How to Cut Overgrown Canine Claws
A dog's nails, just like a human's, continue to grow throughout its life and, if left to become overgrown, can curl down and burrow into the paw pads. When that happens, your dog risks serious infection in its feet, and possible skeletal damage from walking irregularly on the back of its pasterns -- those joints similar to your ankles and wrists. Learning how to clip your pet's nails on a regular basis -- and what to do if they become too long -- can protect your pet from possible pain and injury while saving you money on vet and grooming care.
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Things You'll Need
- Canine nail clippers
- Wet cotton swab
- Styptic clotting powder
- Antibiotic ointment
Instructions
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Hold your dog in your lap so that you're able to reach over its back and grasp one of its front paws in your non-dominant hand. Have an assistant hold the animal for you if your dog resists this type of restraint.
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Separate your dog's toes and gently hold one in your fingers where you can see the beginning of the nail and where it turns under.
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Look at the side of the nail and note where the "quick" -- the vascular part of the nail that contains all the nerves and blood vessels -- ends. In white nails, the quick looks pink in color. In black nails, find the slight indentation in the curve of the nail denoting where the quick stops.
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Pull the overgrown nail gently away from the toe pad if the nail has grown into the skin.
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Position your nail clippers immediately in front of the quick at a 45-degree angle and cut down. Use a wet cotton swab dipped in styptic on the tip of the nail if you accidentally cut into the quick to stop the bleeding.
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Place a small amount of antibiotic ointment on the pad with the ingrown nail.
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Follow this procedure on all toes, including the dewclaws, and all four feet.
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Tips & Warnings
Clip your dog's nails every two to three weeks to eliminate the problem of overgrowth. Taking off a little bit of the nail regularly at home accustoms your pet to having its toes and feet handled and will save you money on vet and grooming bills.
If your dog is resistant to getting all its nails trimmed at one time, clip the longest overgrown nail and come back later to trim another. Cutting the nails one a time over a period of a few hours or even several days allows your dog to adjust to the procedure without learning to be fearful.
Seek veterinary care if your dog is showing signs of infection in the overgrown nails and toe pads or if the nails have grown in particularly deep. Symptoms include inflammation in the foot, limping, excessive bleeding and/or green, smelly exudate. Your vet may need to sedate your dog before cutting the nails and will likely prescribe antibiotic treatment.
Muzzle your dog if it attempts to bite or become aggressive as you handle its feet and clip the nails. If putting on a muzzle isn't an option for you, or if you're scared or uncomfortable about nail trimming, make an appointment with your vet or groomer to get the job done, recommends the American Animal Hospital Association.
References
Resources
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