If you hear a “click, click, click” as your dog walks across the floor, chances are he needs a good nail trim. Nail trims, or “pawdicures,” are often an afterthought in the care of our dogs, or they may be seen as purely aesthetic. However, regular nail trims are important in maintaining your dog’s musculoskeletal health.
How do you know whether your dog’s nails are too long? Look at your dog standing on a firm level surface. The nail should not touch the ground when the dog is in it’s normal stance. The nails are used primarily to assist the dog in gaining traction when walking up hill or with digging. If your dog’s nails are too long, a good trim is in order.
If you are using a scissors-type trimmer, hold them at a right angle to the nail. Avoid clipping into the quick, which is the sensitive portion of the nail that is rich in nerves and blood supply. If the quick is clipped, it will bleed profusely and it will be painful. A styptic pen or powder from your local drug store will stop the bleeding. Follow the nail trim with a nail grind using a file to smooth sharp edges of the nail. The longer the nails are allowed to grow, the longer the quick grows. More frequent, shallow clips are preferred to keep cuts so that the quick will recede throughout time.
Long nails can adversely affect your dog’s posture and can contribute to musculoskeletal injuries. The brain relies on the dog’s feet, among other things, to provide critical sensory input through the joints, tendons and muscles regarding the dog’s posture. If your dog’s nails are too long, it can throw the front limbs too far back and shift his weight to his hips and knees resulting in chronic postural imbalances and overuse injuries that contribute to lameness.
Dr. Judith Shoemaker, DVM, offers courses in postural rehabilitation that focus on the neuroanatomy and neurophysiology concerned with initiating and maintaining normal standing posture and mobility as related to the proprioceptors in the lower extremities. She spends much of her lectures discussing the importance of good nail care in dogs and hoof care in horses as a means of injury prevention and improving performance.
Therefore, consider nail trims an integral part of your dog’s overall health and schedule regular appointments for nail care with your veterinarian, groomer or doggie day care facility.