Call them what you will.

Whether pet pedicures or nail trims, they are part of an everyday activity we perform at our clinic. We perform this service for a variety of reasons.

One reason is because nails can sometimes become ingrown on indoor pets. Another reason is because owners get scratched up from nails that are too long. Still another reason is that pet owners hear a clickety-clack on floors that they'd like blunted down.

As you'll also read today, many of our clients ask us to do the trimming to avoid operator error, so as not to harm their pets.

Some of you who don't clip your own pet's toenails may ask, exactly how difficult is nail trimming? The short answer is: it depends. The temperament of the given pet and how they tolerate handling is the key.

Admittedly, I am able to trim some nails of pets quite rapidly, whereas others are protracted challenges. Some pets even require a sedative or tranquilizing in order to be handled for nail trimming. And, oh yes, one must use nail clippers made for pets, as human nail clippers are grossly insufficient to perform the task.

A commonly asked question I hear is, "How often must my pet's nails be trimmed?"

That, too, varies, as some outdoor pets hardly ever need it, due to their constant contact on hard, paved surfaces. By contrast, an indoor dog or cat may need trimming of the nails every three months or so due to their lack of contact with anything aside from carpet or vinyl.

As for the "carpet" pets, this also is a reason we see pets for hung or fractured nails, as carpet threads can create situations where toenails get wrapped up or snagged. Veterinary clinics frequently take care of these fractured nails, as these cause discomfort and transient lameness in pets.

We also occasionally trim back the ingrown nails (commonly the inside nails or "dewclaws"), which do not make surface contact and therefore grow until they curl back into the skin.

So what is the biggest risk in trimming your pet's nails? Cutting too short, or into the quick.

That's why many pet owners want the vet, the groomer or the pet store to perform the task. When this mishap of cutting the quick happens to us (and it does sometimes), we keep a styptic powder or gel on hand to quickly stop the bleeding.

I am sometimes asked, how do you deal with this if it happens at home? I've found that flour will help if you can hold the flour in place on the injured toe for a minute or two in most cases. If the bleeding persists after five minutes, it's time to check in with the vet.

Today's column is simply an overview of a routine task that we perform daily. Yet, as many pet owners know, this subject needs to be addressed for practical reasons, as the process isn't always as easy as it seems.

Dr. Chris Duke is a veterinarian at Bienville Animal Medical Center in Ocean Springs, Miss. Write to the pet doctors at the South Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association, 20005 Pineville Road, Long Beach, MS 39560.