For most pets, large and small, it is necessary to check their nails, hooves

The companion animals that we enjoy have a lifestyle quite different from their wild counterparts.  

The wild dog digging to get at a marmot or the wild horse racing with its herd have little need to have claws or hooves trimmed.  The poodle that goes from the house to the lawn and back to the house again has nothing to wear down his ever-growing nails.  

They may cause him difficulty when trying to walk on vinyl floors since a dog cannot retract them as a cat would. Nails often get caught in the carpet and may break in the “quick” causing bleeding and lameness.  

If let go too long, the nails may grow full circle and grow back into the dog’s foot resulting in an infected ulcer. Dewclaws are especially subject to trauma and overgrowth. They are the cause of many scratched legs as dogs jump up to greet their owners. 

To avoid the pitfalls of long nails, regular trimming should be on the schedule of the housedog.  

Dewclaws can be surgically removed easily from new puppies. If removed when pups are two or three days old, problems are often avoided. Depending on the breed of a show dog, dewclaws may be required to be either be present or removed.

 Cats have their trouble with claws, although most of them are attributed to the cat’s irrepresible urges.  Since a cat is able to retract his claws, he does not have the same difficulties with vinyl floors and carpets that the dog does. 

Many cats, however, use carpets and furniture for scratching posts. If a housecat happily rips the drapes and sofa to shreds while ignoring your Calvin Klein scratching post, it may be time to consider having his claws surgically removed.  This is often preferable to kicking him out of the house.

 Horses kept on a few acres of pasture seldom wear down their hooves enough to keep up with the growth. The wear that does occur is often uneven.  This creates stress in the hoof that leads to cracks and lameness.  Most horses need to have their hooves trimmed at least every six to eight weeks.  This is doubly important for the horse with shoes on since the hoof may grow completely over the shoe.  The shoe would then act like a rock wedged up inside the foot.

 Even sheep and goats need hoof trimming each four to eight weeks.  Otherwise, permanent hoof deformity and lameness may result.

(Dr. Fred Conkel is veterinarian at Westgate Clinic in Libby.)