Dogs that are lost or abandoned often don’t have their fur brushed, which gets tangled and causes them stress. A new haircut, on the other hand, can make a person look very different.
Recently, this happened when a dog with very matted fur got a change that made him feel better.
On July 16, the South Plains SPCA wrote on their Facebook page about the “worst case of dog neglect we have ever encountered.” The dog looked like it was six years old and was in bad shape. Its fur was thick and matted.
The SPCA said the dog had “rotten skin spots, hair lodged so deeply in the skin that it has grown into the skin, and two-inch-long nails.”
The head of the South Plains SPCA, Kim Moyers, told KLBK-TV that “his hair growth was about five years of matting.” It’s terrible that he was probably missed and seen in different places. I don’t understand how he hasn’t been seen walking around in that state. I’ve never seen anything like him before. The sight shocked me.
He was taken in by the South Plains SPCA and given the name Matt because his fur was all curly. They were determined to fix him up and give him another chance, even though they found him in a terrible state.
They had to put Matt to sleep because he allegedly screamed in pain every time they tried to cut his hair. They shaved off an amazing three pounds of fur and cut through a collar and leash that were stuck in the hair after five years of not taking care of it.
He had thousands of goathead stickers, sticks, grass, and even bugs stuck in his fur. The SPCA said that he has bad bruises all over his body because his fur is too tight against his skin. The dog had been tested for heartworms and tick disease and found to be negative (ticks couldn’t get through his thick fur), but he was weak and had to be given medicine.
Once Matt’s blood work is okay, he will need dental work. He still has a long way to go in his recovery.
Matt’s life has changed a lot, though, and he looks like a totally different dog now that all that gross fur is gone:
Houston told People, “He looked great after one of our professional groomers, who is also a foster parent for the SPCA.” “This dog looks more beautiful than any other I’ve seen.” He’s really pretty.
As soon as Matt woke up from being groomed, the SPCA called him a “sweet boy,” and ever since then, he’s had a taste of a normal, happy life.
Houston told KLBK, “Five years ago, he went for his first walk without his big hair.” “He was so happy that his tail was wagging and his little bottom was moving back and forth.”
Matt now lives with Tori Houston as a foster parent. It will be possible to adopt Matt after he gets better.
How beautiful the change is! With all that thick fur, Matt must have been in a lot of pain for a long time, but we’re glad he’s finally safe, clean, and on his way to a new life!
Please tell everyone about this amazing story!
