Nail clipping is a minor, non-invasive procedure which trims the ends of your pets nails. This is carried out with pet specific nail clippers suitable for their species. 

Nail clipping is necessary to prevent nails from growing too long that they either cause discomfort when walking, or they curl and embed into the pets paw pads. This causes significant discomfort and often needs veterinary care.

Some pets will require their nails clipping more than others, this all depends on their age, condition and lifestyle. For example; indoor cats who rely on using a scratching post may require their nails clipping more frequently than an active outdoor cat who climbs and naturally wears down their nails. A geriatric, arthritic dog may require their nails clipping more frequently than a active non arthritic dog who naturally wears them down whilst walking on concrete. 

You may notice your pet has a little nail slightly higher up their paw, this is known as the dew claw. This often needs checking to make sure this hasn’t grown too long to embed, this nail does not make contact with the ground, therefore cannot naturally wear down when walking or for those cats using scratching posts. 

What to expect at your pets nail clipping appointment. 

At Liverpool Vet Nurse, we use a fear free approach to our handling techniques. This means we follow your pets lead and make them feel as comfortable as we can during their procedure. Allowing pets to adjust to a new person is a huge help for them to gain trust and confidence around them. I will simply sit with your pet to allow me to gain their trust. 

I always bring a selection of treats to every appointment, upon booking I will ask if your pet is on any specific diet or has any condition such as diabetes which may be affected by treats. I will use treats to put pets at ease and allow them to trust my presence. 

Once your pet is feeling comfortable and happy, I will begin to carry out the procedure. I will clip each nail including front and back paws and also including dew claws. 

Once the procedure is all complete, I will give lots of praise and more treats.

Possible complications 

Generally Nail Clipping is a straight forward minor procedure however there can be some complications such as;

• If your dog is showing signs of aggression we can place a muzzle to safely carry out the procedure or we can assess the pets anxiety and work to build confidence prior to the procedure. Placing a muzzle is harmless to pets and allows owners, myself and pets to remain safe during the procedure. If you think your pet will require a muzzle for this procedure, please let me know where possible prior to my attendance to make sure I have a suitable size available. 
• All nails have a blood supply, this is known as a quick. Quick’s are easily visible in light coloured nails however, some nails may be black in colour and this therefore makes it hard to visualise the quick. Every effort is made to trim black nails with caution often stopping to look for a small black dot at the end of the nail which indicates the quick. However, sometimes the quick can be accidentally trimmed and this causes a small amount of pain and bleeding. This is a small complication which requires the use of cautery in the form of a cauterising pen/stick using ”Silver Nitrate” This is harmless to pets and requires a small amount of pressure with the pen/stick to apply the Silver Nitrate to stop the bleeding. Once applied and dried, which only takes a minute or so, your pet can walk or behave normally.