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Cut
the toenail to within approximately 2 millimeters of the quick. If
you cut into the quick, the toenail will bleed and the dog will
experience pain.
There are several styles of nail
trimmers, including a guillotine type and a scissors type. The
guillotine type is the easiest to use on dogs. The scissors-type is
used to trim a toenail that is so long that it is curling in a circle.
Long toenails can grow into the toe-pad. The scissors-type cutter is
placed at a right angle to the toenail.
You should remember that untrimmed nails
can cause a variety of problems including broken nails, which are
painful and can bleed profusely.
Within the center of each toenail is the
blood and nerve supply for the nail called the quick. In clear white
nails you can see the quick, a pinkish area in the middle of the nail.
Unfortunately, the common black nails do not allow an easy view. Cutting
into the quick will result in pain and bleeding. You cannot see the
quick on dark colored nails, making them more difficult to trim without
cutting into the quick. Cut dark colored nails in several small cuts to
reduce the chance of cutting into the quick.
The basic rule of thumb is that the nail, which curls downward, should
be even with the paw pad. Whatever hangs over must be clipped.
When you hear
the telltale "click-click-click" as your dog walks across the
tile floor, you know it’s that time again – time to trim the
toenails.
Cut the nail below the quick on a
45-degree angle. the more diligent you are about trimming, the more the
quick will regress into the nail, allowing you to cut shorter each time.
Trim nails so that when the animal steps down, nails do not touch the
floor.
Although you will take great care not to
hurt your pet, sometimes accidents happen and you will cut into the
quick. Have silver nitrate products on hand – you can get them at your
veterinarian’s office or pet store. You can also use flour or
cornstarch to stop the bleeding. If that doesn’t work, apply a light
bandage for about 15 minutes. If the bleeding continues, call your
veterinarian.
Nails that are too long can get caught in
a variety of things (carpeting, crates, long grass, etc.) and be ripped
out of the nail bed. This
causes lameness, not to mention a great deal of pain for your dogs.
Dog toenails grow as do human fingernails
and toenails. The nails should be kept in good trim to avoid scratching
when the dog paws at a bare human leg and to keep the dog's structure as
sound as possible. Long nails can cause the dog to rock back on his
paws, causing strain on his leg assemblies and interfering with his
gait.
Dog nails have a blood supply or quick
but the end of the nails are dead tissue and can be clipped without
pain. The trick is to trim as close to the quick as possible without
actually cutting it and causing it to bleed. The quick appears as a dark
line in white nails but is almost impossible to see in dark nails. The
best way to begin trimming is to clip only the sharp, curved portion of
the nail and then work back a bit towards the paw. Clip only a small bit
at a time to avoid trouble.
On dark colored nails, the quick usually
ends where the nail starts a downward curve and becomes more slender. On
light colored nails, the quick will appear pink, while the free edge
(part to remove) is white or yellow.
Nail trimmer
types:
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Guillotine trimmers are for small dogs
and some cats only. They don't have the strength or stamina to hold
up under long term use on large breed dogs.
-
Scissor/snip type trimmers are what we
use here. They cost about $13, are tempered and VERY sharp. They
will last a very long time, and can be resharpened. They are
recommended for large breed dogs due to their cutting strength and
ease of use.
-
Nail grinders (Dremel, Craftsman
grinders) are great if you can find one with variable speed settings
(use low speed only). Use the sandpaper drums, not the stone ones.
When using these, the noise may bother some dogs. Also, be careful
not to heat up the nail bed by grinding too long on one nail. You
can burn the dog and cause considerable pain. A big advantage to
grinders is their ability to take off and shape the nail precisely.
Very little shredding should be seen if used properly.
Other important stuff to
know:
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Styptic powder/ kwik-dry/ kwik-sorb/
cornstarch all do the same thing. They stop the nail bed from
bleeding if you accidentally cut too deeply. Use your fingertip to
gather up a wad of the powder and press it against the bloody end of
the nail. Use moderate pressure, and it will help the powder work to
staunch the flow of blood. Your dog isn't bleeding to death from a
little nick on the nail bed. I know it looks like a lot of blood,
but it really isn't
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Those dew claws can grow back into the
pad if they curl around far enough. If you find a nail has entered
the pad, take the dog to the vet to have it cut and the pad treated
for infection. This is very important.
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Early summer months cause our hair and
nails (like a dog's claws) to grow faster than normal. Keep an eye
on your dog's nails weekly to ensure that the nails are a decent
length.
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Dogs that have a hard surface to
exercise on occasionally will wear their nails down naturally, and
you may not need to trim any but the dew claws.
-
Over time, you will get more
comfortable and know your dog's nails. You'll get quicker at
trimming them, and as your confidence improves, a nail trim should
take less than a minute on all 4 paws.
You should examine your dog's feet every
few weeks to make sure there aren't any abnormalities.
Your dog's nails should be trimmed every
two to four weeks.
Clipping dog toenails isn't like clipping
human toenails. Only the tips of dog toenails are actually dead. The
rest of the nail is filled with nerve endings and blood vessels, and
they can bleed if they're improperly cut. Keep Kwick Stop available just
in case to help stop the bleeding.
There is something you can do to reduce
to length of your dog's nails without having to trim they regularly.
Lucky dogs who live in a city rarely have nail length problems because
they constantly walk on concrete. By taking your dog for a walk along a
paved road or sidewalk, you can contain your dog's nail growth, without
ever having to jeopardize it's health. (Note that your pet's dewclaw
will still need to be trimmed, even if you live in a city. More on this
'extra' nail in a moment.)
