Veterinarian: how to cut the claws of a dog?

How to properly care for the claws of a dog, says the veterinarian-therapist of the clinic “Biocontrol» at the Federal State Budgetary Institution «National Medical Research Center of Oncology named after N.N. N.N. Blokhin” of the Ministry of Health of Russia Anastasia Novosyolova.

Does the owner need to trim the dog’s nails? Or is it an optional procedure? And if it is mandatory, how often should it be done?

If we are talking about a large animal that makes daily active walks, then there is no need to trim the claws. They will grind on their own. But with small animals it is more difficult, as they walk less and spend more time on their hands.

It is impossible to say unequivocally how often it is necessary to cut the claws of a pet – it all depends on the rate of growth of the nail plate. It is advisable to conduct a visual inspection of the claws once a month or one and a half. And, based on its results, decide whether to cut or not.

Why is nail clipping necessary?

The main problem with regrown claws is the possibility of injury. For example, a dog can catch on something with a claw and tear off the nail plate. Often this happens in winter on snow, which is covered with a hard crust. In addition, an overgrown claw can grow into a vessel, and then it turns out that it is impossible to cut it without injuring the animal.

How to carry out this procedure correctly?

Today, there are a lot of special devices for cutting claws. The only thing is that it is better not to use “guillotine” nail cutters, because they not only crumble the claw, but are also very inconvenient to use. For small dogs, nail clippers work well. The basic rule is to cut the claw at an angle of 45 degrees without touching the inner vascular layer. If the animal is of a light color, then its claws are also light, and the vessels in them are clearly visible in the light. If the claws are black, then the procedure becomes more complicated, since the owner cannot visually assess the location of the vessels. Only experience will help here. The main rule is not to rush and follow the reaction of the animal. If the dog is uncomfortable, it is best to stop. The main landmark for dogs with black claws is a slight sharpening of the nail plate, it can always be removed painlessly.

What should the owner do if, when cutting the claws, they still touched the vascular layer?

First, you need to stop the bleeding. Dry potassium permanganate is best suited for these purposes: apply it on a cotton swab and attach it to the wound. You can also use liquid potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide. Or you can just clamp the claw with a cloth, and after a while the blood will stop.

26 2019 June

Updated: July 10, 2019