Nail & Feet Hygiene

Nail clipping is extremely important. All to often we see dogs with incredibly long nails, if they are left long it can cause the dog to walk awkwardly causing pain & discomfort and can also lead to arthritis. Nails can also grow into the pads and cause a lot of pain and possibly infection and also can get ripped out more easily. Did you know that if a dog has an infection in the nail it can cause blood poisoning? The infection can easily get into the blood stream via the quicks in nails. If the nail has been ripped out, it is extremely important that you keep the area clean, if the area gets hot or inflamed the chances are that the dog has got an infection and you should seek veterinary treatment as quickly as you can. If a dog has long nails, the likelihood is that the quick has also grown – the only treatment for this is regular nail trimming as eventually the quick will shorten. Nails can also become brittle if your dog is lacking nutrients in their diet, this can cause them to break very easily, it is best to speak to a vet or pet shop nutritional advisor for help.

Whilst we are on the subject of paws, it is also important to keep your dog’s feet trimmed if they have long hair. Dogs can get matts in their paws which can lead to sores and also infection and can cause a lot of pain. On top of this, if the hair is long, it is also harder to see if anything is stuck in the fur, such as grass seeds and thorns, both of which can break the skin and travel up the body, it is very painful for the dog and can cause infections. Not only can keeping the dog’s feet short help prevent possible implications, but it is also easier to keep the dog’s feet clean and easier to get the mud off, in these wet winter months - therefore you get a cleaner house as well! Ha-ha!

With the colder & wetter months, it is always best to wash off your dog’s feet after walks, here are a couple of reasons why:

1) Alabama foot rot is still around and it is thought that the disease is found in muddy places like bogs, marsh land and in the forest. You should keep an eye out for lesions on the feet or legs and if your dog has these and is also lethargic or under the weather, please seek emergency veterinary treatment. Anderson Moore’s is the specialist vets in our area that are researching this disease intensively and you will most likely be referred there.

2) Salt and grit used to keep the roads from being icy can be toxic to dogs so if walking them on the path ways it is very important to wash your dog’s feet off before they lick their paws.

Dogs can also get dry and cracked pads in the colder months which can also be painful, this can be helped by keeping them moisturized with a paw balm or wax (we have a spa treatment that can help with this as well.)

You are always more than welcome to bring your dog in, in between grooms to keep your dog’s nails and feet not only looking good, but in tip-top condition as well.