It is good to get into the habit of trimming your pet's toenails at least once a month while they are still puppies. The nails of a puppy grow very fast and are very sharp and pointed. This can cause the nails to get caught in carpeting, bedding, or any number of materials around the home. This opens up the potential for one of the toenails to get caught in something and be ripped off right down to the cuticle. Giving your dog's toenails a regular manicure will prevent accidents like this from happening. It will also teach your puppy at a young age to tolerate nail trimmings in the future.
Dogs cannot retract their toenails like cats can, so it is best to keep your dog's toenails trimmed before they have a chance to start curling under. When the toenails on a dog do begin curling under, this makes trimming the toenails a much harder task. The toenails can become embedded into the paw and will cause much pain for your pet when the toenails are trimmed off.
The nail of a dog is composed of a hard toenail on the outer surface of the claw itself and a spongy material part to the interior of the toenail. The material on the interior is usually pink in color and is called the quick. The quick supports the blood vessels and nerves of each entire part of each claw. If you trim your dog's nail too close to the quick, the nail will bleed. Your dog can feel this pain, very similar to the way we feel pain when we cut our own fingernails too close to the nail bed.
Having the right pair of toenails clippers for your dog is essential to a successful outcome. You can find the right pair of nail clippers from your local veterinary clinic or pet supply store such as PetSmart. If you aren't sure which nail clipper is best, then ask someone for help. The size of clippers will depend on the size of the dog.
To trim dogs toenails, place the clippers right at the point where the nails start to curve. You do not want to go past the pink part (the quick). On some dogs with white nails, it's easy to see where the quick starts, but it's more difficult on dogs with darker nails. If you're having problems locating the quick, It's a good idea to take your dog to the vet or an experienced groomer for their first nail trimming. Ask plenty of questions until you are confident enough to try it at home.
If you do get a toenail too short, and the nail starts to bleed, don't panic. There are several ways to stop the bleeding.
Buy a box styptic pencils to keep on hand at your home. Using a styptic pencil is the fastest & easiest way to stop a dog's toenail from bleeding.
If you don't have any styptic pencils, or run out of them and need to stop the bleeding, try one of these at home methods.
One of the most common at home remedies is to make a paste out of flour and water. Use about 1tsp of flour and enough water to make a paste and stir until it becomes thick like putty. Next, get a Q-tip, dip it in the paste and dab on the nail. Wait a few seconds to see if the bleeding has stopped. If not then try repeating the steps. If the nail continues to bleed after several attempts, switch to a different procedure.
Using baking soda or cornstarch instead of the paste can be an effective technique. Dip the toenail that is bleeding into a dab of cornstarch or baking soda. Do not wipe the excess blood off the toenail before you dab it into the cornstarch or baking soda. The toenail will have a bloody glob of baking soda or cornstarch, but just leave the glob there. It's tempting to brush or dab the mess off but just leave it there. Attempting to remove the glob could keep the blood from forming a good solid clot and might cause more bleeding. Patiently hold the dog in your lap for a few minutes to see if the bleeding has stopped; if the toenail is still bleeding, repeat the process. If this doesn't work, try another method.
Another alternative is bar soap. Get a small sliver of a gentle bar soap, such as ivory, and place some on the tip of the nail. I don't like this method because sometimes the soap can sting your pet, but it's worth a try if nothing else seems to be working.
My favorite "tried and true" at home remedy for when I don't have a styptic pencil is a washcloth and warm water. Simply rinse the entire paw off under warm running water and then take a couple of paper towels and dry off the paw a bit. Then get a soft washcloth and dip it in warm water. Then take the washcloth and wrap the warm cloth around the entire paw that has the bleeding toenail(s). Sit down and hold the dog in your lap while keeping gentle pressure on the paw and toenail for at least 20 minutes. This will more than likely stop the bleeding.
Something many people forget about is the dewclaws. They need to be trimmed as well. The dewclaw is attached to the leg only by loose skin and is found on the inside of the front legs, although they can occasionally can be found on the hind legs as well. Unlike front dewclaws, rear dewclaws tend to have little bone or muscle structure to them so when the animal is standing, it does not make contact with the ground. The dewclaw can typically be bent away from the leg so that you can fit a guillotine type trimmer over the tip of the dewclaw. Many pet owners will have their puppies dewclaws removed not long after they are born which is far less painful for the puppy than to wait until the puppy is a month or two older.
Obviously, the best thing to do is use caution when trimming the toenails so you don't cut them too close. But just remember if you do cut the nail too short, don't panic. Your dog will be fine and the toenail will eventually stop bleeding on its own. It may seem that the bleeding lasts a long time and the amount of blood involved can be scary, but the bleeding will eventually subside.
DISCLAIMER:
I am not a licensed vet but I did learn many useful tips and information during my years working for one. The above information is intended for educational purposes only and shall not take the place of seeking professional medical advice from a licensed veterinarian.