The WORST dog matting I have ever seen in my 13 years as a pet groomer | EXTREME transformation

On December 13th, my assistance was requested by my local Humane Society. I was introduced to the most neglected dog that I have ever seen in my career. This is Angel, and she’s about to experience freedom for the first time in many, many years. Now, let’s get started.

“All right, well, we’re going to start with the 30.”

“Okay, babies.”

“Yeah, I haven’t started. I didn’t do anything on the back legs at all yet. Um, has… has there been any accidental cuts with the clipper? Um, like, I mean, nothing more than what you see like right there, I think, on that front paw.”

“Okay, that’s about it. That’s… that’s totally okay. I mean, it’s… it’s probably going to happen with me, too. Um, I just wanted to know if that was already there, ’cause then I would have to think what’s underneath.”

“No, that… that was me.”

“Okay, she’s definitely sensitive on these back legs. Is she dehydrated?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“A shoot. Okay, that makes it a tad more difficult.”

Prior to my arrival, the vet technician on scene began clipping as much coat as she could. A surgical blade can be dangerous when trying to remove matting. I’m mentioning this purely for educational purposes, as the tech did the best she could with the tools that she had today. I am using a 30 blade and scissors to remove her casted legs.

“She going to have a great bath after this.”

“Yes.”

The more fur that gets removed, the smellier she gets. Angel was called in as a stray, but I noticed when working on her that she had no dirt or outdoor debris in her coat, which is very unusual. I also noticed that she was completely saturated in urine and feces, which leads me to believe that she has been laying in her own waste for a very long time. Due to the severity of her matting, she was also unable to walk and has basically no muscle in her back legs. And before you ask me why I’m not wearing gloves, it’s imperative that I can feel her skin with my hands to ensure that I don’t cut her.

“It’s hard when they’re dehydrated not to catch their skin. Is there any point of entry?”

“There is no point of entry. Okay, hold on, sweetheart. It’s like cardboard.”

Angel has a lot of medical problems and faces a long road ahead for recovery. The Niagara SPCA and Humane Society rely on donations in order to be able to help animals like Angel.

“Okay, this I think we need to cut through with scissors, unfortunately. Okay.”

“Okay. I’ve seen people do cases like this before. I just wonder how they get through it all.”

“Oh, well.”

“And I feel like it would be one thing if this would all just come off, but the fact that the foot and the pad is all embedded in this is… it’s going to be hard, way more complicated.”

December is the busiest month of the year for pet groomers, which means finding a professional to come and volunteer is nearly impossible. Within 5 minutes of calling me about Angel, I was in my car and on my way. But that’s because of all of you who watch my content. You have all bought me time, which I can use to give back to animals in need. And that is the best gift that anyone has ever given me.

“Well, we don’t know what’s underneath it, too, right?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, it’s a good girl.”

“Like, I don’t feel like she has circulation to those legs with this kind of matting.”

“There’s a good chance that she doesn’t.”

“Like, did she walk at all that you guys…”

“Not at all. Yeah, no, probably hasn’t in a very long time.”

“I hope she has use of these legs. There’s like no muscle mass.”

The reason why I went to the SPCA versus them coming to me is because this is a very tedious, time-consuming, and painful process. We were unsure how Angel was going to manage it, and due to her being emaciated and having unknown health issues, sedation needed to be a final option. In the event that she did need to be sedated, I needed the tech to administer the drugs, so it was better for me to go to them. I was also grateful to have the tech’s handling skills to keep Angel calm.

It definitely would have been easier to soak this matting in a tub first before clipping, but unfortunately, the shelter didn’t have hot water at this moment, and maintenance was quickly trying to fix the problem.

“It’s got to start to feel good taking that stuff off, though.”

“Way, sweetheart.”

“It’s got to start to feel good.”

“Wish I could just cut it right off.”

“Yeah, that’d be way easier.”

“Yeah.”

I am using my scissors to try and make points of entry and then switching over to my clipper to try and remove as much coat as I can. Using scissors on matting is dangerous, so the more I can use my clipper, the safer it will be.

The problem isn’t necessarily getting through it; it’s more so making sure the skin’s not also getting through it.

“Okay, h’m, okay, there.”

“You know, I don’t even have words for this.”

“I know, I know. And it’s so hard to tell where…”

“Yeah, you literally need one of those things they have in the emergency room to like remove a cast. One of those saws that just cut, but then don’t cut the skin or bone.”

“Well, those scissors are definitely better than the bandage scissors that I was trying to use to cut through.”

