Something Special Award June 2010 Winner

Maya

Is it really important to have my dog's toenails trimmed?  And how often should it be done? 

Yes, regular nail trims are important, and overgrown nails can lead to several problems.

The most common problem occurs when your dog or gat gets a nail caught in something like carpeting or your clothing.  Most of the time they can free themselves, but sometimes they will break the nail, which causes bleeding and pain.  If your pet struggles too hard, s/he can get a muscle strain or sprain.

Nail that grow too long can also cause the toes to spread into an uncomfortable position.  Over time, they can cause deformities of the toes and foot, which can lead to arthritis.  As your pet tries to compensate for the pain in his feet, he can put stress on other joints, which will also become painful.

Many pets have nails that curl as they grow.  If not trimmed regularly, those nails can curl under and pierce the bottoms of the toes.  It's even possible for the nail to grow all the way through the toe until it comes out the top of the foot, and they usually become swollen and infected.

Nails that have grown into the pad should be cut and pulled out by your veterinarian, who will flush the wounds and prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection.

How often nails need to be trimmed depends on a couple of factors, such as how much exercise your pet is getting and how fast the nails are growing.  Thus, surfaces like pavement, gravel and sand will help war the nails down naturally, and your pet may not need a nail trim at all.  But if the most exercise your pet is getting is a short walk from the couch to his food bowl, a once-a-month nail trim will keep him from developing painfully  overgrown nails.

The Top 10 Reasons to Spay Your Pets...

1. 1. Eliminates unwanted "heat" cycles and the inconvenience of the associated messy discharge and odor.
2. Eliminates attracting every stray male dog/cat in the neighborhood.
3. Eliminates the need for your pet to escape, which can result in serious injuries, i.e. hit by car, dog fight, etc.
4. Eliminates unwanted behaviors such as housebreaking accidents, nesting behaviors that can cause damage to carpets and furniture, and some aggressive behaviors.
5. Eliminates future life-threatening health problems, such as pyometra (uterine infection) and ovarian cancer.  Furthermore, if the female dog/cat is spayed prior to the first heat cycle, it will dramatically reduce the risk of mammary (breast) cancer which is common in older females.
6. Helps control the pet overpopulation crisis by avoiding unwanted pregnancies.
7. Will not change the pet's basic disposition or personality in a negative way.
8. Spayed pets have a tendency to live longer.
9. There is no scientific evidence that your pet will, in any way, benefit from having a "heat" cycle or a litter before spaying, and having a "heat" cycle first can cause serious medical problems and unwanted pregnancies.
10. Due to decreased risk of illness, injury and accidents, you will spend less money at the animal hospital over your pet's lifetime!

1. Helps eliminate annoying sexual behavior such as mounting, spraying or lifting his leg to mark his territory both indoors and outdoors.
2. Eliminates the need to roam the neighborhood in search of a female - roaming that puts them at high risk for potentially life-threatening injuries such as fight wounds and being hit by cars.
3. Dramatically reduces unwanted aggressive behavior.
4. Less roaming, which means less external and internal parasites.
5. Dramatically reduces the chance of developing painful prostate infections, which are very common in un-neutered males.
6. Reduces the chance of developing prostate or testicular cancer.
7. Helps control the pet overpopulation crisis by avoiding unwanted matings.
8. Neutered pets have a tendency to live longer.
9. Will not change the pet's basic disposition or personality in a negative way.
10. Due to decreased risk of illness, injury and accidents, you will spend less money at the animal hospital over your pet's lifetime!