How to yKYf Recognize Signs yKYf of Overgrown yKYf Nails in yKYf Your Pet

As pet owners, we always yKYf want what’s best for our yKYf furry friends. From feeding them yKYf nutritious food to taking them yKYf on regular walks and giving yKYf them endless love and cuddles, yKYf we do everything in our yKYf power to ensure their happiness yKYf and well-being. But when it yKYf comes to nail care, many yKYf of us tend to overlook yKYf this important aspect of pet yKYf grooming. Overgrown nails can cause yKYf discomfort, pain, and even lead yKYf to serious health issues if yKYf left unchecked. So how can yKYf you tell if your pet’s nails are getting too long?

In this blog post, we’ll yKYf help you recognize the signs of overgrown yKYf nails in your pets and provide helpful tips yKYf on how to keep their yKYf paws healthy and happy.

What are Overgrown Nails?

Overgrown nails can be a yKYf sign of several health issues in your pet, such as nail fungus, yKYf overgrowth of the nail plate, yKYf or infection. If you are yKYf noticing that your pet’s nails have grown significantly faster yKYf than usual, or if they yKYf have developed an odd odor yKYf or color to them, it yKYf is important to bring them yKYf in for a checkup. There yKYf are a few things that yKYf you can do at home to help promote healthy yKYf nails in your pet, and overall good health.

Some tips for promoting healthy nails yKYf in your pet include providing plenty of yKYf good quality food and water, yKYf giving them an occasional bath yKYf with a mild soap and yKYf water, and clipping their nails yKYf regularly. Overgrown nails may be due to yKYf many different causes; however, if yKYf you notice any of the yKYf following signs or symptoms associated yKYf with overgrown nails in your yKYf pet, it is important to yKYf bring them in for a yKYf check up:

• Your pet’s nails are growing faster than yKYf usual
• There is an odd odor yKYf or color to their nails
• The nail bed becomes thickened yKYf or discolored
• There is a green or yKYf yellow hue to their nails
• Nails grow in crooked or yKYf wonky shapes

If you are noticing any yKYf of these signs or symptoms yKYf in your pet, it is yKYf important to bring them in yKYf for a checkup. Overgrown nails yKYf can be a sign of yKYf several health issues, and if yKYf not treated immediately, they may yKYf lead to more serious conditions.

Causes of Overgrown Nails in yKYf Pets

Overgrown nails in pets can be a sign yKYf of a variety of underlying yKYf problems, including malnutrition, poor hygiene, yKYf and untreated health issues.

Some of the most common causes of overgrown nails yKYf in pets include:

• Inadequate diet. Pets that aren’t given enough yKYf nutritious food can develop tendons yKYf and bones that are too yKYf small or weak to support yKYf a thick nail growth plate. This can lead yKYf to overgrowth of the nail yKYf bed and ultimately shortened nails.

• Inadequate grooming. Pets with untrimmed nails often yKYf have bald patches on their yKYf paws or undersized teeth, due yKYf to frequent clipping away at yKYf the excess fur around their yKYf nails rather than keeping it yKYf neatly trimmed. Unkempt nails also yKYf offer bacteria an opportunity to yKYf grow unchecked, leading to infection yKYf and overgrowth of nail tissue.

• Dermatologic disorders. Some pets can develop yKYf skin conditions that cause inflammation yKYf and excessive cellular turnover in yKYf the skin beneath their nails. yKYf This results in soft, spongy yKYf tissue that easily tears and yKYf hardens into dense nail plates yKYf (as seen in major medical yKYf conditions like psoriasis). Overgrown nails yKYf may also be a sign yKYf of other medical conditions, such yKYf as liver disease or diabetes yKYf mellitus; consult your veterinarian for yKYf more information if you’re concerned yKYf about your pet’s nail health.

• Injury. Pets that suffer from frequent yKYf fractures or other injuries to yKYf their bones and joints can yKYf develop bands of calcium and yKYf other minerals around their nails yKYf as a result of the yKYf trauma. This strong growth can yKYf cause the nails to become yKYf overgrown and thickened, sometimes leading yKYf to clawing behavior or even yKYf chronicity (persistent) nail problems.

• Exposure to harsh chemicals. Many pet owners use harsh yKYf detergents and cleaning agents on yKYf their carpets, rugs, furniture, and yKYf other surfaces inside and outside yKYf the home. These chemicals can yKYf irritate the skin and coatings yKYf on pets’ paws, which can yKYf lead to excessive nail growth.

