How to Identify and Address Grooming Neglect

Veterinary nurses are often the first to notice when something is “off” with a client or patient. Their regular, trusted contact with clients puts them in a unique position to catch early signs of animal neglect; however, an area that still does not always get the attention it deserves is grooming.

Grooming is often perceived as a luxury service, performed for aesthetics or convenience (e.g., Maltese with bows on their ears, poodles with a Continental cut). However, signs of grooming neglect (e.g., matting, overgrown nails, untreated skin conditions) are not just cosmetic issues. For dogs and cats of many breeds, regular grooming is essential for their health and welfare. Left unaddressed, grooming neglect can cause pain. Grooming neglect is preventable but takes vigilance and sometimes creativity to address.

Veterinary nurses can play a critical role in keeping grooming neglect from slipping through the cracks and leading to severe and painful medical conditions. At higher risk for grooming neglect are animals with long or dense coats, senior pets, or those with decreased mobility or chronic health issues; veterinary nurses are ideally suited to notice these risks and work with clients to address them.

Grooming Problems

Matted Hair

Lapses in grooming care can result in extensive hair matting and other comorbidities. Mats can pull on the skin, trap debris, hide wounds, and provide a hospitable environment for parasites. Inadequate grooming is often the only visible indicator of a dog that has not received appropriate care and may be associated with untreated medical conditions such as chronic ear and eye disease and untreated metabolic disease.

A strangulating hair mat is a tight band of matted hair that encircles an extremity, most commonly the lower limbs below the carpal or hock joint. The band of hair acts as a tourniquet, slowly constricting over time. For advanced cases, hair mats can become so tight that they strangle limbs and erode the bones underneath. As tightening progresses, pressure and compromised blood and lymphatic flow result in tissue death. One study showed that dense hair matting can cause serious injury to underlying tissues.¹ In this study, radiographs demonstrated that strangulating hair mats can also affect the underlying bones, leading to focal periostitis; bone remodeling; bone atrophy; bone lysis; and, in some cases, joint subluxation or self-amputation (FIGURE 1).

Cats may be especially subject to matting. Although most cats are adept at maintaining their coats without assistance, many breeds have fur of varying lengths and textures that require additional grooming care. Yet the consequences of grooming neglect in cats remain underresearched. Matting is especially noted in long-haired breeds or older cats and may be linked to other health issues (e.g., dental or orthopedic disorders).² In addition, cat neglect cases (e.g., hoarding) are associated with skin and hair coat problems, including excessive self-grooming and infestations with mites or lice.³

Figure 1A. Dogs with severe medical conditions resulting from grooming neglect: Thin band of matted hair encircling the lower leg.

Figure 1B. Dogs with severe medical conditions resulting from grooming neglect: Large soft tissue defect caused by pressure and impaired blood and lymphatic flow; also note the overgrown nails.

Figure 1C. Dogs with severe medical conditions resulting from grooming neglect: Bone atrophy and defect of the fifth metatarsal bone caused by pressure necrosis.

Overgrown Nails

Nails that are too long can change how an animal walks, leading to joint pain or even permanent gait changes. Nails can become embedded in the footpad, leading to significant pain and risk for infection. Animals such as small underweight dogs or elderly dogs can be especially vulnerable to more serious effects.

Cat claws grow quickly at a rate of approximately 0.08 to 0.13 mm per day, and cats vary in how they can or do wear them down.⁴ Thus, it is not surprising that overgrown nails are frequently reported in surveys of conditions exhibited by cats at veterinary visits.

Compassion for Clients

Clients may delay care for many reasons: financial strain, stress, fear of judgment, or simply not realizing or understanding what is happening beneath their pet’s fur. As the pet’s appearance deteriorates, some clients avoid veterinary visits altogether. Additionally, because most groomers require proof of vaccination, missed veterinary wellness visits may prevent access to professional grooming. Thus, a pet that was last seen with a minor grooming issue may now be on a path to something far more serious.

