Has anyone shaved a badly matted chow before?

[Boogie and Linda]

Well I know you are not supposed to shave chows but poor Fozzie, my elderly rescue, has turned into one complete mat on the back end since he started shedding. He won't let us brush him on his hind end and gets aggitated when we even touch him anywhere near his back legs. (He has what the vet called "crunchiness" in his hips and legs. She was not sure what it was but given he is quite elderly she advised against us putting him under for her to explore.) My vet says we have no choice but to shave him because of the mats. I cannot find a groomer that will do it. All the groomers in my area won't take a chow no matter what. Fozzie will be difficult and will require a cage muzzle but I think once it is done he will feel better. My question is, since I cannot find a capable groomer that will shave him is shaving him myself a possibility? Is it as easy as buying a clippers and a muzzle and just doing it? I don't want to injure him so if that is a possibility then I won't. My other option is going to be to ask the vet to do it. They shaved his head before when he had a wound but she didn't seem to keen on shaving him all over when I asked before. She gave me a list of groomers that all said NO CHOWS!

[kingalls]

Have you talked to the groomers about helping with the session? I was always there for Nahkohe's grooming session. I actually did the front part because he got more upset if he was eye to eye with the groomer? We would have Nahkohe on the table - muzzled - and I would hold his head to keep him facing forward. It was good when there was something that held his attention - like another dog or anything happening in front of him. If you can find a groomer that will work with you - sometimes they think you're going to just drop off your Chow. If you let them know you will be there to help keep him calm, they might consider it.

[Boogie and Linda]

Actually the groomers that I called said that they don't accept chows and a list of other breeds because of their insurance. I know Petsmart will take chows because Boogie has been bathed there before but I was not happy with the service. It seems like they hire teenagers with no grooming experience and they weren't treating the dogs nicely. When I said something they said I wasn't supposed to be there and that they would have to charge me $15 extra for the bath because I stayed with Boogie instead of dropping him off even though I did a lot of the work.

I did go to the vet today and I told them that I can't find a groomer that will take him and asked them again to do it to which they said if they did do it, it would be very expensive but they did not say how much. The receptionist says she has a Pit mix and she has been running into issues finding boarding for him for the same "insurance" reason. The receptionist called a groomer that they have worked with before and she said she is not opposed to doing it but will need to do a consultation first. She wants me to call her on Monday. Wish us luck. Fozzie doesn't care who touches him and he actually likes being groomed. He goes into a trance. He just doesn't want his hind end touched at all and will flip out. I will definately stay with him because he has trouble standing and will want to lay down which makes grooming even more
difficult.

[summer_rose03]

If you do it yourself, here is a list of items you need, including what clippers. You will only with the grain of the coat, against will take it extremely short. I am not sure how badly matted he is from your description, but I will give you two blade recommendations. I am a groomer, so I thought I would give you some suggestions. I understand not wanting to shave him, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. I can't guarantee the coat will come back if he's older, but I think the risk goes up more in colder months and the more it is done.


Typical shave-down length-- Oster #7f blade, about 1/8"
If that doesn't work, you will have to go the next shorter, which is a #10f. This blade will come with the clippers I am recommending. If you don't use it on the body, you will only use it on extra matted areas (like behind the ears), armpits, *Censored Word* area, and groin area. This is the safest blade for those areas, although it is usually too short for a full body shave down which I don't recommend it unless you have to.

Clippers: Andis AGC Black 2 Speed clippers. Anything less than this will not go through your dog's coat. Do not attempt it with a cheaper pair of clippers or people clippers, it will just clog. You will also want to get blade coolant spray, as your blade will most likely heat up periodically while clipping. This should be available at PetSmart, as well as the clippers and blades.

Good luck, go slow, watch for skin flaps, keep him comfortable, have someone else distract him while you do it.

[Boogie and Linda]

Thanks Summer Rose. Hopefully an experienced groomer will do it but I am glad to have the info in case I have to.

