Top tips for nail trimming at home
Six steps for nail trimming at home:
- Be prepared – get all of your equipment ready first, including some of your pet’s favourite treats!
- It is easier to have your pet in a sitting or lying down position. Cats might feel safer wrapped in a towel.
- Hold your pet’s paw and apply gentle pressure to the base of the nail to help move the nail away from the pad (this is particularly helpful in cats.)
- Trim the tip of the nail at the point where it curves around. It’s always best to take less rather than too much. Avoid trimming the quick (nail bed) – this can be seen in a white nail (pink tissue) but not so easily in a black nail. Ask us to demonstrate where to trim your pet’s nail’s. If you do happen to cut too far and there is a bit of blood, don’t worry, just use a cake of soap to ‘plug’ the nail and stop the bleeding!
- Reward your pet after each nail is trimmed – food treats are great and create a positive experience for your pet.
- Don’t forget to trim the dew claws on the inside of each fore-leg (and in some pets, the hind-leg). These nails are easy to miss but are often the longest nails as they are not worn down as your pet walks.
Ask us for more information or for a demonstration. And never feel bad asking us to trim your pet’s nails – we are always here to help!