How to Care for a Cat's or Dog's Paws
Keep your pet's paws in good shape by inspecting them on a regular basis.
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Things You'll Need
- Dog Beds
- Dog Bones
- Dog Brushes
- Dog Collars
- Dog Dishes
- Dog Food
- Dog Shampoo
- Nail Clippers For Dogs
- Styptic Powders
- Antibacterial Soaps
- Eyebrow Tweezers
Instructions
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Trim nails as needed (see related eHows).
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Check regularly between toes for foxtails, stickers and other foreign bodies. They can sometimes be deeply embedded between toes.
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Pull out any irritants you can locate, using tweezers.
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Check for cuts on paw pads. If cuts are small, wash them gently with antibacterial soap. If they are large or bleeding excessively, contact your veterinarian for care.
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Tips & Warnings
Running on pavement can wear out your dog's pads'check them regularly if you run with your dog. Also, avoid running with your dog on hot pavement, since it can burn his pads.
Take your pet to the veterinarian to be checked and treated if he's limping and excessively licking a paw.
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Comments
View all 11 Comments-
Jun 30, 2006
The best nail trimmers (for both dogs and cats) are the kind with a built-in guard (available at your local pet store). This guard creates a "stop" so that when you trim the nails you trim about 1/8 of an inch and that's it. It's much faster than using a flashlight and/or regular trimmers, because you don't have to eyeball the amount you are trimming. You will never over-trim the nails if you use this only once per week. Your pet will thank you for being responsible and sensible. -
Jun 30, 2006
The best nail trimmers (for both dogs and cats) are the kind with a built-in guard (available at your local pet store). This guard creates a "stop" so that when you trim the nails you trim about 1/8 of an inch and that's it. It's much faster than using a flashlight and/or regular trimmers, because you don't have to eyeball the amount you are trimming. You will never over-trim the nails if you use this only once per week. Your pet will thank you for being responsible and sensible.
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Mar 21, 2006
The Dremmel hand sander is the best instrument I have found for filing down dogs nails! Much safer, as you do not have the mistake of cutting too far down as with clippers; you just file and stop, file and stop, until you reach the desired lengths. I do my dog's every weekend, and she's very relaxed about it. Easier to do the dews claws, too!
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Mar 21, 2006
The Dremmel hand sander is the best instrument I have found for filing down dogs nails! Much safer, as you do not have the mistake of cutting too far down as with clippers; you just file and stop, file and stop, until you reach the desired lengths. I do my dog's every weekend, and she's very relaxed about it. Easier to do the dews claws, too!
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Feb 16, 2006
Place a flashlight (the more powerful, the better) behind your dog's nail before cutting so that you can tell where the quick ends inside the nail. It definitely helps me cut with confidence. It works best on dogs with lightly colored nails.
