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What is the role of cat and dog paws?

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猫・犬の肉球の役割とは?ケア方法やお手入れグッズを紹介
Your pet's paws are an important place to care for at home. If the paws and nails are damaged, walking is difficult. If the season is summer, there is a danger of getting burned, and bacteria around the nails are likely to grow.
ここでは、猫や犬の爪の切り方や足元のトラブル、ペティオおすすめの爪のお手入れグッズなどを解説します。(最終更新日2023年3月10日)

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how to cut cat nails

How should I cut my cat's claws? Here are some tips on how to cut your cat's claws.

 

1 Secure the legs so that the cat does not run away

Because cats are often rampant, hold hugs and hold all their feet. Let's grasp the fingers firmly so that the cat's leg does not come out.

 

2 Press the cat's finger paws to expose the claws

Cat's nails are usually in your fingers, they are hidden and can not be seen. Lightly push the part of the finger above the meat ball, the hidden nails will come out.

 

3 Cut only the sharp tip

Cut off the sharp white tip with a cat nail clipper. The red part is a blood vessel, so cut only the tip so as not to damage it.

how to cut dog nails

How should I cut my dog's nails? Here are some tips on how to cut your dog's nails.

 

1 Hold the nail clipper so that the blade faces the outside of the nail

Be sure to hold the nail clipper so that the blade is on the outside. If the blade comes to the inside, it cuts too much and may bleed. For nails that are white and transparent, cut just before the blood vessels.

 

2 Check the extension line of the paws in case of black nails

In the case of a black nail where blood vessels can not be seen, it is checked whether there is a part protruding from the extension line of the face of the meat ball. If it extends longer than the extension line it will be a guide to cut.

 

3 Cut the nail little by little referring to the extension line of the paw

The claws on the ground cuts while looking at the state little by little so that it approaches the extension line of the meat ball. Also do not forget to cut off the nail of the forefoot at a remote place that hits the human thumb.

meatball trouble

The meat ball has a structure made of fat and elastic fiber inside, and works as a cushion when walking. The epidermis plays a role of anti-slip, characterized by sweat glands. Both for dogs and cats, they play an important role in protecting their feet. Beneath this epidermis, the nerves and blood vessels are distributed and the sensation is excellent, so the pain when you get hurt is also considered to be great. Please be careful as it may be hurt in everyday life, such as burns on asphalt and cuts with grassy. If the way you walk is strange, your pet is concerned, licking, it is red, has scratches, we recommend that you visit an animal hospital.

cat claw problem

A cat has a habit of taking nails by himself, chewing and arranging. However, in a condition such as stomatitis with troubles in the mouth, you will not care for the nails, the shape of the nail will be bad and the thickness will decrease and it will become brittle. If you think that the appearance is different from usual when cutting nails, let the veterinarian also see in the mouth.

dog nail problems

Dogs that naturally shave their nails during walks do not need to be trimmed as often. However, long nails can lead to many troubles. Make a habit of cutting if it is longer than the meat ball.
Common nail problems in dogs include:

 

Wound nail

It will happen if you leave your nails stretched too much. When it gets worse, it gets bitten into the meat ball and causes pain, making walking difficult.

 

Nails break

Just like humans, long nails are prone to splitting. Depending on how it breaks, it can cause pain or even injury.

 

Slide on the floor

If your nails are too long, your paws won't touch the floor too much, making them slippery. It can also cause pain in joints, etc., from idling.

 

The blood vessel stretches

As the nail continues to grow, the blood vessels in the nail also grow. If you walk on a hard paved road in that state, you need to be careful because your nails may be scraped and bleeding. On the other hand, if you cut your nails diligently, the blood vessels in your nails will retract, making it easier to cut your nails.

Petio recommended nail care goods

Petio also has a large selection of nail care products. Here are three products that we highly recommend.

Featured Products

Veterinarian tip: Nail and paw problems can be prevented with care from the owner.

Nail troubles include broken, cracked, and ingrown nails. You can prevent cracks and ingrown nails by cutting your nails regularly. The main cause of nail breakage is carelessness, such as putting a pet in the front basket of a bicycle and catching the nail on the lattice of the basket. Also, if you run the paws on uneven hard surfaces such as asphalt, they may be damaged and peel off. Just walking on asphalt and manholes on a hot day can burn you, so be careful. Refer to whether the temperature is safe for humans to walk barefoot, and be careful when taking a walk.
Another common problem with toes is that the way you wipe your feet after a walk causes bacteria to grow and cause inflammation. Wiping your feet with an unclean rag or washing your feet with water and not drying them properly between the pads can lead to acrops and paronychia. If your pet is licking its paws or turning red, see a doctor as soon as possible.

Supervision

Dr. Eriko Yoshida, Director of Senrioka Pet Clinic


Informed consent was kept in mind, trimming which has treatment as well as veterinarian consultation is carried out.

Senrio pet clinic
23-3 Shinashiroya, Suita City, Osaka Prefecture
TEL 06-6816-8270
https://e-animals-net.com/senriokapc/senriokapc.html

Frequently Asked Questions
犬や猫の肉球ケアQ&A

犬や猫の肉球の役割とは?
肉球は、脂肪と弾性繊維でできた組織が中にあり、歩く時クッションの働きをしています。表皮は滑り止めの役割をしていて、汗腺があるのが特徴。犬にとっても猫にとっても、足を保護する大切な役割を果たしています。アスファルトでのやけどや、草むらでの切り傷など、日常生活の中で傷つくことがあるので注意しましょう。


猫の爪切りの方法は?
まずは猫が逃げないように足をしっかり固定します。猫の指の肉球部分を押して爪を出し、白く尖った先端部分を猫用の爪切りでカットします。赤くなっているところは血管なので、傷つけないよう先だけをカットしましょう。


犬の爪切りの方法は?
必ず爪きりの刃が外側にくるように持って切ります。白く透明になっている爪の場合は、血管の手前を切り、血管が見えない黒い爪の場合は、肉球の面の延長線よりも長く伸びている部分をカットします。人間の親指に当たる、離れた場所にある前足の爪も忘れずに切りましょう。


猫の爪で起きるトラブルにはどんなものがある?
猫は爪を自分でとぎ、噛んで整える習性がありますが、口内炎など口の中にトラブルがある状態では、爪のケアをしなくなり、爪の形が悪くなり厚みも減ってもろくなってしまいます。爪を切る時にいつもと様子が違うと場合には、獣医師に口の中も診てもらいましょう。


犬の爪で起きるトラブルにはどんなものがある?
爪が伸びたままになっていると、巻き爪になったり、床で滑るなどのトラブルが生じやすくなります。また、爪が伸びている状態が続くと、爪の血管も伸びてくるため、その状態で硬い舗装路を散歩すると爪が削れ、出血することもあるため、注意が必要です。