Pet nail care is a vital part of your pet’s overall health care. Since nails continually grow and are not necessarily worn down as they would be if they were walking a lot, then it is up to you to help in keeping them at a comfortable length. Whenever nails are too long, this affects the manner a dog walks which may be a catalyst for arthritis later in life. Also longer nails could possibly get ensnared not to mention torn, or in some cases curl back into the toe pad and may trigger an infection. Trimming nails is not that traumatic if you have the suitable equipment and have trained your furry friend to let you hold the paw.
The nail does have a “quick” which contains the veins and nerves of the nail.The quick is easier to view in white nails. By trimming small amounts at any given time and trimming with the plane of the bottom part of the toe pad (horizontally rather than vertically) it is possible to keep from cutting the nail to short as to cause it to bleed.
Here are some other tips to successfully trim your pet’s nails:
1. Get started while your pet is still a puppy or kitten by gently handling their paws. Start by making a sport of it and looking at the nails, then they will allow you to trim them once they get older.
2. Choose a pet nail trimmer for the size and age of your pet.I sometimes use a human toe nail trimmer for young pet’s nails since it can get to the teeny points a tad easier plus they are sharper. As the kitten or puppy gets older, I may then change nail trimmers to the scissor action kind of trimmer as opposed to the guillotine trimmer. I find that these stay sharper longer and are also a lot easier to use. The guillotine style some times traps the nails and does not produce a clean cut. Your veterinarian will help you select a proper trimmer.
3. Any time you’re trimming your dog’s nails, by no means do it when your pet is sitting in your lap. Enlist someone to aid you and put them on the counter or lid of the washer or dryer. You may wrap them with a soft towel to help holding them a lot better. Cats can also be scruffed by grasping the loose skin behind their heads for better control. If your pet begins to resist, just try holding the paw until he relaxes. In the event you let go of the paw whenever your pet begins to protest, you are just encouraging the poor behavior and will make your next nail trim episode even worse. (Go back to number 1)
4. Be prepared. Have available styptic pencils such as silver nitrate or Kwik stop powder. Be aware that the silver nitrate on the end of the sticks can stain counter tops and your skin should you get it on you. For beginners, it is best to stick with the styptic powder.
5. If your pet has light colored nails, you are able to visualize the pink component of the quick. If your pet has darker nails, trim just a little at a time. I like to gently press on the toe and extend the nail out. I then draw an imaginary line level with the bottom of the toe pad and extend it out across the nail. I then trim the nail at this imaginary line so that the nail is now level with the floor when the dog is standing. The nail of the cat is easier to see and it is best to just trim the tips off and stay away from the pink colored quick.
6. You may use an emery board to smooth the rough edges.
7. Pedi-paws or similar rotor drill sanders are helpful to smooth sharp tips and to trim just a small amount of nail. If the nail is very long however, then it may take you quite some time to get it trimmed. You can use the drill to keep the nail shorter or for smoothing the nail after you have used the clippers. Your pet will also need to be trained not to be scared of the sound, so it is advisable to move gradually while you both learn how to manage the drill.
With a little practice and a lot of patience, you will soon be trimming your pet’s nails with confidence. If all else fails, your veterinarian or groomer are there to help.
