Tips on Safely Trimming Dog Nails
So, you have the dog clippers ready and your dog is “ready” for trimming. First of all, let’s go into some background on the structure of your dog’s nails. Learning about the structure of the nail can be a great help in avoiding injury to your companion.
Every dog’s toenail has a blood supply called a quick. If cut, the nail will bleed quite a bit, so avoiding this is a good idea. If your pet’s nails are white in color, you should be able to see the quick underneath. If not, be sure to take a small bit of nail off at a time with your dog nail clippers. To identify when you have almost reached the quick, you will see that the nails will get less “chalky” and start to form a solid nail color. This is when you should stop trimming.
You’ll know when it’s time to trim nails when they start to reach the ground when your dog is standing. If the nails touch the ground, they can impair proper walking and gait, which can be uncomfortable for your pet. Even worse is if their nails grow so long that they form a loop shape. If this happens, take your pet to the veterinarian immediately, as the nail could grow into your dog’s foot pads, causing serious damage.
If you accidentally nick the quick during trimming and blood comes out, there are a few ways to stop the bleeding quickly. The best way to do this is to use a styptic pencil or powder on the area. This controls the bleeding quickly and easily. If you don’t have these products you can always use some flour or cornstarch. Take your dog’s nail and push it into the powder. The powder will enter the blood cavity and plug up the bleeding.
Your dog should proceed to rest for a while after the bleeding, as the opening could continue bleeding if the area is disturbed from walking, running, etc. With time and practice, you should be able to cut your dog’s nails without any trouble. Over time, your pet will come to realize that this activity is safe for them, and hopefully become more cooperative. Daily activity and exercise can help your pet’s nails to stay worn down and healthy and reduce the frequency of nail trimmings. Keep a close eye on the dew claws, however, as these nails will not wear down with activity.
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