It’s truly remarkable the difference a haircut can make, especially for a dog. Many stray and neglected dogs go ungroomed, causing them distress as their fur becomes tangled and matted.

That was the case recently, when a rescue took in a severely matted dog and said it was “one of the worst cases” they’ve ever seen.

But after a makeover, this dog looks completely different — read on to see the stunning transformation.

AARF – Animal Angels Rescue Foundation, a nonprofit rescue organization, recently responded to a call about a severely matted dog found in the Las Vegas area.

Photos show the dog in terrible shape, with thick, heavy matted fur all over his body. AARF called it “one of the worst cases we’ve seen.” It was so bad that vets couldn’t tell if the dog had two eyes, and they couldn’t even determine the dog’s sex at first — they gave him a neutral name, “Blythe.” (They later determined that he is a male.)

It was clear the dog had been struggling to survive on his own, and it was taking a serious toll on his health.

“He was severely dehydrated and from eating stones and rocks and dirt he ground down his teeth so he has a lot of exposed nerves and roots,” AARF member Reegan Tabor told KLAS. “He’s very itchy and he has sores all over him.”

Blythe was taken in by AARF’s vet. He was medically shaved, given a bath and his nails were trimmed. He was also placed on fluids due to his dehydration. Blythe was placed on stray hold just in case an owner came to claim him, though they said there would have to be a “very good reason” for his condition.

With this much-needed love and care, Blythe began to relax and his sweet personality shined through: they described him as a “very sweet boy.”

“We are so very proud of him and how he is adjusting after all he’s been through,” AARF wrote on Facebook. “The resilience of a dog!”

In an update, AARF shared photos of Blythe after his matted fur was shaved off — and the transformation was unbelievable. He looks like a completely different dog, and he looks so happy to finally have that thick fur off of him:

Vets initially believed Blythe to be a shih tzu, but after the makeover it seems he is more likely some kind of poodle/terrier/bull mix.

AARF wrote that the fur was so thick that Blythe’s skin was burned and infected from trapped urine: “He was miserable,” they wrote. But now, he’s thriving and recovering in a foster home.

“He was a little scared and confused leaving the vet today but once he went into his fosters home and met the other dogs and kids, that smile on his face is permanent. He is one very happy kid!”

They wrote that he will be placed up for adoption when he’s “ready for that next step.” With his traumatic past now in the rearview mirror, the future is looking bright for this resilient little dog.

“If he can make it through what he’s been through for who knows how long, this is going to be nothing for him,” Tabor told KLAS.

What an incredible transformation. We’re so glad Blythe is free of all that thick matted fur and is now living his best life ❤️

Please share this heartwarming story!