a part of daily care. Doing this will produce a quality life for you and your pet, and a happy pet makes for a happy owner.
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