Ensuring Health

Watch the Toenails

Watch the Toenails

Long toenails strain the feet and make walking difficult. The wrist joints often weaken with age, then the arch flattens and the food lets down. The nails can no longer grip the ground and so they grow rapidly. An old dog’s nails rarely wear down to comfortable length naturally, so it is necessary to shorten them with a nail trimmer or a coarse nail file to give the dog better footing on smooth surfaces. 

Whatever the state of the nails, however, an old dog is likely to become uncertain on his feet. He may not even try to jump anymore or, if he does, he falls back, if he is used to snoozing on your bed, don’t deny him the privilege, he’ll miss it. Instead, place a low chair beside the bed to let him hop up in easy stages. The same goes for the windows he enjoys looking out to watch the world go by. Arrange a low chair or an ottoman close to the window so that he can sit there and watch for you to come home.