Having long nails changes the way a dog carries itself, which can damage its skeletal system.

A canine chiropractor with over 20 years of experience recently attended a conference on senior dogs. When asked about his key takeaway, he responded, "I didn’t know the importance of clipping a dog’s nails." He explained that when a dog walks, its paw-pad should be flush to the ground. If a dog’s nails are long, their little toes are pushed up, kinked if you will, on an angle. Over time, and with constant downward pressure on their kinked toe joints, arthritis will affect their paws and then travel up their leg joints, shoulders, and even as far as their neck.

Most of us have had that awful moment where we’ve nicked our dog’s nails quick (the pink fleshy part at the base of their nail). It elicits a cry of betrayal and is followed by bleeding. It’s enough to turn you off trimming nails for life. However, now we know that NOT trimming is more painful than the odd nip of the quick. You can also elect to take your dog to your vet for a trim. I phoned my vet and they charge $25 for a nail trim. That is much cheaper than the vet bills that arise from arthritis and its treatment. Plus, who wants their fur soulmate to be in pain?

My vet nurse suggested that if you have a puppy, get it used to having its nails trimmed so they don’t develop the habit of ‘freak-outs’ at the sight of clippers. Even if you just trim the tip each week, the frequency will get them used to the exercise. Lastly, if you are going to do it yourself, make sure you invest in decent trimmers and have high-value treats on hand as a reward. Whichever way you choose to do it, please ensure your dog’s nails are trimmed at least on a fortnightly to monthly basis.

Note* The advice on this page is general and may not be suitable for every dog. The Silver Woof team highly recommends consulting your veterinarian before making changes to your Silver Woof’s environment, routine, or diet.