Caring for your pet’s nails is more than just a matter of aesthetics, it’s essential to your pet’s health, comfort, and mobility. Nails that are too long can cause pain, finger deformity, fractures, and even wound infections. On top of that, Proper nail maintenance can help prevent accidents at home. While taking a walk, etc.
But for many parents, trimming a dog or cat’s nails is a stressful time, filled with questions like how to do it correctly, how to avoid bleeding, and how to handle a nervous animal. It’s easy to get lost, especially between myths and conflicting advice. For animals with black nails or poor motor skills.
To shed light on this practice and provide recommendations based on clinical experience, veterinarian and YouTube channel founder Laura González says: family veterinarianexplains everything you need to know about how to cut your nails safely and ethically.
Why is it important to cut your nails?
Gonzalez said that when the claws exceed the level of the paw pad, the animal is unable to support the foot properly. Can cause finger pain, sprains, and even deformity. In more severe cases, the nails may break or bend until they dig into the flesh, causing wounds and infections.
This is the so-called spura nail that does not touch the ground. “They tend to grow in a spiral pattern and can pierce the animal’s skin if not clipped,” warns veterinarians.
But how do you know when to trim your dog or cat’s nails? According to Gonzalez: There are two clear signs that it’s time to cut back.. The first is hearing. If the animal is walking on hard ground and you hear the sound of the claws hitting or scraping, it’s time to cut them. The second sign is visual. If the nail sticks out when you hold a pencil or ruler against the edge of the pad, it means the nail is too long.
The cause is that it has reached beyond the stratum corneum to the living part of the nail.
However, one of the most common concerns is accidental bleeding. In that sense, veterinarians send a message of comfort. “Absolutely nothing has happened. It’s more scandalous than serious,” he says. ”The cause is that it has reached beyond the stratum corneum to the living part of the nail.Contains blood vessels and nerves. ”
In such cases, it is recommended to apply pressure with gauze or cotton for several minutes. if available hemostatic powder Either silver nitratecan also be used to quickly stop bleeding.
black nail tips
Dark-colored nails are a challenge because it’s difficult to tell where the raw part ends. Veterinarian will advise you to solve it Shine your nails with a powerful flashlightpreferably put down your cell phone stuff. “Under light, you can usually see how far the blood vessels reach,” he explains.
“If you still can’t see it, you can calculate the length based on an imaginary straight line from the paw pad to the tip of the nail,” the expert added. “For those who don’t have the courage to use scissors, electronic file “It’s designed for animals where the risk of bleeding can be avoided, and once the animal gets used to it, it could be a comfortable and safe alternative.”
Veterinarians emphasize the need to: Get used to animals as a puppy Manipulate legs and equipment (whenever possible). “You have to do it little by little, with rewards and positive reinforcement,” he explains. “If the animal is scared, it’s best to stop and continue another day.”
Factors that promote nail growth
Some diseases, e.g. leishmaniasiswhich can cause abnormal, brittle nail growth known as . onychomycosis. It also occurs in animals that have mobility issues or are sedentary because they are less likely to brush their nails naturally.
However, Gonzalez has condemned what he considers to be genuine torture. Nail nail removal Or declawing surgery, which is a surgical procedure that involves cutting the cat’s third phalanx and removing the nail. “It’s like the last phalanx of each finger and toe has been amputated,” he explains.
It is already banned in Spain, but veterinarians are calling for empathy and education, keeping in mind that “not everyone knows what it actually means”.
About The Author