If you don't have the luxury of paved
surfaces to walk your dog on, it's important to keep an eye on your
dog's nails so they don't grow out of control. Aside from scratching
you, other people, or your furniture, dogs with long nails can do damage
to themselves as well.
All dogs have something called a dewclaw
on the inside of their legs. If left untreated for a long period of
time, it can grow into a hook. This hook can then get stuck in a collar
or other objects, causing your dog to panic and do even further damage.
Some pet owners choose to have the dewclaws removed because of the
potential hazards, but this operation requires general anesthesia and is
usually done on very young puppies.
As you can tell nail care is yet another
important aspect of proper dog maintenance! See below for many helpful
products.
Trimming
your dog's nails
Check every 2 weeks or when you hear a clicking sound when walking
A dog's nails grow over time like a
human's and usually require routine maintenance. Some lucky dogs
never need a trim. Their nails are relatively soft and/or they
wear them down through daily use usually by walking on hard surfaces.
A dog's nails should barely touch the
ground. If the nails are too long, they can cause the feet to
splay (spread out) creating discomfort and possible deformation of the
foot. Severely overgrown nails can actually curl under the foot
and pierce the pads at the bottom of the feet. Long nails are
prone to breakage usually at the base. Broken nails can be very
painful. They can become infected and require a trip to the vet.
Types of trimmers
There are two basic types of clippers: guillotine and scissors.
With the guillotine type you place each toenail into a rounded slot,
squeeze the handles together and a blade comes up and cuts the tip of
the nail off. The scissors type has short, squared or rounded
blunt blades with a round opening specifically for cutting nails.
Dog nails are round and tough so human nail clippers will not work well
if at all. The guillotine type of clipper is a bit more difficult
to use but has more leverage for tough nails. This type of clipper
has to be kept very sharp otherwise it will simply crush the nail
without cutting it. For small dogs, the scissors type is probably
easiest to handle.
The nails
Most dogs have 5 toenails (or claws) on each foot. The fifth
nail or dewclaw does not touch the ground. It can be removed soon
after birth since it does not appear to have a function and can become a
nuisance. Since the dewclaw does not touch the ground, it
does not get worn and needs to be clipped. In addition, it
can snag on hosiery, bushes, etc. and be torn off resulting in a bloody
and painful mess. Some breed standards require dewclaws to remain
intact so check with your veterinarian or breeder if you are planning to
show your dog. If your dog has all his nails, all of them
need to be maintained. Dewclaws can be surgically removed on an
older dog but the operation requires general anesthesia and can be quite
painful and expensive.
 The
epidermis and the quick
The nail consists of an epidermis, or outer layer which is what we see.
It can range in color from an opaque black to essentially transparent.
Some dogs have nails of different colors.
Within the epidermis is the dermis or
quick which is shown here in pink. The quick has blood vessels and
nerve endings. When cutting nails, it is essential to avoid
cutting into the quick. Even though it can make your dog
uncomfortable, cutting just the tip of the epidermis does not cause any
pain. However, cutting into the quick will cause the nail to bleed
and your dog will likely squeal in pain and run away. If that
happens, apply a styptic pencil or powder to the end of the nail to stop
the blood. Alternatively, apply gentle pressure for a few minutes
with a clean tissue or towel until the bleeding stops. If the
bleeding is severe, you will need to bandage it and/or see your vet.
Styptic powders are widely available at pet stores.
When the nails are black, it is
impossible to see the quick. In these cases, cut small amounts off
the tips of the nails every few days. Stop if there is any
bleeding from the cut and start trimming again the following week.
Alternatively, you can file off the tips with a rough nail file or even
rough sand paper.
Nails can become softer after a bath or
swim so you may want to keep your clippers handy. As the nails
become shorter, the quick will gradually recede allowing you to cut the
nails even shorter until they are the proper length. The reverse
is also true. If the nails are allowed to grow long, the quick
will also be long.
Starting as a puppy
It's easiest to start trimming your dog's nails when he is a puppy.
Play with his feet, pick them up and examine them, trim the hair with
blunt scissors and trim a nail or two every few days. Trim nails
when your puppy is sleepy which is usually after play or a meal.
He may just learn to sleep through it!
If you didn't start when he was
a puppy
You can get your dog used to trimming by desensitizing him to the
process. Get him used to having his paws handled by playing with
them frequently. Pull gently on the nails, spread the toes apart,
gently squeeze the pads, etc. You can feed him bits of kibble or
cheese while you do this so he associates it with his favorite treats.
When you go to trim his nails, it's best
not to make it big production. Otherwise, you may have to
drag him out from underneath the bed. Place the trimmer in
your pocket and slide it out quietly. Pick a time when he's sleepy
and calm like after a meal. It can be easier to do a nail or two a
day than all of them at one sitting.
Distractions
Place peanut butter, butter, jam or equally yummy substance on your
dog's body away from his feet. While he's licking it
off, you can trim a nail or two.
Give your dog a rawhide chew or rubber bone stuffed with banana to keep
him occupied while
you trim.
Have someone rub his tummy or scratch his chest. If you're
flexible, you can do that with a foot.
Finding a professional
If you absolutely cannot trim your dog's nails, you're in good company.
Many dogs will treat nail trimming as a life and death matter and become
impossible to control. Find a good professional groomer who
will do it for you. Not only will he trim the nails, he'll tidy up
excess hair around the paws leaving a compact, neat-looking and easy to
care for foot.
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