Pet nail care is an important part of your pet’s overall health care. Because nails continually grow and are not always worn down as they could if they have been walking a lot, subsequently it is up to you to help keep them at a comfortable length. If nails are too long, it impacts the way a dog walks which can result in joint inflammation later in life. Additionally longer nails could get snagged and ripped, or sometimes curl back into the toe pad and may also lead to an infection. Trimming nails is not that traumatic if you have the suitable equipment and also have properly trained your dog to allow you to hold the paw.
The nail has a “quick” which houses the veins and nerves of the nail.The quick is easier to find in white nails. By trimming small amounts at a time and trimming with the plane of the bottom of the toe pad (horizontally rather than vertically) you’ll be able to avert clipping the nail to short as to make it bleed.
Here are some other tips to effectively cut your pet’s nails:
1. Begin when your pet is still a puppy or kitten by carefully holding their paws. Start by making a game of it and examining the nails, chances are they will allow you to trim them once they grow up.
2. Pick a pet nail trimmer for the size and age of your pet.I frequently use the human toe nail trimmer for young pet’s nails because it can easily get to the tiny tips a tad easier and they are generally sharper. When the kitten or puppy gets older, I can then swap nail trimmers to the scissor action kind of trimmer rather then the guillotine trimmer. I find that these stay sharper for a longer time and are easier to use. The guillotine type some times traps the nails and does not get a clean cut. Your veterinarian will help you purchase a appropriate trimmer.
3. When you are trimming your dog’s nails, by no means undertake it while your pet is sitting in your lap. Have someone assist you and set them on the countertop or lid of the washer or dryer. You may wrap them with a towel to assist holding them even better. Cats can also be scruffed by grasping the loose skin behind their heads for better control. If your pet starts to resist, just try holding the paw until he relaxes. In the event you release the paw whenever your pet starts to protest, you’re just re-enforcing the poor behaviour and will make the next nail trim event even worse. (Go back to number 1)
4. Be well prepared. Have on hand styptic pencils like silver nitrate or Kwik stop powder. Be aware that the silver nitrate on the end of the sticks can stain counters and your skin in case 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 can see the pink part of the quick. If your pet has darker nails, trim only 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 can use an emery board to smooth the sharp edges.
7. Pedi-paws or similar rotor drill sanders are useful to smooth rough ends and to trim just a tiny bit of nail. If the nail is very long in any way, then it may take you a long time to get it trimmed. You can use the drill to maintain 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 terrified of the sound, so it’s always best to go slowly and gradually as you each learn how to control the drill.
After a little practice and a lot of patience, you could soon be trimming your pet’s nails with confidence. If all else fails, your veterinarian or groomer are here to help.
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