Fort Lauderdale Pet Sitter answers How often should you trim nails on a dog.
So just how often should you trim nails on a dog? Your dog’s nails are very important to the health and well being of your pet’s health. They help your dog walk and run by providing traction. If a dog’s nails are not taken care of it can cause may problems ranging from mild discomfort to punctures or even issues with joints and bones. By keeping your dog’s nails trimmed many of these issues can be prevented.
So how often should you trim nails on a dog? The two factors that affect your dog’s nail trimming schedule are their physical location and their breed. The more active that a dog is, the less frequent their nails need to be trimmed. For instance walking on rough surfaces can grind down the nail so dogs that live in the city and walk on concrete need less frequent trimming. Unlike dogs that spend little time outside will typically need more frequent trims. Therefore, the average can range anywhere from three to eight weeks.
One way to measure is if you can hear your dog’s nails “click” when he walks, they need to be trimmed. You should also keep an eye out for any changes in your dog’s walking behavior as this might also indicate foot pain from lengthy nails. If a dog’s nails get too long they can curl up and dig into the pads.
Trimming your dog’s nails is important to its comfort and good health. Overgrown nails can cause problems like:
- Ingrown nails
- Torn bleeding nails
- Deformities in the paws
- Bone and joint problems
- Hip and back problems
Trimming your dog’s nails is a must. But often, it is a stressful and unpleasant task for both you and your dog. Here is a link on clipping and trimming a dog’s nails from Pet Health 101. If you are not comfortable trimming your pets nails yourself then seek the assistance of your veterinarian or groomer. Even if your dog does not need grooming a professional groomer will trim its nails.
A healthy dog is a happy dog. And please remember that 70 degrees is too hot to leave a dog in a car!
Interesting. My dog gets some unusual growths on her paws. I had the vet look at them. She told me to trim them off, so, each time I trim her nails, I also trim the small growths from her paws. She doesn’t seem to mind it.