Older Dog Cries In Pain From Walking On “Longest Nails Our Staff Has Ever Seen”

Once a dog’s nails start touching the ground, they should be clipped by a qualified professional, such as a dog groomer, vet tech, or even by the pet parent at home.

Regular nail clippings keep a dog happy, healthy, and well-balanced. Long nails on a dog are painful and the equivalent of walking on very high heels all day.

No dog should have to suffer the pain associated with untrimmed nails. The folks at the Humane Society of Marion County, Florida, recently encountered a stray dog with the worst nails they’d ever seen.

The 10-year-old Labrador mix arrived at the shelter in terrible condition. She was full of lumps and had the longest nails shelter workers ever encountered.

According to a Facebook post, “Some of Docena’s nails were so long they began to TWIST and painfully curl around each other.”

The only way the dog would have wound up like that is from pure neglect. No one knows how long she was on her own, but they do know her nails were in dire need of urgent care.

Because Docena’s nails were so long, they had to be very carefully trimmed. Additionally, some tumors had to be removed under anesthesia.

The shelter reminded everyone that more than one-quarter of female dogs who are not spayed will develop at least one mammary tumor in their lifetime.

These tumors are often cancerous, so it is a good idea to have a dog spayed or neutered when appropriate.

They also discovered the dog has a leg deformity that she was likely born with. It doesn’t appear to cause her any problems, as she actively uses the leg.

As Docena slowly recovers and starts to feel the joy of walking without very long nails, she will be cared for by the staff at the Humane Society.

We wish her all the best in recovery and remind our readers always to check their dog’s nail length. Your veterinarian or pet groomer can assess if it is time to clip them.

H/T: Humane Society of Marion County Florida/Facebook

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For most people, dogs are not just our pets, they are our family members. When you bring a dog into your life, things just seem to get a lot more exciting.

There’s few things that are better than coming home after a long day of work and having your beloved furbaby happily greet you at the door.

While we love our pups and they love us back unconditionally, there are a few “annoying habits” that our dogs may not really like.

Here are 12 pet peeves that many dogs have, according to Bright Side:

Hugging- While it’s hard to resist giving our pups a big squeeze, many dogs feel restricted and consider it a controlling act.

Using words more than body language- Of course, dogs can understand a select few words, but we all know that they can’t comprehend every single thing we are saying. Because of this, dogs tend to watch our body language to understand what we are trying to tell them.

Patting their heads– Similar to the hugging, many dogs don’t like when their personal space is invaded. Most would prefer being pet on their back or even scratched behind their ears.

Keeping eye contact– Looking straight into a dog’s eyes without blinking, especially a dog you don’t know, may come across as an act of assertion or dominance. If you’re meeting a new dog for the first time, it’s important not to make strong eye contact right off the bat.

Lacking rules and structure- Since it’s not always easy for dogs and humans to communicate with each other with words, it’s important for them to have rules and structure so that they can feel more comfortable in a routine and have trust in you.

Keeping them on a tight leash- If you hold the leash too tightly, it can make the pup feel stressed or uneasy.

Not letting them explore and smell- The majority of dogs love to see the world around them instead of being cooped up inside all day. They enjoy sniffing around and visiting new places. Keeping them inside and not letting them explore could make them feel depressed or isolated.

Forcing them to interact with dogs/people they don’t like- Putting your dog in an uncomfortable position can end up badly for either them, or for the dog/person that they feel uncomfortable around. Even if your dog is not aggressive, they may act in a defensive manner if they’re forced to be near someone they don’t want to interact with.

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Being tense- Pets are very good at sensing our moods and feelings, so if we are tense and stressed, our dogs may start to feel that way too.

Being boring- Dogs are energetic, playful animals and love to have some excitement in their lives. They can feel lonely easily if left home alone all day, so it’s important to show them attention and play with them whenever you get the chance.

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Exposing them to strong smells- A dog’s smell is nearly 40 times greater than ours, so certain fragrances like air fresheners or cleaning sprays that may not affect us, could really bother them. Make sure to keep things like this a good distance from them. 

Bathing them- While not all dogs dread bath time, many of them do. Using a slip-resistant mat at the bottom of the tub could help them feel more comfortable. The temperature of the water should be lukewarm, not too hot and not too cold.

U.S. Air Force/Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III

Of course, our dogs will love us unconditionally no matter what, but paying attention to the things that bother them could help strengthen the relationship you share with them even more!

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