When a dog's coat is heavily matted near the skin, what is the recommended course of action?

• A. Ignore and continue
• B. Dematting with detangler; if not possible, clip coat short
• C. Wash with harsh chemicals
• D. Use hair dryer

Answer: (B)

When fur is heavily matted right at the skin, the priority is to remove the mats as safely and humanely as possible rather than pulling or forcing the coat apart. Start with a canine-safe detangler to loosen the knots and then use appropriate dematting tools to work the mats out gently, taking care not to tug on the skin. If the mats won’t release without causing pain or risking skin injury, clipping the coat short is the safer option to remove the burden of the mats, prevent further skin irritation, and allow the skin to recover.

Ignoring the mats would worsen discomfort and can lead to skin infections; washing with harsh chemicals can irritate or burn the skin and won’t fix the matting; a hair dryer by itself doesn’t address the mats and could overheat or aggravate the skin.