Extreme Makeover, Pup Edition: Maltese finds new home after Valley nonprofit cleans him up

PHOENIX — One Valley dog in desperate need of a makeover lost a whole pound once groomers freed him from his massive, matted, malodorous, poop-encrusted coat.

Reggie, a 6-year-old Maltese, weighed 13 pounds when his previous owner surrendered him to the Arizona Humane Society in December. Dense tangles and knots had formed within his coat, giving him a thick layer of filthy fur.

“He was very stinky,” AHS Groomer Amitie Davis said. “It was just one big, whole mat covering his entire body.”

Why matting in dogs should be fixed as soon as possible

Animal technicians with AHS knew they had to act quickly to help Reggie.

“When an animal has that bad of matting, it can cause a lot of bruising due to the mats pulling on the skin,” Davis said. “It can cause dry skin [and] rashes. It can cause a lot of irritation, and it can be really, really painful.”

In addition to pain, matted fur can also cause skin infection and bacteria growth. Overgrown fur can even cut off circulation and cause tissue necrosis, according to 24 Hour Dog Daycare.

“When Reggie first came in, he was just covered in mats. It was basically one entire mat. Terribly dirty,” Davis said. “It was covered in feces and urine.”

Regular brushing and grooming is required to prevent a dog’s fur from matting as badly as Reggie’s did.

“My scissors couldn’t even cut through the matting. They were bending,” Davis said.

It took sedation, a lot of time and several hands on deck to free Reggie from the thick, heavy, excrement-stained mess his fur had become.

Once the massive pelt was safely removed from his body, Reggie the Maltese was lighter and cleaner — especially after he got a bubble bath.

“It’s just crazy to see how small the animals can be under all that matting,” Davis said.

Maltese freed from stinky, matted fur finds new home

Once Reggie could move around freely without his own body weighing him down, he underwent a neuter surgery and received treatment for minor wounds his matted fur had caused.

He has since left AHS to go to his forever home.

Although his story has a happy ending, its beginning reflects experiences that many other adoptable dogs endure.

“When you see them on the adoption floor, they look amazing, but they definitely had a rough start to their journey,” Davis said.

In fact, the treatment he received reflects a lot of the diverse work that’s done at AHS.

“We do a lot: we have field, we have grooming. There’s a very wide scope that a lot of the public doesn’t see and I think it’s really important,” Davis said.

Animal lovers who want to help dogs like Reggie can find other adoptable pets on the AHS website.

People who are interested in fostering animals can apply online.

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