Why you should keep your dogs nails trimmed

Sarah Darling • January 31, 2021

Have you ever considered the importance of keeping your dogs nails trimmed?


Of course, not all dogs need their nails trimmed! Dogs that spend a good deal of time outdoors on various hard surfaces, such as concrete, their nails are gradually worn down, therefore have less of a need for nail-grooming sessions. 

But with many dogs increasingly confined to indoors when their owners are at work, & spending their days running mostly on soft surfaces such as carpet and a lawn garden, this welcome friction is often absent in their daily lives.

Dogs use their nails for traction & balance when walking or running. If their nails are left too long they can lead to injuries & issues that can cause pain & discomfort.  This is not only just in their feet, but their whole body due to compensatory adaptations due to offloading from their discomfort.

When nails are so long & constantly touch the ground, they exert force back into the nail bed, creating pressure on the toe joint (imagine wearing a shoe that’s too-tight) Also changes to the biomechanics of the digits could lead to arthritis in the toes.


When they are too long, they cause a dog to place their feet in a “plantigrade” position.  This means the nails “pushes” the dog's toes up & the “heel” comes down to balance.  This will place strain on the muscles & ligaments in the legs. 

Overtime and allowed to continue long term, this can actually realign the joints of the foreleg & make the foot look flattened and splayed.


With the discomfort they may cause, having extra-long nails can make contact with paws painful for the dog & therefore they may want to avoid having them touched.  This can result in unpleasant nail-cutting sessions for owner and dog, or even avoidance, therefore intervals between trims are even longer, resulting in further discomfort.


Compensatory adaptations alter weight distribution & natural alignment, which can leave your dog more susceptible to injuries, making a simple activity as walking & running difficult and more painful.

If your dog is older and coping with arthritis, they can find these changes particularly uncomfortable, therefore foot care is an important part of an arthritis management plan.’

             

                 ‘A dog's posture can be dramatically improved by cutting back neglected nails’.




Long nails are more susceptible to getting torn or split by catching them on carpet fibres when playing indoors, or on branches  and rocks when exploring outside. 


Long nails will prevent dogs from getting traction on slippy floors, such as laminate, wooden or tiled flooring & can cause them to slip & fall more easily.



So what is the “right” length?

 

The most commonly accepted rule of thumb is that when a dog is standing, the nails should not make contact with the ground. 



How to check?


Stand your furry friend in front of you with their front legs under their shoulders,

Are their nails touching the ground? If so, then they’re too long.


Aso, if you can hear your dog's nails clicking when walking, or see the nails turning sideways, it is time for a trim! 



If you feel your dogs nails are too long, or you're having difficulty trimming them, or unsure of how to, then get them booked in with your local groomer or vet.


Giving your dog regular "pawdicures" will help keep your furry friend & their feet healthy and happy. 

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#4 Things you need to know about K9 Gait Massage Therapy

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When you think of Massage, you may visualise that oh so wonderful day at the spa, lapping up the luxuries of a stress relieving Swedish massage, skin cleansing steam baths and unwinding on a lounger after a few ‘most often small’ lengths of the pool.Therefore, when you hear there’s massage for your furry friend, you may conjure up a similar image! Although, I am sure there are a few pampered pooches out there that would demand nothing less!

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