156 The Perils of Nail Trims

Episode 156 – The Perils of Nail Trims

This is SUCH an important topic so I was delighted to hear a presentation on nail trims at our recent European College Conference in Slovenia.

Far too often, we "squeeze" a nail trim in between consultations or at the end of a consultation, requiring team members to be pulled away from what they are doing to perform an often very scary and aversive procedure in a short space of time and under pressure.

Not only do nail trims cause fear, anxiety and stress in our cats and dogs, but they can also be a source of pain and discomfort, especially if done incorrectly.

There are, of course, situations where nail trims are necessary for health, mobility and comfort, these should however been done with the time, patience and care they deserve.

Have a listen as I chat about the main takeaways from the below paper and share my personal experiences of nail trims and how they can be done in a better way.

The Cooperative Care Episode I mention in this episode is Episode 136 – Cooperative Care with Charlotte Lewis.

And, here's a link to the paper I mention in the episode:

Chen, A., Hall, E., Bennington, L.N., McGowan, C. and Quain, A., 2026. "One of the Hardest Things I Have to Do in the Clinic": A Survey of Veterinary Team Members' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Nail Clipping. Veterinary Sciences, 13(2), p.115.

If you'd like to learn more about appropriate pre-visit-pharmaceuticals, then my PSYCHOACTIVE course is for you:

https://katrin-jahn.mykajabi.com/psychoactive

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