Ow! my claws...
Reilly tore another claw this morning after a short walk in the woods. She is just awful on her paws. The pads are tough and fine but despite my best care, Adventure Dog gets lacerations up in the webbing between the pads, and occasionally tears off a nail.
A friend of mine has Danes, and she told me that to keep a nice tight paw, they cut their claws really short. I dismissed this a foofy show thing, but I must eat crow. These foofy show things are often borne out of some function (eg. the poodle haircut) and perhaps Reilly's feet are too wide and spready and that's why she gets cut in between her toes and rips her claws. I dont know.
I am told this is common in Labradors- though we dont know what Reilly is for sure- I guess the common factor is a big, hunty dog that hasn't got time for the pain. And one would think that all the cartilage/gelatin-making-stuff she eats in her raw breakfasts would have her nails is great shape. Yet here we are.
For the record, she never seemed in pain about it and I only noticed it when I was prompted to do a 4 Paw Check when I saw her licking a different paw. The vet used the hemostat scissor things and popped it off - again, no flinching- and she's bandaged up for the moment to keep it clean.
All I can think of now is that she should really wear boots on ALL outings. She religiously wears Muttluks on the salty road for leashers, and I have GripTrex boots for the woods but I have not been putting them (the Griptrex) on her b/c it's easier not to and I am afraid to lose a boot. Well, a $15 boot is better than a $97 vet visit.
A friend of mine has Danes, and she told me that to keep a nice tight paw, they cut their claws really short. I dismissed this a foofy show thing, but I must eat crow. These foofy show things are often borne out of some function (eg. the poodle haircut) and perhaps Reilly's feet are too wide and spready and that's why she gets cut in between her toes and rips her claws. I dont know.
I am told this is common in Labradors- though we dont know what Reilly is for sure- I guess the common factor is a big, hunty dog that hasn't got time for the pain. And one would think that all the cartilage/gelatin-making-stuff she eats in her raw breakfasts would have her nails is great shape. Yet here we are.
For the record, she never seemed in pain about it and I only noticed it when I was prompted to do a 4 Paw Check when I saw her licking a different paw. The vet used the hemostat scissor things and popped it off - again, no flinching- and she's bandaged up for the moment to keep it clean.
All I can think of now is that she should really wear boots on ALL outings. She religiously wears Muttluks on the salty road for leashers, and I have GripTrex boots for the woods but I have not been putting them (the Griptrex) on her b/c it's easier not to and I am afraid to lose a boot. Well, a $15 boot is better than a $97 vet visit.
Comments
Not sure on how to prevent something like this from happening. =\
I can't think of anything preventative to do for her except be consistent about her wearing boots, keep her nails short and round them with the dremel so they dont crack so much. I ordered two spare Griptrex now to take the sting out of eventually losing one. Perhaps I will comply better knowing Ive already bit that bullet.
This is at least the 4th time she's busted a claw in this way, but its probably the worst looking. My poor girl.
Her vet called yesterday to check up on her- she said we need to keep it from reopening, and that if it did keep opening and bleeding then I could bring her back in and they could give her a local anesthetic and cauterize the quick- but she doesnt want to do this unless she has to- she said its painful.
Preventatively, she said if we ever put Reilly under general anesthesia for a dental or something, that they could "quick" her nails - cut them super short. The Dane thing, I guess. I dont think her nails have been crazy long, I have seen plenty of dogs with much longer overgrown claws, but she is a big dog and I guess is better off with really short bathtub claws.
By the way, what are hemostat scissors?!
So that is how long it takes for a claw to heal!
And Kyla- hemostat scissors are those things that *look* like scissors but instead of blades they have a flat clamp. They lock closed so you can clamp things without slipping.