“Like, they won’t be for long.”

“Yeah, those are definitely…”

“Uh, kind of seems like this dog’s been stuck in a cage or something. It’s just like kind of saturated in urine and feces.”

“If we can’t get this off, it might be a good idea to bathe her, even like this.”

“Okay.”

“And then try to do it again after she’s been bathed, because it could loosen up the dirt, the urine, and the feces, and then make it softer, but we’ll see.”

“Progress?”

“Yeah, that’s some progress. It’s better than nothing, for sure.”

“Is this probably like one of the worst cases you guys have seen?”

“Oh, yeah, yeah. I’ve been doing this for 15 years; this is like the worst case.”

“Or, yeah, I used to be an investigator when we had those, and I’ve seen some really bad matting. But like, when this first came in, we didn’t even know which end was which, how bad it was.”

“Yeah, when we got the first picture last night, we couldn’t even figure out what was what. Like, this is insane.”

“Yeah, you’re being so good.”

“Mhm.”

“You’re being so good.”

Every single animal that I’ve gotten from the Humane Society that was in rough shape has been remarkably well-behaved, which… it’s weird. It’s weird. It’s like they know.

“They know we’re trying to help you.”

“How horrible we are, we’re trying to help you.”

“I honestly appreciate you so much coming to help.”

“Oh, yeah, no problem. I… yeah, I wouldn’t have been able to… this would have been a two-person job had this… I would have had to come back tomorrow. This would not have been… definitely a job for a professional. Even I don’t know if I’m qualified to do this, but we’ll try.”

“Well, anything we do is going to be a relief, right?”

“Probably an improvement. I just… it’s just unbelievable. Like, I don’t… I don’t understand how…”

“So, I said it would be easier if we knew where the end of the foot was, and then you could just keep going. But the fact that there’s anatomy mixed in with that mat makes it just so tricky.”

“It does.”

“Did you… sure that one toenail is on the front foot?”

“Yeah, I mean, if we can get this matting out, clipping this dog’s nails is going to be the most satisfying thing in the world.”

“Oh, yeah, yeah, that… we’ll have to clip that out for sure, but just get the… get the… oh, God, this has to be years worth.”

“Years, absolutely years.”

“I don’t understand how this… how this happens.”

“Her tail isn’t bad. This will come off easy.”

“Well, I think she’s just been sitting in urine and feces, so it’s hardened.”

“Yeah, ’cause even like her back and all of that… the ears shaved off, so that was really nice and easy. But yeah, this is just…”

“I think we might have to soak her, um, because I do think if we get some of this soaked off, it won’t be so hard, and it’ll be easier to shave.”

“Okay, so I think that might be a…”

“Okay, I’ll get them filling… fill up a tub.”

“Yeah, and some soap, too.”

“Doesn’t want to break through here.”

“Well, she… I mean, she’s moving this leg like she’s good, right? So, yeah, that’s a good sign.”

“Okay, hold on. It’s okay. Good thing I brought several pairs of…”

“Yes, oh my goodness!”

“Yay, there’s a girl! There’s a girl!”

“I don’t know what that is. I think it’s a claw all the way, like I just don’t want to cut it off.”

“Sure, you’re probably starting to feel some relief getting all of this off.”

“Well, I’m sure that she probably has the pins and needles feeling of the blood flow going back, for sure. Doesn’t feel great.”

“She’s fighting ’cause there’s a really long, long, long claw here. That is something else. Hold on. Okay, okay, yeah, your foot hurts.”

“See that?”

“Oh my God! Oh my God, that’s another one!”

“It’s the same as the front nail.”

“Oh man, totally curled!”

“Totally curled, looks like a fiddlehead.”

“Okay, well, we can clip that.”

“Okay, that’s insane. I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

“Yeah, good job, girl.”

“I’m sorry if this pulls, dog.”

“I don’t think there’s skin under here, but I certainly hope there isn’t.”

“Wow, somewhat of a paw under there, sweethearts.”

“Now, this is the more tedious part.”

“Yeah, I bet. You have knuckles and paw pads and all that under here. Nails growing every single direction.”

“Nothing around any of those bones, no meat, nothing, just your skin and bones.”

“Hopefully, I don’t quick you, but I don’t think this is going to work, but let me see. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Hold on, I have to get to that nail in there and clip it before I think I can go any further with cutting.”

“Yeah, it’s curled like this.”

“Oh my goodness, man. Make it a lot easier to clip now.”

“Man, this is literally just like chunks of poo or something.”

