Long-haired dogs are a different story, however.

Long hair that continues to mat over a long period of time can become unhealthy for the dog very quickly.

In wet weather, matted hair takes forever to dry. Being constantly wet and cold for days on end can weaken almost any dog.

In hot weather, severely matted hair can cause a dog to have heatstroke.

And any kind of injury to the skin beneath mats can be a death knell, once flies find the wound the lay their eggs in it.

Indeed, every rescuer knows, a dog with long matted hair may be hiding a laundry list of problems and health issues.

Besides being a health hazard, the unsightliness of an ungroomed, matted and dirty dog can keep it from being adopted.

When Hope For Paws received a call about an injured stray dog who sought shelter in an apartment complex they sent rescuers quickly to the scene.

Once they found her, they secured the area so she couldn’t run away.

The dog was in terrible shape. She was filthy and covered with severely matted hair, and she was also limping and needed medical attention immediately.

Although her weight was hidden behind the mats it was obvious she hadn’t eaten in a while. She didn’t hesitate to take some cheeseburger from the rescuer’s hand.

The good news was she had obviously been socialized at some point because she was very friendly and allowed them to put a leash around her neck.

She would have walked along with them, but there was one big problem: She had a serious limp.

So, they carried her to their car and raced her to the veterinarian.

When they logged her in at the vet’s, they gave her the name of “Sparrow.”

Sparrow was in a lot of pain, but she was quiet while the vet examined her.

He couldn’t do a completely thorough exam because of all the excess hair and mats, but it was easy to see she had several large tumors and a very badly broken leg.

After Sparrow was sedated, the staff went to work to cut away the matted hair from the injured leg and the tumors.

When she was all cleaned up, Sparrow went into surgery with Dr. Olds and everyone held their collective breath…

Thankfully, Sparrow came through the surgeries with flying colors!

Just a few days later, Sparrow was an entirely different dog than the dejected pain-filled little dirty mess the rescuers had found.

She turned out to be a friendly, happy little dog that everyone realized immediately was going to be a great addition to a loving family.

In no time at all, Sparrow’s sutures were removed and she began to use her damaged leg again.

Before long, it was hard to tell she had ever suffered any kind of traumatic event at all!

Now, her hair has grown back in and is being cared for regularly, and she is in a wonderful home that adores her.

She has everything a dog could ask for…what a cutie pie!

All thanks to the loving hands at Hope For Paws, Dr. Olds, and all of their amazing donors!

Source: Animal Rescue Site

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