Nail trimming - don’t rely on your vets to tell you that your dog’s nails are too long

[Tiddlypom]

Just don’t assume that your vet will advise you if your dog’s toe nails are too long, even if they clearly are .

It was reading on here about dog nail clipping that got me looking at our 8yo JRT’s nails. Here’s the diagram, hers were firmly in the too long category, including the very long quicks, despite regularly being walked on the road. We’ve had her for 5 years and her nails have never been trimmed in all that time.



Before.




I bought the AAD recommended red handled Millers Forge nail clippers, but decided that it was best left to an expert with such a wrigglesome dog in case I drew blood.

Asked for recommendations for nail clipping from a very helpful local AADer, and have just come back from having the JRTs nails done for the first time by her recommended groomer. Dog was no trouble at all, came out happy as anything, but the groomer knows just what she’s doing. Much better already, but it will need to be little and often (every 4-6 weeks) because of the length of her quicks, which will hopefully recede in time. Lovely groomer who does nail trimming for just £10 a time. Am booking the dog in for the full grooming thing next time inc a wash with nails done as well.

After.




Just baffling that no vet has ever even mentioned the length of her nails at all at the annual vet check, and I found out about it on a forum . We always get vet treatment such as teeth etc done as and when advised, we don’t skimp.

 

[meleeka]

I had my JRT's clipped every year at the vets as it was a two person job and she would literally scream! Her nails were always too long, even after they'd done them imo, but I didn't have any other options. Current dog has never had hers trimmed and I doubt would let me anyway. Luckily, she seems to be self trimming.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I've never had a vet mention it, I just know when I get the ick

 

[Tiddlypom]

I trim the horses’ feet myself, but they are a much larger target and they keep their feet still!

 

[ester]

I can send you a bitey sheep-pig to practice on if you like

 

[Spotherisk]

It’s different depending on the dog, our labradors and cocker (five in total) have never needed nails cutting. Whereas my lurcher needs them doing every two to three weeks - I did them yesterday. A year ago I was concerned I wasn’t cutting them short enough so took him to the vet and had the discussion on how short to go etc, watched as the vet did it, and he didn’t go any shorter than I do - so little and often is our mantra!

 

[rara007]

I’m a vet. I get my totally unqualified sister to come and do mines nails for me…!

 

[ester]

I’m a vet. I get my totally unqualified sister to come and do mines nails for me…!

I’d rather get her to do the sheep pig instead of you too

 

[Jenko109]

My border collie x GSD has never had hers done. She's seven and they are a lovely length.

My whippet needs his doing all the time. Every 10 days or so. It's a constant battle trying to encourage his quicks to recede.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

My border collie x GSD has never had hers done. She's seven and they are a lovely length.

My whippet needs his doing all the time. Every 10 days or so. It's a constant battle trying to encourage his quicks to recede.

Same with my greyhound. It's such a pain and I feel like I'm getting no-where with them. Although I do wonder if her foot angle has changed over time so it might not feel like progress but overall the quicks are shorter. I hope so anyway!

 

[I'm Dun]

I always find with whippets they seem to need minimal intervention for the first 3yrs but then its almost weekly.

My oldest "faints". Its mortifying. He just drops down like he's dead, has to be scraped up and held. Scares the living daylights out of people as no one ever believes me when I tell them! If he's in a sling he knows he's beaten and behaves, but its like he cant stand the anticipation of it, it actually happening is fine if not something he likes.

I bought the millers forge clippers and now trim a tiny bit of one nail each day and he seems to be ok with that. They are brilliant. No way would I have got to this stage without them as the squeezing of normal trimmers had him flip flopping about like a fish on a hook!

 

[Thistle]

I've just popped over to ebay and bought a pair for my arthritic spaniel who no longer wears his nails properly.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Whilst she hadn’t been showing any overt signs of discomfort before her nail trim she was noticeably moving easily and freely on her early (to avoid the heat) walk this morning.

More owner self guilt bashing in progress.

 

[Birker2020]

My vet caught my dogs quick when she clipped them. She even got the steristrip pen out ready!

This is why we don't do them very often. It's £80 at the vets. Pets At Home is a tenner.

 

[rara007]

£80 for a nail clip?!?

 

[lizziebell]

My whippet needs his doing all the time. Every 10 days or so. It's a constant battle trying to encourage his quicks to recede.

Same with my whippets - it’s a weekly event. I think it’s in the way sighthounds move. Their backfeet are considerably easier to maintain than the front too.

