How to cut your dog’s nails?

Cutting your dog’s nails is part of the essential hygiene habits to promote its health and well-being. With this powerful argument, who doesn’t want their furry man with a flawless manicure? In this post we tell you the correct way to cut them and the aspects to take into account to prevent possible incidents.

There is always a first time and a vet

If you are facing this challenge for the first time, it is best that you take him to the vet and see how he does it on the spot . Keep in mind that, if you are not very skilled, the dog can be exposed to suffer a small hemorrhage because the cut is not adequate, and could suffer a painful and difficult to treat injury.

We are talking about animals that usually live in the home and have little wear and tear on their nails naturally. This wear occurs in daily walks or when we take the dog to run freely through the mountains.

But, often, this natural filing is insufficient and then we must cut them at home, at the veterinary clinic or in dog groomers.

“When our dog wears his nails to the appropriate size, in addition to performing his activities comfortably, we prevent them from curving inward or breaking them and contracting sores or internal fungal infections”

Utensils needed in the “manicure” of the dog

The first thing you will need are dog scissors or a guillotine clipper . Both are manufactured with the appropriate curvature for canine nails. Opt for specific products for dogs and of good quality , because in the end you will win, especially in health.

• Scissor nail clippers: They look like the scissors that people use, but their blades are designed to adapt to the physiognomy of canine nails. This tool is especially recommended for dogs with nails that do not require too much effort to cut. In specialized stores and large supermarkets you will find these scissor-shaped nail clippers with an ergonomic shape and non-slip rubber, so you can make a safe and comfortable cut.
• Guillotine nail clippers: If what we want is a more powerful tool that cuts the thick nails of many dogs with ease and precision, the guillotine nail clipper is the most appropriate. They incorporate a spring that makes the task of cutting much easier and safer, since it reduces the effort that should be made with a conventional scissors and therefore prevents a deviation from ending up hurting the animal. There are ergonomic guillotine clipper designs , suitable for any type of dog.
• Sterilized gauze pads: Before you start cutting your dog’s nails, you should have some sterilized gauze ready, in case you accidentally bleed from an excessive cut , which could reach the pink part or matrix of the nail.
• Hydrogen peroxide: It is a remedy that we all usually have in the medicine cabinet; keep it handy in case a bad cut causes bleeding and you need to disinfect the affected area.
• Astringent powders: They are effective in stopping bleeding in the event that, when cutting, you accidentally touch the pink part of the nail.

“Good hygiene requires a short stay and this requires reviews it Periodic dicas, which must not exceed the week”

Steps to follow to cut your dog’s nails

1. To keep in mind:

Remember that a dog’s nail is made up of dead keratin and live keratin . The part of the dead keratin is precisely the area that can be cut.
On the other hand, the area of ​​the live and pink keratin should never be reached, since they are full of nerve endings and blood vessels. An injury in this area can have painful and complicated consequences for our dog.

2. Calm and security:

It is obvious that if you want to cut your furry’s nails, in a calm and safe climate , you have to transmit serenity . The ideal would be to get him used to this hygienic routine from a young age, but if it is the first time you do it, we recommend the following steps:

• Gently caress his paws the days before, so that he gets used to the manipulation of his limbs.
• When you start to cut his nails, give up if you see that he is restless; it continues over the next few days, with patience and love.
• Take one of his paws between your hands, caress it and let him see the scissors.
• Gently run the clipper over her legs to familiarize her with their shape and feel.
• Offer him a snack so that he associates the scissors with something he likes.
• Repeat the last steps until you see that your dog is confident.
• Set the scissors at the correct height and press just enough to make a straight, slightly downward cut.
• Congratulate your dog after trimming some nails and give him another treat before continuing with the task.
• When the cutting session is over, don’t forget to file her nails to prevent them from catching on household fabrics.
• If your dog’s nails are black, as we will not see where the living tissue begins, we will choose to cut them little by little, until we come across the white gelatinous area, which tells us that we must stop because we are approaching the living area.

Don’t we humans take care of our feet because we know that they support all our weight and that they are essential for walking and feeling good? Well your furry, if he does not think about it, he senses it. So don’t let him down on this basic health care.