# “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

## TL;DR

This study explores how nail clipping affects animal welfare and staff safety, finding that it often causes stress in pets and injuries in veterinary staff.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into veterinary staff's experiences with nail clipping and highlights the need for improved training and interventions.

## Key findings

- Most veterinary staff perform nail clipping multiple times per week, often causing fear and stress in pets.
- Over three-quarters of respondents reported being injured during nail clipping, with negative attitudes linked to higher injury rates.
- Pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions can reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in animals during nail clipping.

## Abstract

Nail clipping can cause fear, anxiety, and stress in dogs and cats, and possibly long-term aversion to veterinary care. This procedure is often performed by veterinary nurses, technicians, and other veterinary staff. We explored their knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Most veterinary team members clipped nails in dogs and cats multiple times per week. Most dogs and cats displayed fear, anxiety, and stress in association with nail clipping. Almost 4/5 of respondents had been injured during nail clipping. Those reporting a negative attitude towards nail clipping were more likely to report being injured during a nail clip compared to those with a positive attitude. Some felt pressure to persevere with nail clipping when they felt it was unnecessary or when animals exhibited severe distress. Where used, pre-visit pharmaceuticals and sedation effectively reduced fear, anxiety, and stress, along with non-pharmaceutical interventions such as gentle handling and counter-conditioning. In general, respondents felt that nail clipping was a difficult, undervalued task. Increased training of veterinary team members on this common yet difficult procedure has the potential to improve animal welfare and the safety of veterinary team members.

Nail clipping can cause fear, anxiety, and stress (FAS) in dogs and cats and possibly long-term aversion to veterinary care. We conducted an anonymous, online, mixed-methods survey to characterise the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Australian veterinary nurses, technicians, and other veterinary staff regarding nail clipping in dogs and cats. Among 242 valid responses, 71.9% (n = 174/242) performed nail clipping multiple times per week. Dogs (72.4%, n = 165/228) and cats (59%, n = 134/227) frequently displayed FAS (score > 2/5) during nail clipping. Most respondents (79.8%, n = 193/242) reported being injured while performing nail clipping. Respondents reporting a negative attitude towards nail clipping were 5.5 times (95% CI = 1.7–17.8) more likely to report being injured during a nail clip compared to those with a positive attitude. Respondents reported feeling pressure to persevere with nail clipping when it was unnecessary or when animals exhibited severe FAS. Where used, pre-visit pharmaceuticals and sedation were reported to effectively reduce FAS (dog: p = 0.015; cat: p = 0.152), along with non-pharmaceutical interventions such as gentle handling and counter-conditioning. Respondents perceived nail-clipping to be a difficult, undervalued task. Increased training of veterinary team members regarding nail clipping could improve animal welfare and the safety of veterinary team members.