# Severely Matted Coats



## ladyaliga

I am going to be working with some dogs that have really bad matted coats. I am planning on just shaving them down and then bathing them. It would be impossible to bath first because of the matts being so bad. My question is this, what size blade would you guys recommend using to cut. I was thinking of getting a couple of cheap 8.5 blades to do it. I figured that would leave some coat and be a decent length still. On these coats it would be impossible to use the blade combs so I am trying to figure out what size blade to get for them. 

Thanks


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## Purplex15

i take it you are not a professional groomer?

I do not recommend an 8.5 blade for severe matting, b/c the teeth can very easily catch skin. if a #7 wont do it, then a 10 should be used.

also, if you arent experianced, be careful. it is not uncommon for open sores/wounds to be underneath pelted coats. it is also very easy to cause damage with the blades. i dont usually recommend that inexperianced people shave down really badly matted coats.


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## ladyaliga

I am not a proffesional but do have experience with clipping dogs, horses etc. I am just not use to dealing with badly matted coats. Last one we had to deal with was not as bad as some of the ones I am going to be working with. Thanks for your response


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## Purplex15

just so you know, some experianced groomers have accidents with really matted coats. with no room between matt and skin, it is very easy to cut the dog. also, if the dogs are in bad shape, then they are probably not used to being groomed, and will probably act up a lot (even dogs who dont mind being groomed will be fussy if that matted, it is uncomfortable). 

tempermental matted dog + inexperianced groomer= accidents. 

if i were you i would rethink doing these dogs and tell the owner to take them to a professional.


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## flyingduster

you can and IMO should bath a matted dog before clipping for any hope of keeping a bit of coat on them. Bath them, saturate them with shampoo and rinse them down. Condition too. DO NOT DRY THEM, and clip off the matted pelt when it's wet. Yes, dripping sopping wet! You can get a 7F or 5F, and sometimes even a 4F through a coat you'd be doing a 7F or 10 with if it was dry. Have a look on petgroomerforums.com for more in depth info on wet clipping, but seriously it saves a matted coat more than anything else. You can re-bath them once the pelt is off, and dry them as per usual.

Never use a 8.5 on a matted coat BTW, and be very careful of a 7F too.


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## poodleholic

I'm in total agreement with the post above. Do not attempt to shave a matted dog before the bath. Wet shaving not only makes the job easier on you AND the dog, you end up with a lot more hair than if you shaved dry. 

I shampoo, rinse, then lather up with shampoo AND conditioner (Mane N Tail works great), let sit a wee bit, and then use the HV dryer to help lift the hair at the skin and remove excess water. The coat will be wet and slippery with shampoo and conditioner, and the clipper goes through like a hot knife in butter. Use a GFI outlet to prevent shocks. 


Here's a website telling you exactly what to do, and how to do it:
http://groomingsmarter.com/cgi-bin/p/awtp-custom.cgi?d=grooming-smarter&page=2437


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