• Genetic condition. There are many rare inherited yKYf conditions that can cause pets to experience excessively long yKYf hair, excessive body hair, or yKYf unusually shaped nails. If you’re yKYf aware of any medical history yKYf in your pet indicating that yKYf they might be susceptible to yKYf nail overgrowth, consult your veterinarian yKYf for more information about diagnosing yKYf and treating the underlying condition(s).

• Medical condition. If your pet is experiencing yKYf nail overgrowth, it’s important to yKYf consult a veterinarian to rule yKYf out any underlying medical conditions.

Some common causes of nail yKYf overgrowth in pets include:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an yKYf autoimmune disease that can cause yKYf widespread skin and joint inflammation

• Musculoskeletal problems, like arthritis

• Diabetic nephropathy, a kidney disease yKYf that can lead to reduced yKYf blood flow to the feet yKYf and impaired blood circulation

• Hemochromatosis, an iron storage disorder yKYf that can cause abnormal nail yKYf growth

• Hyperthyroidism, a condition in which yKYf the thyroid gland produces too yKYf much hormone, leading to extreme yKYf hair growth on the body yKYf and around the nails

• Parkinson’s disease, a neurological disorder yKYf that can affect movement and yKYf coordination

• Congenital heart defects, which can yKYf lead to fluid retention in yKYf the body and conditions such yKYf as heartworm infection

• Cancer, including sarcomas (a type yKYf of cancer of tissues near yKYf the surface of the body) yKYf and lymphoma (cancer of the yKYf lymphatic system)

How to Recognize Overgrown Nails yKYf in Your Pet

In order to recognize overgrown yKYf nails in your pet, it yKYf is important to understand the yKYf nail growth cycle. The nail yKYf growth cycle is divided into yKYf two phases: an initial growth yKYf phase and a maturation phase. yKYf During the initial growth phase, yKYf newly formed nails grow quickly. yKYf However, as nails reach adulthood, yKYf they enter the maturation phase. yKYf In this phase, nails grow yKYf at a slower rate and yKYf can become overgrown if not yKYf monitored. Some signs that your yKYf pet may have overgrown nails yKYf include:

• Nails that extend past the yKYf paw pads
• Nails that are thick and yKYf hard to trim
• Nails that curve or swirl yKYf outwards
• Nails that are discolored from yKYf fungus or vitamin B12 deficiency
  If you notice any of yKYf these signs in your pet, yKYf it is important to bring yKYf them in for a check-up yKYf so their nails can be yKYf trimmed properly. Overgrown nails can yKYf lead to pain when trying yKYf to walk or groom your pet, and can also cause yKYf injuries if not treated correctly yKYf .

Treatment for Overgrown Nails

If you have a pet yKYf that is exhibiting signs of yKYf overgrown nails, there are a yKYf few things you can do yKYf to help alleviate the situation. yKYf First, be sure to provide yKYf your pet with good nutrition. yKYf This will help keep their yKYf hair and nails healthy and yKYf will prevent them from developing yKYf overgrown nails in the first yKYf place. Additionally, make sure they yKYf get regular exercise. This will yKYf also help keep their nails yKYf thin and prevent them from yKYf growing excessively long. If overgrown yKYf nails are a chronic problem, yKYf seek out professional veterinary care. yKYf Veterinarians can perform treatments such yKYf as prescribing antibiotics or corticosteroids yKYf to reduce inflammation in the yKYf nail tissue, which can then yKYf lead to growth cessation.

If overgrown nails are a yKYf concern, be sure to consult yKYf your veterinarian so they can yKYf determine the best course of yKYf action for you and your yKYf pet.

Conclusion

If you’re noticing that your yKYf pet’s nails are getting a bit yKYf too long, there are some yKYf simple steps you can take yKYf to address the issue. Start yKYf by doing a quick check yKYf for infection around the nails yKYf or cuts on the pad yKYf of each nail. If you yKYf notice any redness, soreness, swelling yKYf or drainage, then it’s time yKYf to take action. You can yKYf trim back the nails if yKYf they are within touching distance yKYf of the skin and remove yKYf anything that is embedded in yKYf between the nail and underlying yKYf layers of tissue (this includes yKYf embedded dirt, fungus etc.).

Finally, apply a topical analgesic yKYf such as flurbiprofen (ibuprofen) or yKYf meta cam (rocaltrol). If these yKYf measures don’t solve your pet’s overgrown nails problem – or if they yKYf cause further problems down the yKYf line – make an appointment yKYf with your veterinarian for additional yKYf instructions.