Help with dog matting! Urgent!

[FarmsteadOn4thStreet]

This is my Australian shepherd who just had puppies 4 weeks ago. She’s a pretty active dog who loves running and rolling in the mud so we can never keep her fully clean, but lately with her feeding pups we noticed her fur started to mat and is now giving her terrible sores. We’ve given her a bath and cut off as much hair as we can on her chest and applied polysporin on her sores as well as bandaged the ones we can. Anyone have advice on what else I can do?
Also not sure if it’s related but the last bag of dog food I bought was not the regular brand I buy.

Our current vet just shut its doors and all other local vets won’t take any new patients unless it’s red flag emergency

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Never get a matted dog wet, it causes the matted hair to shrink up even tighter against the skin. You need a good groomer who will carefully shave the mats away without clipping the tender skin. They must know their business. If the blades get hot they should stop and let them cool. A vet might be necessary to sedate the dog if it's painful. Tell them yes, it's a red flag emergency. You may need to keep this dog shaved down until it heals, and since it has a tendency to mat, may need to keep it in a short clip thereafter. Good luck!

 

[MandaRae]

Never ever ever Cut Matting out. Those last 2 picture look like cuts from the scissors not sores from the matting. Which is the main reason you should never cut mats.
Use clippers to shave the matting out. With a #10blade. Don't use attachment combs it just snags. The safest humane way is to just shave them out.
Use Apple Cider vinegar on the hot spots but NOT on the open wounds. If you have vetrycin that will work for the open wounds.

See if you can find a mobile groomer to help you maintain her knots.

*Dog groomer for 13yrs*
If you want any tips on shaving/grooming yourself please feel free to message me I will help in anyway I can!

Also if the knots aren't too tight you can get whats called a mat breaker and use cornstarch it helps get simple knots out easily.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Never ever ever Cut Matting out. Those last 2 picture look like cuts from the scissors not sores from the matting. Which is the main reason you should never cut mats.
Use clippers to shave the matting out. With a #10blade. Don't use attachment combs it just snags. The safest humane way is to just shave them out.
Use Apple Cider vinegar on the hot spots but NOT on the open wounds. If you have vetrycin that will work for the open wounds.

See if you can find a mobile groomer to help you maintain her knots.

*Dog groomer for 13yrs*
If you want any tips on shaving/grooming yourself please feel free to message me I will help in anyway I can!

Also if the knots aren't too tight you can get whats called a mat breaker and use cornstarch it helps get simple knots out easily.

I was thinking the same thing about the wounds. Another long time dog groomer here. Don't beat yourself up @FarmsteadOn4thStreet that's easy to do when you don't know. I'd definitely get a professional on this.

 

[Bonkerelli]

This is my Australian shepherd who just had puppies 4 weeks ago. She’s a pretty active dog who loves running and rolling in the mud so we can never keep her fully clean, but lately with her feeding pups we noticed her fur started to mat and is now giving her terrible sores. We’ve given her a bath and cut off as much hair as we can on her chest and applied polysporin on her sores as well as bandaged the ones we can. Anyone have advice on what else I can do?
Also not sure if it’s related but the last bag of dog food I bought was not the regular brand I buy.

Our current vet just shut its doors and all other local vets won’t take any new patients unless it’s red flag emergency

The area needs to stay dry for the most part. It might be better not bandaging them becaus you want a scab to form. Get some colloidal silver gel which you can get at Walmart. The silver gel is fantastic, it'll kill germs and you can't put too much on on it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Also, don't use scissors, too easy to cut the skin by accident.

Taste of the Wild is a good diet; add a spoonful of coconut oil to it, feed her a COOKED egg while she's feeding puppies and some nutritional yeast, all will help her condition. The yeast will increase her milk production and boost her B vitamins. You can get it at a GNC or health food store. A bit of plain yogurt wouldn't hurt either.

 

[MandaRae]

Thank you so much! Honestly not sure if it was the scissors or not, hadn’t thought of that. I tried to keep her hair at least 3/4 inch long and I figured she’d jump if I’d Knick her skin but she just sat there. Should I continue giving her baths with detangling shampoo or keep it dry? I can’t seem to get the dirt out and that looks to be what’s causing the matting. I’ll try brushing it out with cornstarch, any particular type of brush you suggest that doesn’t just pull?

Some animals actually don't react to cuts it crazy. I was a vet tech for a few years then became a groomer and some of the stuff I've seen is baffling. Dogs will wail as you clip nails (which we all know doesn't hurt) but I've saw a dog lick a groomers scissors and lost a piece of tongue. No yelp no nothing still tried to lick the vet during Examination. Bizarre!

Should I continue giving her baths with detangling shampoo or keep it dry?

Water tightens knots so try not to bath them. If they are already too tight to get out you might need to bite the bullet and shave her. I don't normally recommend shaving double coats but sometimes you have to do what's best for the comfort of the dog. It can sometimes change the coat and takes time but it will grow back.

Fish oil supplements help with coat health.

I'll grab a photo of my favorite tools

 

[MandaRae]

any particular type of brush you suggest that doesn’t just pull?

This is a mat breaker and my absolute favorite tool
Ryan's Pet Supplies Paw Brothers Dog Coat Breaker with Removable Blade Cartridge https://a.co/d/bpojOwc

Then this brush is a good one too:
Slicker Dog Brush for Shedding Short Hair & Long Hair - Cat Brush & Dog Grooming Supplies, Deshedding for Single or Double Coated Dogs & Cats - https://a.co/d/hV4RPNK

Paired with this undercoat rake
Pat Your Pet Deshedding Brush - Double-Sided Undercoat Rake for Dogs & Cats - Shedding Comb and Dematting Tool for Grooming https://a.co/d/2CXTsW9



I've always like Espree Simple shed shampoo & conditioner

 

[cassie]

If it was my dog the first thing I would do is clip her. That alone will solve a lot of problems. I would also go back to the former dog food in case she is allergic to this one.

 

[Gateway717]

Oh poor thing! I've got an aussie too and his fur is doing the same under his collar. We had to take it off. I keep pulling out loose fur and cutting out knots. I don't have an answer but I hope someone does.

Our weather here has just been getting warm (Alaska) so I figure he is getting into really shedding his coat. My first summer with him