Nail trimming should become a part of your pets routine early in life. Start by trimming only a few nails at a time. Give lots of treats and praise to help make the experience a positive one for you and your pet.
Cats: Push down gently on the furthest part of your cat’s toe. This will expose the nail. Look for the pink portion at the base of the nail, this area contains the blood vessels and nerves. Trim the white portion up to a 3-4mm before the pink section of the nail with a sharp pair of nail clippers. Trim both front and back claws. Do not forget to trim the dewclaws- these nails are found on the inside of the paws, and are the equivalent of human thumbs. They do not occur in all cats, and are generally just on the front paws.
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Dogs: Some dogs have white nails, while others have black nails. If your dog has white nails, look for the pink portion at the base of the nail. This area contains the blood vessels and nerves. Trim the white portion up to 4-5mm before the pink section of the nail with a sharp pair of dog nail clippers.
If your dog has black nails, trim back the end of the nail, and look at the nail. As you get closer to the blood vessels, you will be able to see a dark circle at the centre of the nail.
Trim both front and back claws. Do not forget to trim the dewclaws- these nails are found on the inner side portion of the paw, and are the equivalent of human thumbs. They are present on the front paws of most dogs, and on some dogs on the back paws as well.
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