Trimming Dog Nails

Every dog owner understands the importance of trimming dog nails, and how delicate this procedure is. We would all love to be able to skip over this task, because it can be a nerve-racking few minutes and if you cut the dog’s nail too low it could cause your dog a lot of pain and bleeding. But the benefits of hygeine, comfort, and safety make trimming dog nails a necessary evil.

So the question is how to cut dogs nails. Let’s go through the procedure so you can do it as comfortably as possible and hopefully without hurting your pooch.

First of all, it’s important to point out the benefits of training your dog when it’s young to get used to having its paws handled and its nails clipped. If you start doing this too late, you will have more problems with the dog pulling away and squirming. You can begin this training first by handling and stroking the young dog’s paws to get it used to giving up that little bit of control to you. Then you can get them prepared for the pressure of nail clippers by lightly pinching their nails with your fingers. Of course giving them a pat, a “Good dog!” and maybe a treat is a great way to encourage that behaviour.

After that you can begin to start trimming a couple of nails a day with dog nail clippers, gradually leading up to a time when youcan clip them all at once. Now onto the mechanics of how to cut the nails.

A dog’s nail consists of the outside solid area, and inside that is the quick, the soft tissue which holds blood vessels and nerve endings. The quick exists inside the nail, part way down from the top. When trimming dog nails you need to make sure you do not cut into the quick, otherwise your dog will bleed and be in serious pain. If your dog has light colored nails, you can probably see the quick through the nail, having a pink tone. Be aware of where that area is, and stop clipping before you cut into that area.

In dog’s with darker nails the quick will be invisible, so you need to be extra cautious not to clip too far. It is prudent to clip off very small bits at a time, and after each bit have a look at the clipped part of the nail. If you can see a dark area in the middle of the clipped part of the nail, that is the start of the quick so it is time to stop.

The best way to position the dog is to either (a) have somebody hold the dog still while you do the clipping, or (b) have the dog lie down on a raised area like a no-slip dog mat while you clip. Or both. The goal is to keep your dog still and as calm and comfortable as possible.

After trimming the dog’s nails many owners like to use a nail file or a dog dremel to flatten out the nails. This is a good idea for house dogs, or dogs that stay on the lawn. But if your dog walks around on harder surfaces a lot, then the nails will become flattened and smoothed out naturally with filing them.

How To Stop a Dog’s Nail From Bleeding

Dog owners are well aware of the necessity of trimming their dog’s nails periodically, both for the comfort and ease of the dog, but also to prevent the dog from ripping its own nails and inflicting pain upon itself (or upon humans!). But what happens if you are trimming your dogs nails and you cut too low, causing the dog’s nail to start bleeding? I want to tell you how to stop a dog’s nail from bleeding in such a case.

The best way to stop the dog’s nail from bleeding is to use styptic powder. This is a powder that accelerates blood clotting, helping the blood flow to stop and the healing process to begin. This, however, is something you must plan beforehand but having a supply of styptic powder at home.

Take the dog’s paw and insert the bleeding nail into some styptic powder. Do your best to keep the dog from licking at the nail and styptic powder. When the blood starts to clot and the bleeding slows down, then take a towel or paper towel and apply pressure to the dog’s nail. This pressure should help slow the bleeding even more until the clotting is quite solid.

If you do not have styptic powder, there are some substitutes you can use. One is corn starch. And if you have no corn starch, try flour. These are less than ideal, but they do have some effect in promoting clotting and if you have to use them they will do the trick. Follow the same procedure as when you are using styptic powder.

When a dog’s nail has been cut too low and is bleeding, the dog will likely be in a lot of pain. Be aware of this as you hold its paw and as you apply pressure. Your dog may cry out or even bite out of panic. If you have a muzzle, it will be helpful in this case. If you don’t have a muzzle, please take care not to get bitten.