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190 Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant

The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in powder, put a pinch of the powder in a bottle or syringe
America (NAVTA) has a specific skill set for veterinary cap. Never dip the toenail into the jar itself as this can
assistants called the essential skills. Many of these contaminate the jar.
essential skills or clinical techniques are the “nursing” There several tools available to trim nails as described
skills utilized to care for patients. Whether they are ill or in Chapter 4. Human nail trimmers work well with cats’,
injured, require laboratory tests, a bandage on a wound, birds’, or lizards’ toenails. Cats’ nails tend to split easily
surgery or wellness procedures, a veterinary assistant and so if you realize that either a scissor type trimmer or
may be asked to perform these skills or to assist the a human nail trimmer is splitting the nails switch it out
veterinary technician or veterinarian with these tasks. for a new one and alert the inventory manager to order
These tasks may be completed in an exam room with a new trimmers. A Dremel™ rotary tool with a sandpaper
client present or in the treatment room for hospitalized or rough emery board bit can also be used to shorten
patients. nails and create a smoother look or surface. Care must
be taken when using this tool as it removes a lot of
material in a very short period.
Toenail Trimming If assisting, place the dog or cat in a sitting position or
in lateral recumbency. You will either restrain or need
Toenails are used for traction, defense, and in cats they assistance to restrain birds and pocket pets as they are
are used for climbing. Toenails can become overgrown restrained on their backs, and rabbits are held in sternal
and when they do the toes splay. In companion animals, recumbency. If you are trimming a dog’s nails by your-
they can get so long that they grow into the footpad, cre- self, the dog can be in a sitting or standing position. Cats
ating very painful feet and lameness. In livestock and are held in your lap with their backs to your abdomen
horses, they can start to curl at the tips. Nails of all ani- and each arm on either side of their body. Some animals
mals have a similar anatomy; the shape is a little different are OK with nail trims and others will fight, bite, and
in livestock and horses. The outer surface is hard and struggle. It seems to stem from a bad experience with
insensitive, the quick or ungual process is soft and con- nail trims; perhaps someone cut one or more too short
tains a blood vessel and a nerve (Figure 11.1). As the nail which is very painful and pets remember! These patients
grows in length from the nail bed at the junction of the often need a tranquilizer or sedative in order to do a
haired and hairless portions at the end of the toe, the good job on the trim, so it lasts. Always consult with the
quick extends as well. veterinarian if you have a patient that is struggling. If you
If you are lucky the nails will be transparent, and you over‐restrain it until it gives up, this just makes it worse
can see the quick as a pink color as seen in Figure 11.2a for the next time.
of this cat’s toenail. Otherwise the nails are black, as Some poor animals will have very overgrown nails, so
shown in Figure 11.2b, and you can’t see the quick until overgrown that they are penetrate the foot pad. This will
you have clipped some of the nail wall away. cause lameness and often infection. These patients must
Before you begin a toenail trim, gather supplies be anesthetized to trim the nails short. The quick will be
including treats for distraction, nail trimmer to fit the so long that you will cut it as you trim the nail to a normal
size of the pet (see Figure 4.14), a cotton ball, and a sil- length, and this is very painful. Also, you will need to clean
ver nitrate stick or styptic powder. The silver nitrate sticks out the puncture holes as per the veterinarian’s orders.
(Figure 11.3) are stored in their shipping container and Start trimming a nail by grasping the paw and placing
styptic powder is usually in a small jar. If using styptic your index finger just above the distal phalanx and your

Distal
phalanx
Quick – Nail wall
blood vessel
and nerve

Middle
phalanx

Toe Quick –
pad blood vessel
Nail First cut to and nerve
wall remove tip Angle cuts

FIGURE 11.1 Anatomy of a toenail and angle of clip.