 

[I'm Dun]

Same with my whippets - it’s a weekly event. I think it’s in the way sighthounds move. Their backfeet are considerably easier to maintain than the front too.

yup, the backs get done once for every 6 times I do the front I think.

 

[skinnydipper]

My vet caught my dogs quick when she clipped them. She even got the steristrip pen out ready!

This is why we don't do them very often. It's £80 at the vets. Pets At Home is a tenner.

So take her to Pets at Home and have them trimmed regularly, it will save Summer from the discomfort caused by long nails.

 

[Amymay Again]

Daisy is trimmed every 5 weeks at the groomers. Obviously I did them myself (with some trepidation) over lockdown. No idea what my vet charges for a trim, I suspect not very much as they're incredibly reasonable.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'd live with a bit of short-term discomfort and bleeding over long-term lameness, injuries and weight issues, every time.

 

[Birker2020]

So take her to Pets at Home and have them trimmed regularly, it will save Summer from the discomfort caused by long nails.

That's what we're going to do. Poor girl can hardly walk she's in so much pain.

You can see her hobbling along with her walking stick in these photos.

 

[skinnydipper]

That's what we're going to do. Poor girl can hardly walk she's in so much pain.

You can see her hobbling along with her walking stick in these photos.

Tip: she would benefit from losing some weight.

ETA. and yes, I did get the sarcasm in your reply

 

[Birker2020]

I'd live with a bit of short-term discomfort and bleeding over long-term lameness, injuries and weight issues, every time.

Us too that's why she goes to the vets reguarly! It's us that don't like doing them, we probably do them once every three weeks.

 

[Birker2020]

Tip: she would benefit from losing some weight.

Well I didn't ask your opinion so it's a good job i don't care what you think.

 

[skinnydipper]

Well I didn't ask your opinion so it's a good job i don't care what you think.

I'm thinking of your dog. Excess weight = stress on her joints.

Haven't you said recently how much better you feel with some weight off?

ETA. Here's a link to save you from Googling.

Overweight, Obesity, and Pain in Dogs: Overview | VCA Animal Hospitals

More than 50% of dogs and cats in North America are overweight or obese. These epidemic levels are reflected in the human population as well. Obesity in pets is now the most important disease process pet owners must face. And the effects of obesity are far reaching because it contributes to many...

vcahospitals.com

 

[I'm Dun]

That's what we're going to do. Poor girl can hardly walk she's in so much pain.

You can see her hobbling along with her walking stick in these photos.

Yet in January of this year you posted saying you thought the dog had done its acl, not a very nice thread all in, but it was complete with photos of the dog with horrendously long nails. So you should probably not be so rude and condescending to people when what you say simply isn't true.

ACL injury?

Our 11yr old beagle bitch suddenly went lame over the weekend on a walk over fields when visiting my retired horse. No yelp or anything, she's happy to jump on the bed and go up and down the stairs although we are trying to prevent her doing so. She was trotting over some very flat ground when...

forums.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[Birker2020]

Yet in January of this year you posted saying you thought the dog had done its acl, not a very nice thread all in, but it was complete with photos of the dog with horrendously long nails. So you should probably not be so rude and condescending to people when what you say simply isn't true.

ACL injury?

Our 11yr old beagle bitch suddenly went lame over the weekend on a walk over fields when visiting my retired horse. No yelp or anything, she's happy to jump on the bed and go up and down the stairs although we are trying to prevent her doing so. She was trotting over some very flat ground when...

forums.horseandhound.co.uk

Do stop trying to get a rise.
It's really pathetic and very tedious.

I'll say it again.... I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

£80 for a nail clip?!?

Gawd, that's heaps!
My vets are foc for D as it's included in our healthy pet plan. Otherwise they are £40 including the consult.

 

[Birker2020]

£80 for a nail clip?!?

We are with a referral vets, one of the most expensive in the country. To just see the vet and walk through the door it's £80 and the cost of nails on top.

 

[Jenko109]

It isn't nice to be told your dog is overweight.

It happened to me just a week ago. A friend at agility mentioned my girl had put on a bit too much and could do with losing some.

He wasn't wrong. I had noticed but had told myself it wasn't that much and dug my head in the sand. It hits home pretty quickly when you hear it from someone else, though.

So now she is on a super strict diet. The only treats she gets is the odd chunk of carrot.

Yes, she's hungry which isn't the nicest to see, but sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.

I've also upped the exercise a touch.

Try not to take it personally. An alarming number of dogs are overweight. We should normalise talking about it and making owners aware; even if they don't want to hear it.