Makali'i had a nasty attack of flea eczema a year ago. Her coat was tangled, dirty, and interspersed with bloody raw patches and scabs. (She would NOT let me apply flea meds; I finally managed to dose her, sneaking up on her while she was eating.) I managed to clear all that up, eventually, but it was a long process. It started with a small flea comb, over which I had more control than I did over the brush. I could comb lightly over scabs and avoid raw patches. Perhaps Barry would tolerate flea-comb detangling.