Trixie-belle ! Needing a little trim to the back nails		Mouse ! These are ok for now - but borderline at the back
Nice clear nails help you to locate the pink quick [blood vessel]		It is harder to know where the quick is in black nails so be more cautious

You need to trim your piggies nails so that:

• They don't get too long and get caught whilst she is running around / or being held- risking her breaking a toe or ripping a nail out
• You don't want them to get too long so the nail curls round and grows into the soft bed of her paw (can happen mostly in the front paw) which will be incredibly painful and will become infected
• Your piggy will feel more comfortable running around with neatly trimmed nails and less likely to injure herself when scratching etc
• Your piggy may sometimes grow 'spurs' on the side of her paws - these can be painlessly clipped off when you trim your piggy's nails to prevent them catching and tearing - if you are not 100% certain that what you think is a spur [sort of like hardened nail growth but not from a toe, from the side of her paw which can also curl under the foot if not clipped] is a spur then don't attempt to cut it - get it checked by your vet so you don't accidently injure your pig.

I check the Wheekies nails every week or so, just to keep an eye on them - it probably works out that I give them a little trim every 6 weeks. If your piggies are outside and/or have access to run over hard / rough surfaces you will find that their nails will wear down a little more on their own, but will still probably need clipping from time to time, but for indoor piggies who don't wear their nails down so much you will need to trim them down more often.

It is best to trim them on a fairly regular basis - a little bit off say every 6 weeks rather than waiting and cutting a large amount off every 6 months - this is because if the nail is allowed to grow too long, the quick (blood vessel in the nail) will grow further up into the nail making the likelihood of you cutting through it greater. If you cut a little bit off regularly then the quick will gradually recline back down the nail so you can cut a little bit shorter each time.

• I use the type of nail clipper used for small dogs/cats but you can also use human nail clippers - whatever feels most comfortable for you
• You might want a towel handy if you prefer to towel wrap your piggy to cut her nails, if she's a bit of a wriggler
• Another pair of hands ! It helps to have someone else hold your pig whilst you concentrate on clipping !

You should clip the nail a little way in front of the quick - in clear nailed piggies you can see this as a pink blood vessel in the nail - in darker (black) nailed pigs it can be harder to know where the quick is- some people shine a torch under the nail to show the quick, this will show up slightly darker than the nail, you can also normally see an indented line under the dead bit of nail which can also look a bit lighter/drier. You should safely be able to clip this part off - it is really experience - if you are not sure where the quick is err on the side of caution - you can always make an appointment with your vet / or ask a local breeder / rescue who will show you what to do.

To clip my piggy's nails I sit them on a helpers lap, with their backs to the helpers tummy, sitting up on their back legs - then I reach down and take each foot in turn holding gently but firmly and then simply clip the end of the nail off - using a firm clip - make sure you don't twist the toe around and hurt your piggy - if your piggy squirms when you apply pressure to the clippers you may be a little near the quick - move a bit nearer the end of the nail and try again - but be warned - some piggies squirm and squeal wherever you clip them - before you even get anywhere near the nail ! The back feet are normally easier than the front ones as they are normally straighter and more accessible - these can often be done confidently without a helper - the front nails can sometimes curl over a bit making it a bit trickier and pigs do like to try and tuck their front paws under their chins so you can't get to them ! You can towel wrap your piggy with her paws sticking out one at a time and trim them that way if it helps - say, if the wriggling undermines your confidence. Whatever works for you.

If you cut through the quick your piggy's nail will bleed and your piggy will more than likely squeal with the pain. I have done this once, to Mouse, who has black nails - she squeaked and then dripped a few drops of blood from her nail - it was when I was starting out - she wriggled her foot just as I clipped - and I felt awful ! I sat her in my lap and held a towel on her nail - it stopped almost immediately, I put her back in the pen and she was absolutely fine - with no after effects - looking at me asking for a treat. I have since bought a 'Styptic Pencil' (I got mine from Boots the Chemist) which is what men use when they cut themselves shaving - to dab on the nail should I do this again - but, fortunately this hasn't happened again (now I am wiser to wriggles) and so I have never actually used it.

Once you have clipped your piggy's nails a couple of times you should find it relatively easy and you will soon gain confidence in carrying out this very necessary task.

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Page Last Updated:10/03/06