How do I cut my pet's nails?

This seems to be something that most owners are very nervous about. It's really not that hard.

Anatomy: The dog's nail is the same as ours, just a different shape. The nail bed produces the nail just like our cuticle generates ours. A dog's nail is rounded and covers a fleshy end of the toe that is known as the "quick." The quick is bone at the base, but out towards the end of the nail, it's just soft tissue, nerves, and blood supply.

Most folks find white or clear nails to be easier because you can see the pink underneath and know what NOT to cut. Dark nails are harder because you can't see it as easily. Trust me - seeing the quick helps, but sometimes they look like they are much shorter than they really are.

Here's the deal - you WILL at some point cut the nail too short and your pet WILL bleed and you will feel awful. Go into it expecting that at some point.

There are two types of nail clippers you'll find. The guillotine style made by Resco are the common, usually silver, clipper that the nail slides through the little loop at the end and when you squeeze, a blade slips across this and snips it off. The other type is referred to as bypass clippers. These have a pair of scallopped edges that trap the nail and when you squeeze, the cut from both sides. Which is better? Whichever you like. Usually - big dog nails are easier with bypass. I like guillotine for small dogs and cats - but I can use either.

How far do you trim them? As short as they'll go without bleeding. Sometimes that's easy to see. Sometimes you'll have to learn based on the first couple of nails what is too far and what's far enough. Picture an imaginary line extending out from and parallel to the bottom of the toe pad of an un-extended toe. The line will cut across the nail at about the right place to cut. In other words - the nail shouldn't touch the ground when the pet is standing in a normal position.

How often? When they need it. For most puppies, that means once every week to two weeks. For adults, usually once every 2-4 weeks. Some pets nails grow even more slowly and can go 6 weeks between trimming.

The best way to avoid having to trim the nails much at all is to take your dog for regular walks on concrete surfaces (i.e. - daily walks around the neighborhood on sidewalks). Short of that you are probably going to have to trim nails.

• Technique 1 - Use a Dremmel (or other high-speed rotary tool) with the sanding drum on it. Use this to grind the nail back. The heat generated is useful to help drive the quick back. It's also nice because you have a softer surface as opposed to the sharp surface created by the clippers. Many dogs will respond to the heat of the Dremmel and start pulling back when you get close to the quick. YOU CAN STILL MAKE THEM BLEED. It's just a bit harder.
• Technique 2 - Using either form of nail clipper, trim the nail just past the end of the quick.

In either case, keep some Quick Stop powder (or styptic). A pinch of powder on the bleeding end of the nail helps stop it quickly. If you don't have any Quick Stop, an easy home remedy is to use a pinch of flour or corn starch with gentle pressure on the end of the nail. That'll help it clot.

Cats are easy to see where to cut. Take the narrow, sharp, pointy part off. Try not to use human nail clippers. Cat nails are laminar and they will shatter with human clippers. They do better with little nail clippers.

Cool fact: Because the nail is laminar, cat's "sharpen" their claws by pulling successive layers of nail off the end, leaving the harder, sharper point below. Anyone with a cat has found these bits of nail that look like a cast of the end of the nail laying around. When you trim the nail, it has to grow out before it gets pointy enough for them to catch on anything.

Please, please, please, please, please - pretty please - start trimming your dog or cat's nails when they are little bitty babies. Foot/nail phobias are very common in dogs and cats. You have to start young or they may become so nervous about it that they become phobic. I can't tell you how many patients I have that require a wrestling match that potentially includes poop, pee, booty juice (anal sacs), slobber, and teeth. 99% of those patients could have been avoided if we had only started when they were 8 weeks old. It's just like with our own kids - you have to get them used to having their teeth brushed and their nails done when they're little. If you both get used to it when they are babies life is SO MUCH EASIER.

If you're still not comfortable cutting nails - take them to the groomer or your veterinarian starting when they are very young and get them used to it.

AMH