Nail Trimming - Dogs & Cats

How to trim the nails

The first step is finding the restraint that works best for you and your pet. Some people prefer trimming nails with the pet on their side, some while standing. Also our pets may have a preference of lying on their side versus standing for the nail trim.

The quick grows out with the nail over time, so keep in mind that a longer nail will have a longer quick. As a general rule, we try to clip small amounts and gradually make the nail shorter until we get close to the quick. The outer surface of the nail is hard and doesn’t have any feeling. If you look under your dog’s nail, there is a more fleshy/soft area as it gets closer to the nail bed – this is where the quick lives, so stop when you get there. If you look at the cut surface of the nail while trimming, you will see the outer nail layer and as you cut shorter the center will become softer. The photos below show white nails, and black nails.

For cats, restraint for a nail trim isn’t always straight forward. Cats generally don’t enjoy being forced to lay on their side, so trimming while standing or being held is more accepted.

Cat nails are different from dogs, in that they have retractable nails. When you pick up your cat’s paw you won’t see the whole nail, so you have to push above and below the paw pad to push the nail out fully. Cats tend to have white nails, which are a lot more helpful because you can actually see the quick through the nail. One quick clip of the tip/hook of the nail is usually all you need for a cat nail trim – which is nice because they usually have a lot less patience than dogs.

What to do if you cut the nail too far and it is bleeding

Don’t panic! We have all cut nails a bit too short sometimes. In the clinic, we have blood stop powder and sticks to help the blood clot. At home, you can use corn starch or flour in a similar manner: take a small amount of the flour or corn starch and apply it to the end of the nail and then hold it there while squeezing the nail end gently. Hold it for 3-5 minutes if possible and then keep your pet quiet (sometimes they need to go in their crate or be held) for 15 minutes to make sure their movements or high heart rate/blood pressure doesn’t dislodge the clot. If it is winter, sometimes taking them outside in the snow helps shrink the blood vessel in the quick and will help the clot form faster as well.