HOW TO MAKE MY DOGS QUICK SHORTER
An overgrown dog nail is not just a sore sight to see, the noise it creates as it clicks on the floor is also nauseating, not to talk of the potential of it becoming actually harmful to the dog in the sense that it can lead to injuries and also be the perfect place for germs and bacteria to hide so yes, you need to trim your dog’s nails. That being said, while trimming your dog’s nails, it is important not to cut the dog’s quick which begs the question “How to make my dog’s quick shorter“
First of all, what is a dog’s quick?
A dog’s quick is made up of a blood artery and a nerve inside a dog’s nail. If your dog’s nail is light and not dark in color, you can probably see your dog’s quick by holding it up in the light. It will resemble a dog’s nail within another dog’s nail.
Under no circumstance or condition should you cut your dog’s quick. This would not only cause your dog pain and agony, but it will also lead to your dog bleeding profusely for a long time as dog blood does not have the ability of clotting like human blood does. A dog bleeding from the quick is something that should be treated immediately as delay can lead to other more serious health problems.
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Under no circumstance or condition should you cut your dog’s quick. This would not only cause your dog pain and agony, but it will also lead to your dog bleeding profusely for a long time as dog blood does not have the ability of clotting like human blood does. A dog bleeding from the quick is something that should be treated immediately as delay can lead to other more serious health problems.
Determining whether your Dog’s Nails Are Too Long.
Basically, there are simple things you should watch out for in your dog to show whether their nails have grown too long. Is there that clicking sound on the floor whenever your dog walks by? Does your dog look uncomfortable when walking? Almost as if he or she is agonizing. These are simple signs that your dog’s nail might be overgrown.
Some effects of nails that are too long in a dog are:
i. The dog’s walk will be irregular and not in step or rhythm.
ii. The dog may bleed from the nails or be suffering from some infection as a result of injury from the nails.
iii. The dog will start having discomfort in the toe joint and paw pads, this can lead to skeletal abnormalities
iv. Constant knocking on the floor will lead to the nails fracturing easily as they become frail over time.
v. The dog will avoid hard and slippery surfaces.
This means you should cut the overgrown nails to size immediately, right? Wrong, you do not cut an overgrown nail short at once, you do it a little at a time. If you don’t, there is a high possibility of cutting your dog’s quick, and as we said earlier, “dog quick bleeding” is an emergency situation.
In fact, it is always advised to get the help of a vet doctor or better still a dog groomer to shorten your dog’s nails, especially when you are going to do it for the first time. They would usually try to identify where the quick currently is as that would determine how far you can cut or shorten your dog’s nails and do so without the “dog nail quick bleeding”
For light-colored dog nails, it is usually easy to locate the position of the quick by raising the paws up into the light. For dark-colored dog nails, there is a special lighting which most dog groomers have to view the position of the dog’s quick.
If “cutting the quick on a dog” is possible due to a dog’s nail growing, it also means that the quick grew as the nails grow, this begs the question WHY DOES THE QUICK GROW TOGETHER WITH THE NAIL“
The answer is simple the dog’s nails need the growth of the quick to signal that it is ok to continue its growth. The longer the nails the more the quick grows to nourish and lend to sensitivity in that region. The opposite of the above scenario is
Shortening your dog’s toenails by trimming.
1. First pick up one of your dog’s paws and place a thumb on the pad of his or her toe and a forefinger on top of the toe, firmly and just above the nail, making sure that no dog fur is in the way.
2. Next is to Push your forefinger forward while pressing your thumb up and backward on the pad. This act will make the nail look longer.
3. Start trimming the tip of the dog’s nail, a little at a time, do this by trimming vertically a small bit at a time. Also, trim the declaws or the under part of the nail in the same manner.
4. Always be on the watch out for the quick position and stop if you feel you are getting too close. Remember, taking care of your dog’s nails is a continuous process and not a one-time thing.
Shortening your dog’s toenails by grinding.
How to keep dog nails short without clipping
1. Secure your dog gently and hold his or her paw forward. Be ready to stop anytime you feel your dog is uncomfortable and readjust positioning to suit them
2. Gently use the nail grinder, starting from the bottom of the nails, work in a circular fashion and also work a little at the tip of the nails.
3. Work on the tip till the sharp point is gone, be careful and be sure to grind a little at a time to avoid cutting the quick.
4. Try to maintain a polished finish for each grind session.
5. Repeat the same process for each nail.
You see apart from getting a smooth finish when you grind on your dog’s nails (something you will find hard to achieve while trimming), grinding sessions are generally painless, apart from the vibration which the dog may feel a bit. This is not really a problem because immediately the dog gets used to it, he or she adapts easily to it.
There is also less probability to cut a dog’s quick using a grinder, and the sessions are usually painless and faster than trimming them.
How to deal with bleeding from “cutting the quick on a dog”
The best way to deal with bleeding from cutting the quick on a dog accidentally is to use a styptic powder. This can be purchased over the internet or better still at any pet supplies shop.
You can use the styptic powder to stop the bleeding either by applying it directly to the bleeding nail with your finger or putting some of the styptic powder in a container and putting the whole dog paw into it. Apply some pressure to the wounded area for some seconds and observe, if the bleeding continues, apply more styptic powder. Do this until the bleeding stops.
Identifying and dealing with broken or damaged nails.
These are some of the characteristics a dog will display if they have a broken or damaged nail:
i. Holding the paw in the air instead of walking on it.
ii. Swollen paw or toe dog nail
iii. Limping and avoiding putting weight on the paw
iv. Resisting you when you try to handle the paw.
v. Dog nail shaped unusually.
vi Blood in their sleeping area or bedding
If your dog is exhibiting any of these characteristics, you can examine the paw (if your dog would allow you). This way, it will be easier for you to describe the situation better to your vet doctor, notwithstanding, you should still report the situation or better still take your dog to the vet hospital for proper treatment.
You might find yourself in a situation where you will have to deal with your dog’s broken nail all by yourself. First thing is that you must not panic. Your dog will always borrow some confidence from you based on the way you carry yourself in a situation.
Next talk to your dog gently while you try and remove the broken part of the nail, a nail clipper is usually the best thing to use in this situation. Gently snip off the portion of the nail which is hanging out. This should result in a clean cut of the broken nail.
After this, clean the area which you just cut off with an antiseptic, this is to avoid the area becoming infected. You can then wash the area with warm water to remove any dirt. You can apply some styptic powder if there is some bleeding, apart from that, bandage the paw.
Whenever you have the chance report the situation to your vet doctor.
OTHER RELATED QUESTIONS
How to find the quick on black dog nails.
The best way to find quick on black dog nails is to use LED lighting. Some clippers and grinders come with this LED lighting allowing you to easily see the dogs quick while trimming or grinding on them, making it possible for you to avoid accidentally cutting them.
How long does it take a dog’s quick to recede?
A dog’s quick should start receding within seven days after the nails have been trimmed. This will make it possible for you to further trim the dog’s nails and the quick to recede more.
What to do if my dog won’t let me cut his nails?
You can start by trying to desensitize your dog, this simply means introducing them to the trimming or grinding process slowly, if your dog is very aggressive, then it’s best to seek professional help.
Dogs quick won’t recede.
A dog’s quick will not recede if the nail is not trimmed or ground regularly. Doing this at least once every week will give you a better result in the long run.
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Hi, I am Charles Nwankwo Editor-in-Chief, Mydoggything.com. Gleaning from Professional Dog Trainers, behaviorist, Registered Veterinarians, and Breeders. We are passionate about making dog care easy for you. My job is to make sure that you get the best-updated dog care information to understand and take care of your dog or dogs.