When grooming neglect shows up, it is very rarely the outcome that the client wanted; more often, it is because life got in the way. Macdonald et al found that clients accessing subsidized grooming services often faced multiple, overlapping barriers, such as the following⁵:

• Physical disabilities or mobility issues
• Financial hardship
• Behavioral challenges exhibited by the pet
• Lack of grooming knowledge or tools
• Transportation problems
• No groomers nearby or no groomers who will take “difficult” pets

Unless the topic of grooming is brought up by the veterinary team, clients may not know that it is appropriate to ask for help. Creating space for honest, judgment-free conversations is key. Just acknowledging that a patient looks like it is due for a brushing or nail trim can open the door to deeper discussions about the client’s ability to manage care.

By recognizing grooming neglect as a complex issue rooted in access and confidence—not intentional neglect—clinicians can respond with empathy and practical solutions that protect patient welfare and strengthen the human–animal bond.

Overcoming Barriers to Care

In the veterinary profession, access to care is talked about often, which typically refers to vaccines, spay/neuter procedures, or treatment for illness or injury; however, grooming also needs to be part of this conversation. Inadequate grooming can lead directly to significant medical conditions. If grooming deficits are not routinely noted, the prevalence of grooming neglect may go unnoticed or be difficult to demonstrate objectively. For example, the ASPCA found that grooming-associated concerns were detected during 6% of ASPCA Animal Hospital visits and 4% of appointments at ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinics.⁶

In a study of 167 New York City clients, most clients agreed that grooming was important, yet 92% had at least 1 serious barrier to grooming and 46% faced more than 3 distinct barriers.⁵ The most common barriers were financial strain, lack of transportation, and lack of suitable equipment. Confidence and skill gaps also played a role. The average confidence score for nail trimming was only 2.9 of 10 and for clipping the coats of long-haired dogs was 3.4 of 10.⁵

The ASPCA Community Engagement team helps pet owners who are experiencing challenges when they try to access pet care, services, or supplies. Members of the team observed that client confidence was lowest when it came to trimming their pet’s nails.⁵ Even the most conscientious cat guardian might, if asked, admit that they struggle to keep their cat’s claws at a healthy length. After brief, in-person demonstrations, clients were more willing to try nail trimming at home. The demonstrations were not long; a few minutes of coaching and reassurance can and do make a big difference. These findings echo what veterinary team members see in practice—tasks that require safe handling, specialized tools, and technical know-how often feel overwhelming for clients, especially when past mistakes caused pain or bleeding.

Responding to Suspected Cruelty

Although most grooming conversations are all about improving animal comfort and health, veterinary teams must also recognize that cases occasionally require the intervention of law enforcement. A recent ASPCA survey found that 83% of veterinary nurses/technicians reported encountering suspected cruelty during their careers, compared with 75% of veterinarians.⁷

Despite their frontline role, many veterinary nurses have not been provided with formal training or workplace protocols to guide their response to suspected cruelty.⁷ Only 14% reported receiving structured training, and 69% said their practices had no clear policies for handling suspected cruelty.⁷ This gap may leave veterinary team members uncertain about whether they will be supported if they report suspected cruelty. Integrating anticruelty education into training, subsidizing continuing education, and establishing clear practice guidelines can empower veterinary nurses to act confidently when concerns arise. Collaboration with forensic veterinarians and law enforcement further strengthens case management.

Groomers as Allies

For animals with critical grooming needs, groomers are a valuable part of the animal care team. They may be the first to spot signs of skin disease, parasites, or behavioral issues. In turn, veterinary teams can refer clients to groomers who match clients’ individual needs in terms of proximity, price, or skill set.

Some clinics build formal referral partnerships; others simply keep a list of trusted providers. Either way, communication helps. Veterinary teams can advise groomers about behavior plans, sedation needs, or vaccination protocols. Groomers can encourage clients who might be slipping into neglect to solicit the assistance of their veterinary team. A reciprocal exchange between the veterinary and grooming teams builds trust and improves care in both areas.

Building a relationship with experienced and professional groomers who are qualified to handle pets’ behavioral and medical needs can close the gap between routine grooming and the need for a full medical grooming procedure. Veterinary professionals and groomers can work together to create a sustainable grooming plan for clients and patients, with the goal being to maintain the patient’s welfare and prevent neglect.

Prevention in Practice

Many otherwise diligent clients struggle with routine grooming, particularly nail care. Veterinary teams can make a difference by recommending appropriate tools, offering quick coaching to the best household member, and providing resources such as this ASPCA video on cat claw trimming. Support is especially vital for cat owners because commercial groomers are often reluctant to handle cats, making at-home skills critical for preventing grooming neglect.

