I am a new dog owner and I have to say the thing I'm most terrified of is the prospect of clipping my dog's nails. I'm getting into such a state thinking about it never mind him! I am just so scared I'll hurt him.
He has black nails so you can't see where the quick is - is that how you spell it?
And how do you know your dog's nails actually need cutting? Do all dogs?
Any tips?
Charlotte Wilson
Hi Charlotte,
I have a confession - it freaks me out, too! Our dog groomer does our dogs for me! The vet might help, too and show you how to do it at home. While some dogs will wear down their claws if they get lots of roadwork you still have to check the dew claws (if they are still in place) as these can grow round in a circle and stick in if not trimmed back.
There's a great device I've seen advertised that grinds down the claws rather than cuts which may take some of the angst out of the procedure!
Don't forget to get your dog used to allowing you to touch his feet and reward him for letting you hold his paw while you pretend to cut - so he starts to get used to the whole thing.
And you really need one of those styptic sticks to hand to stop bleeding in case you do cut through a quick.
Good luck, I think I'd need hypnosis to be able to do it!
Cheers
Beverley Cuddy, Editor
Black claws are a real problem because, as you rightly say, you cannot see the quick (and that is how to spell it). Even six years at vet school with seeing practice, followed by nearly twenty years in small animal practice, have not given me extra powers so that I can see where the quick is. It is simply a matter of taking off a little at a time, constantly re-assessing the length of the claw and whether the centre of the cut surface looks as if it might be going pale which can be a sign of the end of the quick approaching. it usually means that black claws are left longer than white.
It is simple enough to stop any bleeding with a special stick, but no-one likes hurting a dog. I am a notorious coward when it comes to cutting black claws, and always pre-warn owners that black claws will not be cut as short as white claws.
A good clue to whether your dog’s claws need cutting is if you can hear them clattering across a hard floor surface. Some dogs simply do not need their claws cutting because they wear down naturally, although that can change with inactivity as they age. The claws should just touch the ground when the paws are fully weight-bearing. As Beverley said, don’t forget to check the dew-claws. Some dogs have hind dew-claws as well, which can be particularly dangly. It is not unusual to have dogs brought in with claws which have overgrown to such an extent that they have actually entered the pads – now they are sore!
Ask at your veterinary practice whether your vet or a vet nurse will show you how to clip your dog’s claws. Paws are very private to some dogs so if your dog really resents you cutting his claws then ask if they can be clipped at your veterinary practice, or by a dog-groomer. At my practice, the vet nurses hold their own clinics and one of the services they offer is to cut claws.
Above all, you do not want to spoil your relationship with your new companion.
Alison Logan, vet
You may be worrying unnecessarily. My Sussex spaniel, who died in January aged 12 and a half, never ever had his nails clipped because they never needed doing.
ReplyDeleteWe did walk on roads but not that much. What we did do, though, was long walks, never less than an hour and a half and usually than two, then out again in the evening for a shorter walk. We walked in woods, on the beach, on the Downs in Sussex and on Wimbledon Common. He swam in rivers, clambered over shingle, trekked along the South Downs Way or strolled along the pavements of London.
I never realised dogs needed their nails clipped until I read of it in dog magazines.
I then asked my vet, who looked at my dog's feet and said they were fine.
Someone told me that it was a question of the the position of the nails on the paw that determined whether they needed clipping or not.
For example, if the claws are a bit too high, then they won't hit the ground each time the paw does so they won't get worn down (a design fault, as my vet would say!)
My Sussex's claws were obviously kept in shape by his normal daily activities. It was a great relief as I didn't like the idea of clipping them.
Julia L
Maybe a couple of suggestions for you.......your vet will check his nails at annual checkup and do a trim if necessary.....a groomer will do it for you........or you can learn to do it bit by bit......just small trims with lots of praise and bribery!....any blood then the styptic works well (or cornflour can do)
ReplyDeleteHappy grooming
peter
With my Greyhound I just shave a tiny piece off the end with the clippers. Then I do that again next week, and the week after, there's no need to chop a lot off at once.
ReplyDeleteMy other dog I can't get near his feet, let alone his nails, and although I'd love to trim them up a bit (and possibly some sparkly nail polish) they don't seem to be getting out of control.
Lots of road walking, walking on hard, sunbaked earth (if you can find any in UK), walking on the beach, even soomething simple like playing tug can help as dogs use their nails. Fred even uses his dew claws for bracing, and after a good run they seem to collect grass and mud, so he must use them for cornering too, and he never pokes his eye out when rubbing his face.
As long as your dog is active and not left to stagnate on the sofa all the time he should be okay - if you go to dog shows there are often people there ready to clip nails for a very reasonable price. Congrats on your new dog!
Buy a PET DREMEL. They are absolutely FAB. Runs on batteries so no electric cabels. New 'heads' easy to replace. Quiet, effective and safe. Best pet tool we ever purchased. Dogs don't bat an eyelid.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine says she knows when her dogs' claws need trimming as they sound like tarts in high heels when they walk across her parquet flooring!
ReplyDeleteWhite claws are so much easier than black as you can actually see the quick, but it's a good idea with black claws to just take the very tips off, very often. Obviously get the dog used to the clippers, and you can use a twig held against the paw to cut so the dog gets used to the sight of the instrument and the noise. Lots of praise and of course a sweetie.
It sometimes helps to have an accomplice who can avert the dog's head - if they can't see it, some dogs find it easier to ignore it!
I've been training as a dog groomer since Feb this year and the whole class was terrified when we had a lesson at college about nail clipping! It is something that everyone finds scary at first!
ReplyDeleteAs said it is much better to 'nibble' at the nails and as you get more confident with it you'll learn when enough is enough. Black nails do get a silvery/white dot in the middle of the nail when getting close to the quick but this is not a guarenteed indicator. The dog will tell you if you're getting too close too, they start pulling paws away.
Again, get your vet/vet nurse or a groomer to do it if you really can't face doing it after learning to. If you do it yourself it helps to have your assistant hold the dog's leg at the joint/where the leg bends.
You may try clippers and the grinders and perfer one or the other. There are two types of clippers: 'guillotine' style where the nail is inserted into a ring type thing and when you squeeze the handles the blade slices off the nail. Or there is the scissor type. Personally I find the guillotine style very awkward to use. If you don't clip in one swift movement your hesitation can make the dog pull paws away. And again, as said some dogs just don't like having their paws touched no matter what you do!
Checklist:
*Quiet place
*Table or worktop (unless you have a big dog & please don't leave the dog up there unsupervised!)
*Towel (for the dog to stand on)
*Tissues
*Nail clippers
*Quick Stop (or cornflour/flour/talc!)
if you ever catch a quick apply pressure with the tissue for 30 seconds then tab on the quick stop and don't panic!!
Emma x