Health

Your Dog's Arthritis Might be Toenails that are too Long!

Lameness that might appear to be a result of arthritis could actually arise from too-long or ingrown toenails. Since older dogs are less active than younger ones, they may not get enough exercise to wear down their nails naturally. The untrimmed nails then continue to grow, curling and twisting, sometimes even growing into a pad of the paw. Even if the nail is slightly long it can effect the way your dog walks, putting undo stress on tendons and ligaments.

A quick visual check of your dog's paws may uncover a simple solution to what you thought was a debilitating problem. (Of course, ITA people check and trim their dogs' nails on a regular basis!)