Persian grooming problem

If someone can help... our wonderful Persian, Ziggy, has developed really bad matting on his back. I went away for a week and a friend watched him and when I returned he was a bundle of knots. I tried to brush them out, but it didn't work and he was hating it..., so I tried bathing. WRONG!

He now has large mats on his back and I really don't know what to do, short of cutting them off! I am wondering if conditioner might help?? Or anything else that someone might suggest for the poor guy...

Thanks so much!!

Poor Ziggy! If I were you and I have been there with my Persian and if the mats are that close to the skin I would bring him to a groomer and have them shave them. You could try and comb them out but it may just be to painful for him.

I would steer clear of trying to cut them off or using any kind of conditioning product that could just make the problem worse.

If you work corn starch into a mat, it will sometimes help to loosen it up a bit. Some times all you can do it take them to the groomers and get it shaved off. The groomer may be able to save the coat as they have the tools to cut through the mats and save the coat. Best of luck! Here is what a shaved persian looks like.

LOL that is too cute!!