What is a Mat?
A mat is a single upstart of a hair that wrapped itself around a neighbor, who in turn grabbed another and another. For curly and drop-coated breeds
Hypoallergenic dog breeds (bichons,
malteses,
poodles,
shin tzus,
Lhasas, cockers), shedding hairs die and instead of falling onto your favorite sweater, they are caught by neighboring hairs. These hairs will rarely dislodge themselves, and require the assistance of a brush AND comb to remove them. If left to their own devices, mats will spread, forming a network, then a solid mass of dead hair that can eventually cover the entire body.
For double-coated breeds
non-hypoallergenic dog breeds (pomeranians, chows, huskies, heavy shedders), the hair will die in patterns, forming oddly-colored tufts around the hind quarters, shoulders, belly, scruff, and chest. These tufts will turn to clumps. They tend to LOOK worse than the first type of dogs, but almost invariably, their coats will brush out easier and with less damage (or shaving) required (assuming they tolerate brushing).
What’s the Big Deal?
Matted fur is not just a cosmetic offense, but an uncomfortable, often painful sensation that makes simple tasks like walking or turning the head nearly impossible. A matted pet becomes susceptible to all sorts of unsavory infections and diseases. Like people, a dog’s skin needs air to survive and be healthy. Mats restrict air and sunlight from touching the skin, which in severe cases can cause the skin to mildew and decompose. If water is introduced to the mix, we’re talking damp skin inside of a solid fur sweater, with little opportunity to dry.
The blood’s circulation to the legs and ears can be cut off. And the skin can die because of it. Perhaps the grossest of all is the fact that where there are mats, there are unseen mysteries.
"I Bathe Him All the Time!"
But do you use a
good shampoo, conditioner, and dry him thoroughly, before brushing his entire body til it’s smooth? No? Do you usually just shampoo him haphazardly, rinse as well as you can, then wrestle with a towel before he escapes to roll around and around on the carpet til he’s dry?
Like your hair, fur that is not cleaned, conditioned, dried off at least some of the way, and brushed out will become tangled. And what is a mat? A tangle gone wrong. When water is introduced to tight mats, they soak it up like a sponge, and dry tighter than ever.
