First, gently hold your dog's paw in your hand. While looking down at your dog's semi-transparent nails, locate the pink region in the center of each nail. This pink area showing through the outside of the nail is the quick. It's that simple!
It lies in the center of the nail and is easily observable in white dog nails (appears pink). However, it is significantly hard to find the quick on black nails because it appears black on black nails. Therefore, you can't see this blood vessel from outside the nail.
The center of the nail will look darker when you get close to the quick, so when the middle of the nail starts to look dark (versus white), you can stop trimming. This is called the pulp, and it looks like a black spot in the middle of your dog's nail.
One of the very basic yet most important tricks when it comes to finding the quick on black dog nails is to find the pulp. In simple terms, the pulp is a dark circular (but easily identifiable) part of the nail. It is just next to the quick.
Trimming black nails
Go slowly. Hold your dog's paw firmly but gently. Position the clippers to cut the nail from top to bottom (not side to side) Trim a very small length of the nail, about 1/16th of an inch.
Place the nail clipper over each nail. Hold your dog firmly but gently and reassure him, provide a treat or distraction. Start squeezing clippers near the toes to make a clipping sound but do not actually clip the nail. Place the clipper on your dog's nail, but near the end, far away from the quick, and clip the nail.
The QuickFinder Deluxe Safety Nail Clipper by Miracle Care is a state-of-the-art grooming tool suitable for professional or home use. The built-in QuickSensor technology detects the quick (blood and nerve supply) of your dog's nail and alerts you before you cut.
Clip only the tip of the nail, straight across. Include the dewclaws, located on the inner side of the paw. Avoid clipping past the curve of the nail or you risk hitting what is called the quick (the pink area of the nail that contains the blood vessels). A nick there is painful and will bleed.
In most cases, after a dog's nails are trimmed the quick will start to recede after about 7 days. Depending on how long your dog's nails and quicks are, it might take a few months before you can get their nail to the desired length.
With your furry friend standing in front of you with their front legs under their shoulders, check their nails. Are they touching the ground? If so, then they're too long. And if you hear your dog's nails clicking or see them turn sideways, it's time for a trim.
If a dog nail quick is exposed, clean and wrap it to prevent infection. If the bleeding does not stop, visit your vet immediately.
When you fail to trim your dog's nails as frequently as needed, the quick grows along with the nail. In some cases, when the nails are extra-long, the quick may lengthen so much that it reaches the tip.
When you fail to trim your dog's nails on a regular basis, the quick grows with the nail. In some cases, when the nails are extra long, the quick may lengthen so much that it reaches the tip of the nail. When this happens, you won't be able to trim much of the nail without risking cutting through the quick.
If nails are clear, the quick appears pink and the nail growing past the quick is white. If nails are dark, the quick isn't as obvious. A bit of trivia: if a dog's paws are white, nails tend to be clear. Past the quick, the toenails don't have any nerves and they tend to be less sensitive.
Dogs need their nails clipped on a regular basis, approximately every 3-4 weeks; however, it is common for owners to wait too long in between trimmings which can lead to a number of health issues for the animal.
These are some of the most prevalent reasons of black, white or discoloured nails for your dog: Allergies & Aging. Infection with a fungus, a bacterial infection, or a yeast infection trauma. Nail Trauma.
Unless the area of bleeding is very small, an affected nail will usually fall off on its own after several weeks because the pooled blood has separated it from its bed. A new fingernail can regrow in as little as 8 weeks. A new toenail may not fully regrow for about 6 months.
You can get it from stubbing a toe or from footwear that cram your feet into the front of the shoe. The bruise usually starts out red, then becomes purple, dark brown, and finally black when blood beneath the nail pools and clots. Expect your black toenail to grow out in about 6 to 9 months or longer.
Your veterinarian may apply antibiotic ointment or powder to the exposed nail bed and bandage the foot to prevent contamination and to minimize further bleeding. An oral or injectable antibiotic may be advised as well. Since the nail bed or quick is attached to bone, prevention of infection is crucial.
If a black toenail is caused by an injury, the resulting spot from broken blood vessels will disappear once your nail grows out. Black toenail caused by trauma from an injury usually resolves on its own without treatment.
Step three: Locate the quick
Before you take the clippers or grinder to an overgrown nail, look at the nail in the light to identify the quick. On dogs with light-colored nails, the quick will appear as a darker, pinkish section within the nail.