The importance of nail and teeth care for your dog.

Nails

We really can't express enough how important it is for your dogs welfare and wellbeing to keep their nails at an acceptable length. Long nails are so uncomfortable for dogs (as the images demonstrate). Long nails change the shape of the dogs foot and can even change the way they walk. It's really important as an owner / adopter (of any breed) that you know what is an acceptable length for nails (sadly some vets / dogs groomers don't see a problem with nails being too long and may not cut them properly so ensure you find someone you trust and is experienced and knowledgeable if you need help with nail clipping). If your dogs nails have become too long it's important to trim them back gradually, little and often, to avoid cutting the kwik. You can use a nail grinder (dremel) if you prefer as they also give excellent results for keeping nails short if used correctly. We hope the images in this blog will help you.

Teeth

It's also extremely important for dogs health that their teeth are kept clean. Greyhounds are generally used to having their teeth brushed and most will stand happily while it is done, some are more difficult so if this is the case or you aren’t confident to do it yourself then you can seek the help of a professional (Ultrasonic teeth cleaning services are becoming popular). Raw bones can really help with keeping teeth clean (never give cooked bones), as can ostrich bones and other natural treats. Weekly brushing, treatment like 'plaque off' or giving seaweed can also help greatly.

Bad teeth can cause dogs a lot of discomfort as well as other more serious health problems. Bad teeth can also cause your dog to have terribly bad breath. Obviously if your dog requires a dental and needs teeth out then they may not be able to chew raw bones / dental chews so always make sure that the way you decide to keep your dogs teeth clean is right and safe for your individual dog.

If your dog has bad breath but their teeth are good then the smell could be coming from their gut. Check what you are feeding is good quality as this can help gut health and improve bad breath that isn’t caused by bad teeth. Adding natural yogurt to their diet can also help.

Ensuring your dogs nails are kept short and teeth are kept clean is BASIC animal care. If you aren't confident to do either of these yourself you should be able to ask a good vet or dog groomer for help. If you have a retired Greyhound your adoption group or local Greyhound kennel will likely be able to offer help too.

Teeth cleaning advice video from JW Canine Care - JW Canine Care – Caring-sharing-empowering (jillwoodmancaninecare.co.uk)