如何修剪狗的指甲 | How To Trim Dog Nails

Why do our pet dog’s nails grow faster than a stray dog’s nails?

You may wonder, stray dogs don’t get their nails trimmed, and yet why do their nails remain short while our own furkid’s nails grow so fast and need to be trimmed often? This is because stray dogs stay outdoors and they walk on rough surfaces daily, which means their nails are being filed naturally every day. On the other hand, our pet dogs are usually indoors and they seldom walk on any rough surfaces.

How often do we need to trim our dog’s nails?

Indoor pet dogs need their nails trimmed every 1 – 2 weeks to keep the nails at optimum length. Overgrown nails put unnecessary pressure of their body weight to the joints and can cause joint and bone issues. Self-scratching with long nails also would result in higher risks of bacterial infection through any wounds because of dirty nails.

What’s the right way to trim our dog’s nails?

Before starting the trim, please make sure not to lift your dog’s leg too high as it may accidentally twist their muscle. Try to hold your dog nearer to your body so that he feels more secured. For small breed dogs like Pomeranians and Chihuahuas, you can do the nail-trimming with their sleeping posture on your lap.

Use your index finger to clear away the hair, and use your thumb to gently press the paw pad to have a firm grip for any movements. Use the nail clipper to trim the nails at a 45° angle from top and bottom (refer to the picture below).

After trimming, file it round with a circular motion. You can use a nail grinder as it's fast and safe. You can touch it with your finger after filing to make sure it’s smooth enough.

How can I trim my dog’s black nails without causing bleeding?

There are quicks (also known as blood vessels) in our dog’s nails. Over-trimming will cause painful bleeding. The quick of transparent nails can be seen easily but when the nails are black, it’s more challenging to trim them. An easy way to estimate the trimming would be to use your nail to press the middle of the dog’s nail. If the texture feels hard, then it’s safe to trim. However, if it’s soft, that means that it’s near to the quick and you should stop trimming.

What should I do if dog’s nails are bleeding after trimming?

Sometimes you may find that there’s no over-trimming of the nails but it still bleeds afterwards. Usually this is because the nail has been trimmed near to the quick. When the dog walks with their body weight pressure, minor bleeding may happen. You can apply some styptic powder or cornstarch onto the bleeding area as a quick solution. If you don’t have any, you may temporarily wrap the paw with an ice bag or ice it with a clean cloth, hold it with gentle pressure on the wound, that will help to stop bleeding from minor cuts.

We hope that these tips help, especially for new pawparents!

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