Grooming & Nail Clipping

Some grooming is essential to keep your pets happy and healthy. Our veterinary nurses are not stylists but can provide some grooming services to make sure your pets are comfortable. 

Grooming 

Routine brushing and styling are best done by a trained dog groomer, however sometimes more intense grooming is needed. Dogs and cats with long coats can become matted, especially in older animals who are unable to groom themselves. Once matts form, they can become very tight, and are often close to the skin. Trying to remove these at home can be dangerous as it is easy to accidentally cut the skin. Our nurses can carefully remove matted fur using clippers, and check for any underlying skin problems. 

Some pets will not tolerate matts being removed, especially if they are sore or in difficult to reach areas (such as under the belly or armpits). For these pets, sedation may be advised. The nurse will discuss this with you if necessary. 

Nail clipping 

Some pets will require nail clipping if their nails are not wearing down naturally. In dogs, this may be due to the shape of their foot or the type of walks they do. For cats, it is often house cats with no outdoor access who are unable to wear their claws naturally. In older cats and dogs, nails can curl round and grow into the foot pads so regular checks of the nails are essential. 

Each nail has a blood vessel down the centre – if the nail is trimmed too short this can bleed, though it isn’t painful. Our veterinary nurses are highly trained, but even they can sometimes catch the blood vessel, especially in pets with dark coloured claws. Products are available to stop any bleeding and the nurses can apply these if needed. 

Most pets will allow their nails to be clipped, though many don’t like their feet being touched so they need to be held securely. Sometimes, this is better done by another trained person! Rarely, some pets become so stressed that it is better to give them a light sedation. The nurse will discuss this if necessary.

Nail clipping is included in The Healthy Pet Club membership*

^{*Sedation not included if needed.}

Disclaimer

Please note that the content made available on this webpage is for general information purposes only. Whilst we try to ensure that at the time of writing all material is up to date and reflects industry standards, we make no representation, warranties or guarantees that the information made available is up to date, accurate or complete. Any reliance placed by yourselves is done so at your own risk.