“Everybody’s going to comment on the video: why aren’t you wearing gloves?”

“Sure is.”

“I can’t do this wearing gloves.”

“Yeah, right, I agree.”

“Went right in my eyeball.”

“Look at you with a foot. Look at you with a foot.”

“Yeah, I think these scissors are done. Might have to move on to the next ones.”

“Okay, I… there we go.”

While grooming Angel, I went through four pairs of scissors, two blades, and a clipper. All of these items had to be dropped off for service immediately after I finished grooming her. I’m just grateful I had enough equipment to get the job done.

“Yeah, get that in.”

“I think I can get it out of the mat.”

“Was hoping I’d be able to pull it, but it must also round around.”

“Yeah, go. Oh, yes! You can have a nap.”

“Your skin, I know, right? I’m running out of scissors.”

“Progress! We’ve almost got a second foot. We’ve got one back foot. Oh my God, there!”

“Honey, you’re being too…”

“Yeah, there’s a veil there. Okay, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Oh my God, girl!”

“Yes, it’s a… it’s okay, it’s okay. I know, ’cause I don’t know what a bath feels like.”

“Oh, honey.”

“All right, just trying to soak as much of this out as I can. I bet you feel so much better already. You’re going to have to have another one of these after you’re fully shaved, though. It might feel better after that.”

“I don’t know… mammary gland tumor. I’m not surprised.”

“Well, weighed her last night. I had him weigh her. Okay, um, didn’t weigh… he did, I had him weigh her because we were… we were getting a pain management last night, so I needed to know roughly. 4.71… 4.74… 4.74, I believe, so it should be on her medical record.”

“Oh, 4.74, that’s what he told me last night.”

“Oh my God, it’s a whole another animal.”

“These scissors suck now.”

“What color you really are.”

“Yeah, before I couldn’t get through this at all ’cause it was just hard as a rock. Now it’s a little bit softer.”

“Well, it had so much dry urine on it, feces, and who the heck knows what else.”

“Better than half the dogs that know about grooming.”

“Yeah, I saw you have lots of kittens, lots of everything right now.”

“Yeah, you have another room in there. What do you have, like rabbits and…”

“We have rabbits and guinea pigs, and then our dog kennels here are pretty much full. We’re… uh, I think we have 93 dogs in our care right now between our three shelter locations.”

“Oh, this is coming off much easier now.”

“It’s gross as hell, but at least it’s coming off.”

“It’s very sticky.”

“Yeah, you’re kicking with these legs, so you definitely have mobility.”

“Mhm.”

“I actually think you smell worse now than you did before.”

“Releasing it all, it’s opening up.”

“Hopefully, none of these flick into your eye. We’re good.”

“Man, still think this one can go shorter.”

“Oh, God, she’s good. Finish this foot.”

“I think this video will bring in a lot of donations.”

“Yeah, you guys… so cute, little paws! Look at your little pawsies, they’re so cute now!”

“Nails are ridiculous. The one growing up and in there was crazy. Nails going on, it’s like little filigree things.”

“Like, if when she’s, um, feeling better…”

“Mhm.”

“…and had her whatever treatments that she needs, if you guys want to bring her in again, I can give her like a nice groom, and then we can show like her progression.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay, yeah.”

“I’m sorry, that nail is literally coming like out of your pad here, that is insane.”

“I know your teeth hurt.”

“Definitely needs that TLC. She’s going to need fluids for sure, and we’ll see what Mommy says, because her mouth is painful, and her ears are bad.”

“Well, is it both ears?”

“It’s really only this one, too, but that one’s way worse.”

“Okay, I don’t know if any of these are going to cut, but we’re going to try. There you go, there you go, get you clean.”

“Who’s meowing?”

“I know, I know.”

“Before, her leg was going underneath, and now it’s not, so I think she does have decent mobility.”

“Yeah, well, maybe Dr. Carrie can get her into… oh, look at you, a little bit wobbly, but…”

“Yeah, probably pretty weak.”

“Yeah, hi!”

After her groom, she got to rest and eat some yummy food. Surprisingly, it only took me around 2 and a half hours to remove her pelt. She did not have great mobility, and after a vet check, it was determined that she has dental disease, an ulcer in her eye, ear infections, a skin infection, and mammary gland tumors. But just a few days later, the Humane Society sent me this heartwarming video of her taking her first steps. A huge thank you goes out to the Niagara SPCA and everyone involved in helping Angel, and once again, a huge thank you goes out to all of those who watch my content and give me the ability to give back to pets in need.