How to trim your pet's nails at home

How to trim your pet's nails at home

How to trim your pet’s nails at home

Trimming your pet’s nails yourself can be a little daunting. Therefore, it’s really important that you prepare ahead of time to make it a smooth as possible both for you and for your furbaby.

Get some treats, make the whole experience positive. Start with one nail, reward, and come back later if you or your pet is nervous.

1) Hold the handle of the nail trimmers flat against the toe pad and cut straight across the nail, so that the nail will sit just above the ground. This technique makes it extremely unlikely you will cut the nails too short.

2) To get a shorter cut, aim to cut at a 45° angle, after visualising the ‘quick’. The quick is the pink area within the nail where.

What do you if your pet has BLACK NAILS?

Try option 1 from above.  Alternatively, look at the underside of the nail and you will notice that towards the tip the nail separates out into a triangular shape with two outer ‘walls’. At this point, it is safe to cut the tip off.

What if I make the nails bleed?

Don’t panic! Use styptic powder, or simply use a clean bar of soap and run it under the damaged nail. The soap will plug the vessel and stop the bleeding. 

It can be tempting to always leave the nail clipping to your groomer. But if your pet’s nails are cut regularly enough, it can cause a number of issues.

*Always consult your vet with any concerns regarding your pet’s health and wellbeing.