Pet Lovers

[GingerPeach]

Other than letting the vet techs handle nail trims, has anyone found any alternate methods?

I've tried one of those Dremel-type things (not a Dremel but an Invenho nail grinder), but she didn't like that even though it's supposed to be quiet. They can't hide the vibrations, though!

Also tried taking her paw in my hand and rubbing it over various files and/or rasps. None of these things seem to have the right "grit." Either too smooth or too rough, plus it takes a long time. They are also all rather narrow and even though my dog is small, I think a wide one would be easier to use. I know filing is mostly for smoothing the edges so unless you do it often it's not the easiest answer.

Walking on concrete sidewalks helps a bit, but they do still grow, of course, so I'm letting the vet techs do it, but was wondering if others had any success with home methods.

[Carmie]

Nope, I can't trim my dogs nails.  Once in a while My DH holds them in his arms and I can cut a nail or two, but it is stressful. I have tried different methods and all failed.

I take my dogs to the groomer.  She says they are no problem for her, but I think she is stretching the truth. 

I bath them okay and shave the hair from the bottom of their feet with electric clippers,but I just gave up on doing the nail trims at home.

[Pezzie]

DH used to do it.  Our dog HATED the clippers, so DH got the Dremmel  tool.  The dog tolerated the grinding, didn't like it, but tolerated it.  It helped that we had two doggie biscuits within his sight.  The dog was very food motivated.  

[CrazyDaisy]

I use a dremel.  It may take awhile to get them use to it, but well worth it.

[Ainhisg]

Our dog bites anyone who tries to trim his nails.  Even with a muzzle, at 34 pounds, he wiggles and throws his body around like a fish out of water.  He is impossible.  The vet sedates him when they trim his nails...that's how bad he is.  Finally, the vet prescribed a drug called Acepromazine, which is a drug of last resort after trying a few others.  We can now trim his nails, but we still have to use a muzzle, and it still takes two of us.

After many years with the same vet, we saw a different vet yesterday for other reasons.  She was not crazy about him being on ACE as it is a controversial drug with issues and is having us try a new drug protocol.  We will see as it is not time to trim them yet...

[Sweetbay magnolia]

Yeah, problem here, too.  Our home remedy is to walk him daily on sidewalks and let them be long. They're not awful, just not the little teeny nubbins I see on some dogs.

At some point we may have him sedated, but that's only if he needs something else done that requires it.  He just won't stand for it - at least we can touch his paws now (he used to not allow even that).

He is a black German Shepherd, so of course his nails are solid black, so that makes it harder to do right.  I keep calculating; I mean, he's 8.  Four or five more years (of course hopefully more, but realistically) - is it really worth the struggle now?

[pigletsmom]

If you have a dog who is happy to run a bit and you are too, take them to a basketball court. Whatever they put on the outdoor courts for traction works great if they run a bunch. Tennis court might work too.

[Skyegirl21]

My rescue is small- medium, about 18 lbs and I have gotten her used to a nail file. I buy the coarse ones, 80/100/120, and pair it with small pieces of her favorite treats, at the same time. She lets me do it. It takes longer but it works ! The Dremel is good too, but the sound scared her and her fur got caught- 

[Boomernichols]

@GingerPeach Good luck with this chore.  My westie that passed in July would turn into CUJO when it was time for a nail trim.    Hewas taken to a vet that cut about every other nail off in the quick to where they bled.  He was sent home with paper towels around his paws when my hubby pick him up.  They said they do not keep blood stop sticks on hand.  Needless to say, he was not a fan of nail grooming.

[GingerPeach]

@Boomernichols @Skyegirl21 @pigletsmom 

@Sweetbay magnolia @Ainhisg 

@CrazyDaisy @Carmie @Pezzie 

Thank you to each of you for sharing your stories and sharing in the difficulty of this task.

I'm so sorry to hear what Boomernichols' dog had to endure. 

The vet techs tell me they have to muzzle Kiku, too.

At the beginning of the pandemic I invested in some new dog nail trimmers, all gung-ho to do it myself because I didn't want to visit an indoor office "just" for nail trims. 

Using the treat-after-each-nail method I got up to trimming four nails on each foot (on different days) but could never get a good angle on the front dew claws. (It's also harder when you have joint damage in your fingers from RA so I was kind of patting myself on the back for even accomplishing that much.)

Back nails were less of an issue since she'd often do the hind leg scratching thing after pottying. Sometimes it was still futile (with regard to nails) since she was still on the grass while scratching, but sometimes she'd have moved onto the concrete sidewalk so that helped.

Anyway, we're back to having the vet techs do it. At her check-up visit recently I was apologizing for her really long nails (darn RA makes things extra difficult) but they did a fabulous job. And she seemed happy when she came back out. 

Now on to seeing their happy faces once Santa comes. 🎅