Ashlee Thomasathomas1896@gmail.com/(479)301-3503English 101Lori Pollard-JohnsonApril 4th, 2015

Clipping Canines

Anyone who owns a pet knows how important it is to keep them healthy. Being a responsible pet owner might feel like it comes naturally, but many people overlook the little needs that help keep our companions comfortable and happy. One of those needs is making sure your dog’s toenails are trimmed regularly. Some dogs hate it, some dogs learn to tolerate it, but every dog’s toenails need to be trimmed eventually. Imagine if you never trimmed your own toenails; within a few months, you would be unable to wear socks and shoes! Dog’s toenails, however, begin to curl underneath their paws when they are left to grow without care. A dog’s toenail, left untrimmed, will curl into a complete circle, growing until it stabs into the pads of the dog’s feet, rendering them unable to walk and causing their feet to bleed. All mammals have what is called a “quick”. The quick is the soft, tender part from which the white nail grows. In humans, the quick is the pink part of the fingernail or toenail. Dogs have exactly the same thing, though in some dogs the quick is black. Cutting the quick of any mammal with trimmers will cause moderate to severe bleeding depending on the animal, therefore you must be very careful when clipping. To trim a dog’s toenails, the appropriate type of nail clippers will be necessary. There are two types of clippers, the guillotine and the scissor-type. The scissor-type trimmers are always the best option, because they offer the most control and can service the widest variety of nails. The guillotine nail clippers are not necessarily unusable, though they are more dangerous and more difficult for a novice to use. A styptic, benzocaine powder is also necessary in case the dog’s quick is accidentally cut, causing him to bleed. It can be extremely difficult to stop a dog’s nail from bleeding after the quick is cut, so having this powder is imperative. With the preferred nail clippers in hand, the groomer will place dog in a small area where they feel uncomfortable moving about in, such as a bath tub or a small tabletop. It might seem cruel to put them in an awkward place, but this will be extremely helpful in keeping the animal safe. If the dog feels uncomfortable moving around, they will be far less likely to harm themselves or cause the groomer to harm them. Next, the groomer should stand facing the dog’s rear, wedging the dog’s neck or body between their arm, or torso. Personally, I like to start with the back legs because dogs tend to dislike having their rear toenails trimmed the most. Then, with the non-dominant hand, the groomer will want to turn the paw upwards in their palm so that he can see the pads of the dog’s feet. This is when it is important to recognize the dog’s quick. Cutting too close to the quick will cause the dog to bleed. A dog that has white toenails will have a pink vein in the center of their toenail that should be very easy to spot. In a dog with black toenails, the quick can be difficult to see. The quick in black toenails is best spotted from the

bottom of the nail, where there is a small crevice. The quick can be identified in a black toenail as being slightly brown or red, compared to the black nail. Trimming as close to the quick as possible without cutting it is important, as it ensures the dog’s nail will stay shorter, longer. However, if the dog’s toenail is clearly severely overgrown, it is vital to get a veterinarian’s assistance to appropriately sever the dog’s quick and apply the necessary medication to help the dog’s nails grow back in a healthy manner. It is not unusual for a groomer to accidentally cut a dog’s quick. In this case, the styptic powder should be utilized by pinching a small amount between the pointer finger and thumb, packing it tightly upon the wound, effectively stopping the bleeding. If the bleeding does not stop immediately, it is perfectly alright to pack more powder onto the toenail until the bleeding ceases. Checking and trimming a dog’s toenails at least once a month will keep them healthy and happy with minimal effort. Making sure that this small task is attentively managed will save dog and owner from a lot of unnecessary pain and hassle.