Dogs need their nails trimmed regularly, just like humans.

Regular nail trims are good for your home and healthy for your pet. While humans often manicure their nails for fashion, dogs actually need their nails trimmed for a variety of health reasons.

Some people may assume that dogs don’t need regular nail trimmings because dogs in the wild managed just fine without human intervention. The truth is that domestic dogs and their wild canine counterparts live different lifestyles. Wild canines walk for miles and miles each day and use their paws more often for digging and scratching, while domestic pets have a less active lifestyle. Therefore, our pets’ nails grow at a faster rate.

Of course, regular walks do help wear down your dog’s nails, but regular nail trimmings ensure the nails stay at a healthy length. Inside each of your dog’s nails is a “quick” or the part that contains blood vessels and nerves. The quick grows as your dog’s nail lengthens. This means that it’s difficult to trim overgrown nails to a healthy length without cutting the quick. Regular nail trims keep the quicks at short length that are easier to avoid nicking.

Overgrown nails aren’t just unpleasant in appearance, but they cause discomfort. Your pet will have to contort its feet in order to walk on long nails and this puts pressure on its toes. Chronically overgrown nails can stress your pet’s spine and joints and can potentially lead to arthritic conditions. If a nail becomes too long, it can become ingrown or even break, making it vulnerable to infection.

If your dog experiences anxiety during nail trimmings, speak with your vet about options. This type of fear is very common and there are many different ways to approach nail trimmings in a less stressful manner.

Do you need help taking your pet to the vet? We offer pet taxi services in addition to cage-free boarding. Call us at 321-794-4477 or send us an email for more information.