Nail Length for Dogs

Keeping your dog’s nails trimmed is VITAL to his movement and his overall health!!!

Cats can retract their nails when they get too long. Dogs can’t do this!

When a dog’s nails are too long, they must extend their phalanges to accommodate this discomfort.

When they are forced to extend their phalanges, they incorrectly redistribute their entire body weight throughout their joints.

Their knees and the elbows are adversely affected by this!

Imagine trying to walk in a pair of shoes 3 times too small that someone shoved your foot into? It’s super painful to live every day with overgrown nails. This is what your dog feels like when his nails are too long… pain with every step

Regular nail trims are easy and necessary! They help your dog feel better and move correctly! If the nails are too overgrown or your dog is foot sensitive ( often due to pain)… VetNaturally has solutions

  1. A multi team member approach – one person holding dog, one person tapping top of head , one person feeding treats, one person scratching the dog’s side and one person quickly trimming nails.
  2. If the above doesn’t work, we try oral sedation. The dog comes in relaxed and allows the nail trim.
  3. If that doesn’t work we offer reversible anesthesia. One injection to sedate and trim and then a quick reversal. In less than 5 minutes the nails are the correct length and the dog walks pain free. And future management is easy because the dog isn’t in pain anymore.

Dr. Ashley Geoghegan

Dr. Ashley Geoghegan, known affectionately as Dr. G, has spent a lifetime devoted to animal care. Dr. G graduated from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and served in the U.S. Army as a veterinary officer. At VetNaturally™, she practices Integrative Medicine, which is a combination of Traditional Chinese Veterinary medicine (TCVM) , canine rehabilitation and conventional Western medicine.