If you’ve ever heard the clickety-clack of your pooch’s nails on a hard floor, chances are they need clipping! Take a closer look – if they are touching the ground or have started to grow to the side, this could be causing your canine discomfort. Overgrown claws run the risk of limiting movement and causing temporary lameness, which can develop into spine and posture problems if left unattended. Those nails can also embed themselves into the paw pad, running the risk of pain and infection.
A number of factors determine how often a trim is required, but generally, dogs who walk on hard surfaces as opposed to softer ones (i.e. concrete rather than grass) may wear down their claws, and thus need clipping less often. However nails on the front paws are more likely to overgrow than those on the back ones, so it is worth keeping an eye on them.
Here at Purrfect and Pooch we offer a trimming service, and also shave the excess fur between the paw pads during a full groom; another essential part of doggy hygiene. We cut just in front of the blood supply that runs through the claw, but as you can imagine this is a difficult task when it is opaque! Therefore, we have styptic powder close at hand to coagulate any bleeding. The more regularly overgrown nails are clipped, the more the vessel retreats into the claw, so we offer a free trim in between grooms to our regular customers.
Some breeds such as Pugs and French Bulldogs are especially prone to bleeding in our experience, so we grind their nails down to ensure they are perfectly pedicured! ❤
~ Tania Marie de Saram
You’ve Nailed It
