Trimming an Old Dog’s Nails

Old dogs have special grooming needs. Take your pooch’s nails, for instance. Trimming an old dog’s nails can be challenging, but as PetPlace.com and PetFinder.com point out, it is extremely important to keep your old dog’s nails trimmed. You probably don’t think of the health implications of not trimming your old dog’s nails, but keeping your pet’s nails short is more of a health issue than a grooming issue.

Most pets dislike nail trims. The bad news is that as your pet ages, it becomes even more important to trim them and even more difficult to do. Nails often become thick and brittle with age. Pets may resent having their paws handled, further delaying the chore. Nails and nail beds may become overgrown. They can grow into the pads and be quite painful, and make walking a chore. Make it a habit to trim a small amount of nail on your dog or cat every two weeks to prevent overgrowth and make walking easier.  Read the original PetPlace post here.

The experts at Pet Finder offer this insight to trimming an old dog’s nails:

Keeping her nails trimmed will prevent the toes from getting splayed or twisted due to overlong claws and will also decrease the likelihood of nailbed injuries like split toenails or broken off nails because of a too-long nail getting caught in a pavement crack or hooked in carpeting.

Just as important, neatly trimmed nails will give the foot and toe pads better contact with flooring, which provides better traction for your old pooch (be sure to trim any excess hair from between her toes for the same reason). This is especially significant with larger breeds, many of whom become phobic about crossing smooth flooring such as polished wood, linoleum, or laminate.  Read more about senior dogs at Pet Finder.

Keep your old dog’s nails short to avoid nailbed infections and help her walk. Do you have strategies or tips on how to make trimming an old dog’s nails easier? Let us know about them! Also, find out more ways on how to care for your old dog by clicking here and here at Pet Finder.