Beware of the Quicking- Cutting Your Dog's Nails
By: Peter Demmon
You have no doubt heard of someone biting their nails to the quick. The quick is basically the tender, sensitive flesh under the nail. Dogs have different kinds of nails than humans. In the case of a dog, cutting to the quick can be serious business. The quick for a dog's nail comes long before the flesh because it is part of the nail. Clipping your dog's nails regularly is good because it avoids health issues, there are plenty of nail clipping products available, and nail it is good for your relationship with your dog.
There are a several healthy reasons for the regular clipping of a dog's nails. The first being that long nails are uncomfortable for your dog. Extra long nails can actually lead to your dog limping as he tries to distribute his weight over his paws. The second is that unclipped toenails can lead to ingrown nails. When a dog's nails become ingrown, they have curved around and are growing back into your dog's paw. Usually this means right into the pad. A dog with long nails is also more apt to get their nail snagged in any number of places. Also, torn, cracked, or yanked out nails can be the consequence of unnecessarily long nails.
A dog's nail is different from a humans in the sense that it has a its quick running through part of it. This flesh, when clipped, will bleed and will cause your dog pain. The term for clipping into the quick is called, "quicking." Obviously, if the cut is too deep into the quick, a run to the vet will have to happen. However, for those smaller quickings, it is good to have some over the counter styptic powder, styptic swabs, or a styptic pencil around. The drawback is that the styptic treatment will sting. Other solutions are cornstarch, flour, a bar of soap, or just a paper towel. A small quicking won't bleed much. Whatever the case is, you want the bleeding to stop. In doing research for this article, I asked a few different dog owners about their toenail clipping methods. All of them, even the most seasoned, said that bleeding is a regular part of ail clipping.
The way that you hold your dog during the nail clipping process is as individual as your relationship with your dog. Some people like to hold their dog on their lap and others like to be in a position to hold the dog, and possibly lean on him if needed to prevent squirming. A grooming table is a possible solution for the positioning of your dog while clipping his nails.
The best way to get your dog used to having his nails cut is to start working with them early on in his life. A suggestion that I've heard time and time again is that the best time to work with a dog on his nails is directly after a bath when the nails are soft.
Dog nails are like human nails in the sense that they grow at varying speeds. Active dogs, who walk daily on pavement won't need to worry about a nail clipping session as much as dogs that spend the bulk of their time indoors. Regular nail-clipping owners say that the signal that its time for a nail-clipping is that they can hear their dog's nails clicking on the floor in the kitchen.
There is also the dew claw to worry about. The dew claw is basically the dog's thumb, which doesn't come in contact with the pavement and if present, needs to be clipped. Some dogs don't have a dew claw and some have two.
There are several different kinds of clippers available. There are scissors, pliers, and guillotine types. There is also a line of clippers that work in the guillotine fashion called, "Quickfinder" which actually senses where the quick is under the nail. Most dog-nail clippers feature a stopping point, usually a metal lip built-in so that the owner can't clip the dog's nails too deeply. The fact that clippers limit how much of a "bite" the clipper can take out of the nail is actually perfect, because it sets up the process for properly clipping a dog's nails.
A dog's nails shouldn't be clipped in hunks, but they should be clipped with little bites. The chances of a quicking are minimized with this method. If you are wary about clipping your dog's nails, you should start small. You don't have to take the nails all the way to the point before the quick. Doing this will help your dog to get used to the notion of you clipping his nails, and will also get you familiar with the process.
Of course, one of the best ways to learn how to clip a dog's nails would be to sit in on a veterinarian's session with your dog and observe closely the process closely. Ultimately, this will become a process that you can take over.
The trimming of your dog's nails is one that is serious because of a possible quicking. This is a process that can be learned easily. Lots of people trim their own dog's nails. Take your time and get to know your dog's nails. Ask a lot of questions and when you use clippers, take off small portions. Clipping your dog's nails regularly is good because it is healthy, easy to find clipping products, and good for you and your dog's relationship.
Nail Care Products for Your Dog at West Coast Pet Supply
Miracle Coat QuickFinder Safety Pet Nail Clippers
