Yesterday a dog came in to be groomed and his nail had curled and was growing into the pad. The dog was not limping and the owner did not know that the nail had grown to that extent. The pad was infected and sore, our knowledgeable staff was able to trim the nail and prevent a very expensive vet bill.
Nail trims are important to do once a month or every 6 weeks and if not trimmed they can cause many problems. The untrimmed nails can curl and grow into the pads of the feet. This curling will affect the walking ability of the dog. The dog will compensate and walk incorrectly which cause sore muscles and sore feet. If the nails grow into the pads of the feet often the pad can become infected and a trip to the vet would be required to fix this.
Triming the nails keeps them growing properly it also keeps the quick to stay shorter. When the quick is shorter the nail can become shorter. Not only will it make the dog happy but it will keep the floors and furniture from getting scratched up and prevent loose carpet snags. You will also not get scratched when shaking hands with your dog.
Your veterinarian can help you keep them clipped or your grooming spa. You can also trim them at home with proper nail clippers or Dremmels. Dremmels are my choice but be careful to move hair away from the nail so it does not get caught in the Dremmel.
