160 Bear Christiana Rd
Bear, De 19701
302-322-6488
Dr. Jim Berg
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Dog Questions
Dear Dr. Berg,
I must start out by confessing….I'm a chicken. I am so afraid of hurting my dog that I just can't bring myself
to cut his nails. I have a sweet 4-year old Dachshund and he's a very good dog. But starts to panic (and so do
I) when I get the nail clippers out, so I usually don't do it.
He does get them done when I take him to the vet, but some of the nails get very long, especially the one that
is up high off the ground on the front legs.
Can you help me get over this phobia? Thank you.
Sincerely,
S.C., Newport.
Dear S.C.,
You are far from alone in this world. The only thing I can think of that the average dog owner fears more is maybe
taking their own dog's temperature….
A dog's nails grow from a cone-shaped area of growth tissue called the nailbed. The nailbed is actually part of
the 3rd bone that is in the toe. If you are lucky enough to have a dog with clear nails, you can see the nailbed
as a pink color that extends about 2/3 the way down the nail.
Within this nailbed are blood vessels and nerves. This means that if you cut into the nailbed, three things will
happen: Your dog will hurt because you've cut the nerves, your dog will bleed because you've cut the blood vessels,
and your dog will become afraid of you handling the feet next time you pick up the nail clippers.
Imagine what it feels like when you cut your own nails a little too short, and I think you can appreciate what
this feels like to your dog. And why he won't want you to try cutting them again right away.
In general, a dog's nails should be long enough to use for traction and grasping, but not so long that they get
in the way when he moves around. I often tell clients to put the paw in the palm of their hand. If the dog's nails
are poking into their palm, it's probably time to do a nail clip. Or if there is a loud clicking when the dog walks
across the kitchen floor.
If the nails are allowed to overgrow a lot, the quick within them will also grow longer, making it even harder
to cut the nails back to their proper length.
To help to find the right place to cut a nail, I tell my clients to first, find the tip of pink part, second, find
the tip of the nail, then third, cut the nail exactly ½ way between the two.
Pay special attention to the dewclaws, those nails that are high off the ground. Dewclaws don't wear very well
with normal walking. Sometimes dewclaws can curl all the way around and actually grow back into the foot, causing
a painful abscess.
If you are unlucky enough to have a dog with all dark nails, you have to go by past experience when you cut your
dog's nails before as to just how far out the quick extends. If there is a "sharp part" that is much
thinner than the rest of the nail on the end, it is usually safe to cut all of that off.
Should you cut a nail too short, DON"T PANIC (Your dog will take care of that part for you!). You usually
can stop the bleeding by pressing a dry tea bag against the bleeding end. Better yet, have a small bottle of styptic
powder at the ready, just in case.
For those Murphy's law fans out there, YES, there is a Murphy's law of nail clipping that goes something like this:
" The chance that you will clip your dog's nails too short (and cause bleeding) is directly proportional to
the distance between you and your bottle of styptic powder." So keep your bottle close at hand, because if
your are forced to let go of your dog to find the bottle of styptic in the bathroom closet, well…. use your imagination.
If you still don't want to try trimming your dog's nails, you may be able to keep the nails sufficiently short
by taking long walks with your dog on pavement or concrete. Or by playing Frisbee on a safe playground where your
dog will start and stop a lot. Or, try tug-o-war on the driveway…..the driveway acts as a huge black nail file.
Next time you are in to see your veterinarian or groomer, ask them to show you how they do nails and to show you
some of the clippers and styptics that they use every day.
If the nails become extremely long, sometimes it becomes necessary to sedate an animal and cut them drastically
back while they are asleep, thereby shortening the quick.
So keep your dog's nails clipped for their comfort and for yours. Take the time to learn how to do it right, and
your dog will love you for it
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