A litle history on Fozzie. I fostered him for a rescue who forgot I even have him. The rescue was having a lot of legal issues and didn't return my calls asking what to do with him so I have had him for a year and a half now. I am afraid to ask them now because they may just want to put him down if I don't keep him. He is not adoptable because of his health and temperment issues. When he first came to me he was skin and bones with only patches of fur. His skin oozed this brown sticky tar like stuff which matted any fur that did come in. Fozzie has gained 25lbs since being here and he the sticky stuff stopped and he got a ton of fur. He is the bushiest of my three. His coat is mostly long soft undercoat fur which mats very badly. He also sleeps where a tree drops all sorts of stuff and it attaches to his fur like velcro. He has trouble walking and standing and his whole back half is one giant mat. As his undercoat sheds it just adds to the mat. I have left him alone because I know he is in pain and doesn't want us touching his hind legs but as the mats get bigger I know something has to be done or he won't be able to move because of the tangled fur. I am embarrassed to say but he looks as bad as some of the chows in the shelter that have been neglected. The only thing I an not sure of is how I will keep this from happening again. Maybe I will have to keep him with a lion cut once I find a groomer.

[Sirchow]

Poor fozzie. It is kind of embarrasing when this sort of thing happens. We have a rescue cat that wont let you groom round his tail and he recently had to go to the vets to be clipped in that area and boy did he look silly afterwards. I was mortified to have to get them to do it. I felt like they thought I was a bad Moma! Just one thing that occurs to me is don't let him loose trust in you by doing something he can't forgive you for. He sounds such a lovely boy. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Auddymay]

It is hard, when they are touchy about an area. If you can scissor the matting without freaking the Foz, I would try that to begin. I t will section the matting and should make things managable. From the description, you will have a tough row to hoe, sounds like a 2 or 3 person operation!

[chowpups]

summer rose
Iam sure everyone on here appreciates like I do your prof. grooming advise and help.. Thats very kind of you to lend your expertise to us.

Nancy

[summer_rose03]

Thank you Nikki!

I DO NOT recommend using scissors on matting. You can not always tell where the mat ends and the skin begins, this is very dangerous. Especially with as bad of matting as it sounds like he may have.

Please, NEVER use scissors to remove matting unless it is very obviously no where near the skin. If the dog moves when you are cutting, you may have just cut your dog.

[kingalls]

Summer Rose,
Nahkohe's groomer showed me how she would use the scissors to sort of snip through the dense parts of the mat to break it apart - not close to the skin, of course. I've done that with both of my Chowdren but try a lot of pulling the mat apart with my fingers. I bought some "de-matting" spray but haven't tried it yet...
Thanks for your professional advice!

[summer_rose03]

I have seen many dogs be cut by their owners when they try to cut mats out. It scares me and most people have no idea what they are doing. I know the technique you are talking about kingalls, but it doesn't work for all mats. It is usually only for large clumpy ones not close to the skin, like matted undercoat type than full on matted to the skin, such as in the tail or rear area,

[Auddymay]

That was what I meant- the scissors are parallel to the skin, all I was recommending was sectioning a large mat. I agree, it it dangerous to snip out a mat.

[kingalls]

I have seen many dogs be cut by their owners when they try to cut mats out. It scares me and most people have no idea what they are doing. I know the technique you are talking about kingalls, but it doesn't work for all mats. It is usually only for large clumpy ones not close to the skin, like matted undercoat type than full on matted to the skin, such as in the tail or rear area,

You're right - any mats too close to the skin were shaved off.

[Boogie and Linda]

Well I admit that I have used scissors on his mats before. He actually goes into a trance where he doesn't move at all and I have very meticulously cut them. I am aware of the dangers of cutting his skin and only use very small snips where I can see the skin. Usually once I make a snip the rest pulls out. I would never be able to do that with my other two. They won't sit still and I would definately cut them. Fozzie won't stand up long enough for me to work his hind end and as soon as I touch anywhere near his hips he snaps out of his trance and gets ferocious.

I called the groomer the vet recommended who says she would do it but she is booked solid for the next month. She said she will call me if she has any cancellations and possibly her husband who is also a groomer may do it so we will see. She said she has been a groomer since the 70's and has a lot of chow experience. I told her it will take more than one person and he will need a cage muzzle and she said no problem, so we will see.

[Sirchow]

Poor Fozzie it is so hard to have to make them do things that scares them that much. I hope a slot comes up a bit sooner but it certainly sound like the groomers have chow experience which would count for a lot. Hugs to Fozzie.