Op-Ed: Nail Trims

Submitted by Shannon Rudin, University of Minnesota

We've all been there. You get a dog with jet black nails, it won't hold still, your next appointment is waiting, and you accidently cut the quick of the dog's nail. The bleeding starts, you feel a punch of guilt, and you quickly lather the nail bed with Kwik-Stop to prevent more bleeding. By doing so, a fearful association with touching feet, visiting the veterinarian and pain has been formed. I'm not here to say that people are intentionally hurting animals or make anyone feel shame for previously nicking one too many nails. I'm saying that we need to make a change moving forward. For our sake, for our patient's sake, and for our client's sake. I think that some people feel the need to get nails as short as possible in order to make the nail trim worth the client's money and allow them to hold off longer from coming in for another appointment. I think that some people are trained to cut them swiftly and have the Kwik-Stop on hand knowing you'll probably knick a few but that it's no big deal. The problem is that this is a big deal. Puppies and kittens aren't born afraid of their nails being trimmed. The fear is built from years of painful memories associated with nail trimmers and a lack of positive associations with their feet being touched. The fear is what leads to clients complaining that they can't even touch their pet's feet. The fear is what leads to stress and physical harm of veterinary staff when attempting to fulfill a client's request. The fear is what leads to overall friendly dogs that need a muzzle and restraint to get a nail trim completed. I know that the nail trimming process may never be perfect. Owners may goof up at home and unintentionally create a fear-based relationship with nail trimming. Groomers may be involved in a dog or cat's life and they too, are humans that make human-like errors and may clip a nail or two too short. Anyone trimming an animal's nails is subject to making a mistake and I know that human error is inevitable. I do have a problem with not at least attempting to change the process. The veterinary profession is moving toward fear-free spaces for all patients and cautious nail trimming is intimately intertwined with this movement. I propose that we emphasize making the nail trimming process a smoother event for everyone involved. It's better to trim the nails to a medium length in a trauma-free process than to try to send home a nail free, yellow-toed, panicked patient. Save yourself and your team the burden of working with aggressive and non-compliant patients by starting the slow, gentle approach early on in their lives. Work with owners to find an appropriate plan for adult patients with pre-established nail related stress, anxiety, or aggression. Nail trimming isn't going anywhere, but like every other process or procedure in our career field, it should continuously evolve to more appropriately serve it's purpose.