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.