Nail and paw pad care for dogs and cats

A dog's or cat's nail wears down naturally through movement on rough surfaces, but indoor life works against that balance: smooth floors, few outings, carpets and rugs file down little or nothing. The result is that the nail grows faster than it wears, and the first signs appear before the animal limps. The easiest to catch is the sound: a dog that clicks with every step on a hard floor is almost always walking on nails that touch the ground while standing still.

A healthy nail, with the animal standing on a flat surface, should not press against the floor. If it does, the push at every step travels back into the toe, distorts the posture of the foot and over time strains the joints. In cats the problem is often invisible because the nails are retractable: they have to be extended with gentle pressure on the pad to be assessed, and precisely for this reason they go unnoticed until they catch on tissue or, in an older animal, grow into the pad.

Inside the nail runs the living part, rich in vessels and nerves, that vets call the quick. Cutting it hurts and bleeds, and it is the mistake that leaves the animal wary for months. In pale nails the quick shows through as a pinkish zone: you stay a short distance away from that point. In dark nails you cannot see it, so you work in small increments, watching the cut surface: as long as it looks dry and uniform you carry on, and when a darker, moist dot appears at the centre you are close to the quick and you stop.

There are two tools, both valid: the scissor type clipper, handy on small nails and on cats, and the guillotine type, favoured by those cutting thick dog nails. Whatever the tool, it must be sharp: a worn blade crushes and splits the nail instead of cutting it, and that hurts as much as cutting too deep. The first time it is wise to have the vet or groomer show you the move, and they can also point out how much to take off on your particular animal.

1. 1

   Set everything up before you start

   Keep a sharp clipper, good light and a styptic pencil or styptic powder within reach in case of bleeding. Pick a calm moment for the animal, not just after play or a large meal.

2. 2

   Locate the living part

   On pale nails look for the pinkish zone showing through and stay away from it. On dark nails do not try to guess: work in small increments and check the cut surface at each pass.

3. 3

   Cut a little, and keep the paw steady

   It is better to take off a small amount and repeat more often than to risk a deep cut. Hold the paw gently without squeezing the toes and cut with a clean movement, without twisting the blade.

4. 4

   Check the dewclaw and the pads

   Move to the dewclaw and, in the cat, the inner first toe, which are easily missed. Use the session to look between the toes and over the surface of the pads.

5. 5

   If it bleeds, do not panic

   Apply firm pressure with a gauze for a few minutes and use the styptic pencil or powder on the spot. Minor bleeding stops on its own, but if it does not settle or the toe stays sore, it is worth calling the vet.

6. 6

   Finish with something pleasant

   Always end with a reward and a calm tone, even if you have trimmed a single nail. The session should leave a positive memory, because that is what makes the next one possible.

Many animals will not tolerate having their paws touched, which turns a few minutes of care into a weekly wrestling match. The cause is almost never bad temper: the paw is a sensitive area and, if the first contact was a restraint, the animal has learned to link it with something unpleasant. The work is done in reverse, bringing the hand back to the paws in a setting with no clipper and no hurry.

• Start by touching the paw for a moment when the animal is relaxed, followed at once by something pleasant, and repeat in very short sessions.
• Move on to holding the paw a moment longer and brushing the individual toes, always rewarding calm and never insisting if the animal pulls away.
• Show the clipper without using it, let the animal sniff it and link its presence with a reward.
• Mime the action by bringing the tool close without cutting, then trim a single nail and end on a positive note.
• Go only at the animal's pace: every time you force it, you set yourself back several sessions.
• With a cat, take advantage of drowsy moments on your lap, when gently extending a nail is barely a disturbance.

Positive reinforcement is not an indulgence but the method that keeps this care sustainable for years. An animal that accepts having its paws handled will let itself be checked even when there is a real problem, a thorn between the toes or a cut, and that can make the difference between a two minute check at home and an emergency visit under sedation.

The pad is built to take punishment, but it is not indestructible, and the risks change with the season. Checking it regularly means running your fingers over the surface and through the spaces between the toes, looking for cuts, cracks, redness, swelling and hidden objects. In long haired dogs you should also look at the hair growing between the pads: if it mats it traps moisture, dirt and small stones, and it encourages inflammation between the toes.

Grass awns deserve special attention. They are pointed seed heads that in summer drive between the toes and, because of their shape, migrate deeper instead of coming out. A dog that suddenly licks one space between the toes insistently, holds a paw up or shows a small swollen hole should be checked at once: removing a surface awn is simple, but once it has driven in you need the vet, because it can travel and create an infected track.

Knowing where home care ends and the expert's work begins avoids both harm and emergencies. The groomer is the right person for routine maintenance when you cannot manage it at home: regular nail trims, hair between the toes, animals that will not be handled. The vet is needed when there is a sign of disease or pain, and in that case do it yourself attempts risk making the situation worse.

• A nail grown into the pad, swollen, bleeding or giving off a bad smell.
• Limping, a warm or swollen toe, persistent licking of one space between the toes.
• Bleeding from a nail that does not stop with pressure and a styptic.
• A suspected grass awn that has driven in, with a small hole, swelling or pain.
• Pads with deep cuts, burns, wide cracks or skin peeling away.
• An animal that will not allow trimming at all, where insisting only deepens the fear.

When in doubt, the prudent choice is always to have the paw looked at. An extra check costs little, whereas an ingrown nail or a neglected awn quickly becomes a painful problem that is harder to resolve. Paw care is made of small, regular gestures: recording them, even just noting when you trimmed the nails and when you checked the pads, helps you keep the rhythm and catch changes early.