Grooming-related issues are not just a client problem. They are issues that the veterinary team can address through routine care, starting by making grooming part of every wellness visit. During veterinary visits, consider the following:

• Look at coat condition, skin health, and nail length.
• Ask about how grooming is going at home.
• Observe how the patient responds to being touched and handled.

This kind of information is useful not just for current care but also as a baseline for tracking changes. Documentation is also valuable if the situation ever escalates to the point where the animal’s welfare is compromised.

In the veterinary clinic, consider performing grooming activities in the examination room with the client, turning it into a teachable moment. Demonstrate low-stress handling, explain what tools are needed, and follow up by suggesting video resources. Take-home or online information may help other members of the household shoulder some of the responsibility for grooming, either on their own or together. Treating pet grooming as a shared activity may help develop rapport with clients and improve their receptiveness to other recommendations. At the end of the appointment, document all teaching actions and recommendations in the patient’s medical record.

Another opportunity for preventing grooming neglect is new pet selection and new pet visits. Veterinary nurses routinely talk to clients about how some dogs need extensive exercise and/or cognitive enrichment. For clients considering pets vulnerable to grooming neglect, such as those with long hair coats, making a responsible selection is important to the conversation. During early discussions about feeding and behavior, talk about grooming too, covering topics such as the following:

• Does the patient’s breed need daily brushing?
• Will the patient need professional grooming every few weeks?
• Does the client feel up to meeting those needs and are they prepared to include grooming in their puppy socialization plan?

When Things Start to Slip

When grooming neglect reaches the point of painful mats or overgrown nails, it is easy to wonder how clients could “let it get that bad.” Serious grooming needs rarely stem from indifference; instead, they reflect overlapping obstacles faced by many owners.⁶

Not every client will admit if they are struggling; thus, it is helpful for veterinary team members to watch for subtle red flags such as missed appointments, patients whose condition deteriorates between visits, or clients who seem to not really notice or be appropriately concerned about these changes or have a realistic plan to address them. These red flags could signal a bigger problem. Veterinary nurses can be the ones to broach the topic, suggest resources, provide information and instructions, and/or recommend changes. If the client is overwhelmed, even something simple such as helping them find a mobile groomer or using a waterless shampoo might be enough to get them back on track.

If pet grooming needs cannot be met because of a client’s physical or financial limitations, it is worth reaching out to local animal shelters to see if they have any programs available that may be able to assist. When all possibilities have been exhausted and grooming needs can still not be met, it may be necessary to consider rehoming the patient to maintain its physical health. This is a difficult conversation to have, but when handled with compassion, it may help prevent more serious consequences for the patient and client.

Bringing It All Together: What Veterinary Nurses Can Do

Veterinary nurses can lead the way in preventing grooming neglect. Here are some action steps to take.

• Make grooming part of the examination checklist. During wellness visits, always check nails, coat condition, and skin.
• Ask a grooming question. A simple, “How’s brushing or nail trimming going at home?” can open the door for helpful conversations.
• Teach while you treat. If you are trimming nails, brushing mats, or cleaning ears, show the client what you’re doing and how.
• Share resources. Handouts, videos, and recommendations for specific tools or groomers can go a long way.
• Be supportive, not judgmental. Assume that most clients want to do their best but may need help.
• Document. Take notes (including the resources and training provided) and photos, which can be valuable for follow-up or, in rare cases, legal action.
• Know local options. Create a list of affordable groomers, mobile services, or nonprofit organizations that accept referrals.
• Discuss grooming early. During adoption counseling or first visits, make grooming expectations part of the planning.
• Follow up. Note changes in grooming-related issues and take opportunities to reinforce or extend grooming advice. You may need to revisit the topic several times to help the client grow confident and find the right solution for their cat or dog.

Summary

Grooming neglect does not always look dramatic, but it can be a warning sign that an animal and/or a client needs assistance. Veterinary nurses have the skills and the relationships to catch grooming neglect early and turn things around for the patient. By reframing grooming as a patient welfare issue, not just an aesthetic one, the veterinary team can help more patients stay comfortable, healthy, and cared for, in a way that meets clients’ needs with empathy, practical tools, and support.