26/03/2024
I get it....this isn't going to be as popular as other posts, but this message is really important.❗Especially if you have a dog with behavioural issues.❗❗
Reactive dogs especialy can have this very issue and it is a contributing factor.
Within a few minutes of arriving at a clients home and especially if they are reactive, I glance at a dogs claws.
The majority of the time they are overgrown and I can see the claws have caused their toes to splay out, the huge amount of tightness and tension in the foot and the way those long claws are causing pain to this dog.
I will explain to this client just how very important it is to keep a dogs claws short.....often I am met with jaws dropped and a statement of " I had no idea !".
What I cant describe in the graphic is when they grow too long and dogs walk on a hard surface and for some (if long enough) any surface... there is enormous pressure and pain from those claws being pushed back up. They cannot sink into the ground.
That pressure/energy has to go somewhere and it is right back up into the toe and paw, but that is often just the start of the issues.
That causes a change in how paws move...that changes how joints move...that changes how hips move.
From a few long claws a dog can be in pain in multiple areas in their body.
They are not like our nails at all.
If we have long nails, no problem....it usually doesn't cause us any issues at all.
For dogs though.... they can be in incredible pain and will NOT show it in ways we may recognise easily....however they certainly DO show it in their behaviour.
"I will just walk more on concrete"....
Concrete walks are usually not enough to wear down long claws as they can grow much faster than they are worn down.
Those same concrete walks can also cause serious pain.
The remarkable thing about dogs claws is the nerve/blood supply shrinks back just a little when the claws are cut.
If you have a dog with clear claws you can usually see this as a pinky/red core inside the nail.....DONT cut that.
Trim the claws often enough and that pinky/red core will start to shrink back every time (even if it is a mm)....Over a few weeks or months, that is how you get short claws.
If you need help, see a groomer or a veterinarian.
If they are really long you will need multiple visits (if you are unable to do this yourself).
If you have a dog with black claws, get a trusted groomer to do this or show you how and when to stop.
Cutting claws isn't a cure for behavioural issues....but the pain associated with them can be a major contributor.
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