Claw cutting help. Vet or groomer 🤷‍♀️

[poiuytrewq]

I posted previously about Cecil and his claw pulling/breaking.

Was advised to try salmon oil and onychotin, it was also suggested to cut his nails as short as possible to try and protect them from damage.

Over the several times now that he’s made his paw sore he’s now reluctant to let me trim them and having black claws I’m a bit nervous of trying to just manhandle him and have a go myself, incase I cut them wrong not nervous of him!
He’s not a biter but is intensely wriggly and convinced anyone touches his claws may try and kill him.
I’m working on it, just handling them randomly and for very short times but we are not at me trying to cut them point.

Is this a vet trip thing or something a dog groomer (of which I have no experience whatsoever) does and will they know how to handle a squirmy little dog. Im happy to have his head end.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Nb, I’ve left the trimming this long as he had a sore one that needed to heel before even considering it!

 

[Goldie's mum]

I posted previously about Cecil and his claw pulling/breaking.

Was advised to try salmon oil and onychotin, it was also suggested to cut his nails as short as possible to try and protect them from damage.

Over the several times now that he’s made his paw sore he’s now reluctant to let me trim them and having black claws I’m a bit nervous of trying to just manhandle him and have a go myself, incase I cut them wrong not nervous of him!
He’s not a biter but is intensely wriggly and convinced anyone touches his claws may try and kill him.
I’m working on it, just handling them randomly and for very short times but we are not at me trying to cut them point.

Is this a vet trip thing or something a dog groomer (of which I have no experience whatsoever) does and will they know how to handle a squirmy little dog. Im happy to have his head end.

Does your vet have nurse appointments?

 

[Annette4]

I'd get a vet nurse appointment I think in your shoes.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I find the groomer better my dog hates having them done she has also split and damaged them in the past so doesn't like them touched.

My groomer does muzzle for the front ones but doesn't rush gives her treats and tries to make it a good experience, vets just want it done and they have also cut too short and caused them to bleed, my dog is much more unhappy at the vet she struggles and panics so I don't use them.

I have been using the nail grinder tool on Winnie in between and she is getting better every time and now will lay down while I do it, I just started doing a bit at a time and taking it slowly with treats and praise.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Never thought of a vet nurse but yes I believe they do. They certainly run various clinics. I’ll find out.
Cecil has always been happy enough at the vets, keen not to ruin that.
I don’t mind him being muzzled. I’d swear blind he wouldn’t ever bite, but you never know. He strongly dislikes having them fiddled with and if someone unknown tried it’s best be safe than sorry.
Pinkvboots that sounds like it might be worth a try. Is it like a dremel type thing or specially for dogs?

 

[Dexter]

You need one of these. Absolutely brilliant things and stopped all the drama with my older lurcher. There are cheaper ones, but this is the one I got as I really wanted it to work, as the upset and distress every time we had his nails done was awful for everyone.

Amazon.co.uk

 

[scats]

A good dog groomer will be able to do it. I get many a wiggly, dramatic and uncooperative doggy in for nails!

 

[Teaselmeg]

Have a look at getting/making a scratch board. Easy to train and takes the stress out of nail trimming. Lots of videos on Youtube to show you how to train them to use one.

 

[poiuytrewq]

You need one of these. Absolutely brilliant things and stopped all the drama with my older lurcher. There are cheaper ones, but this is the one I got as I really wanted it to work, as the upset and distress every time we had his nails done was awful for everyone.

Amazon.co.uk

Wow! What an amazing idea, I think that could work as he loves a treat and picks up on games or toys pretty quickly to get one.
Making it something he might actually enjoy would be fantastic. Thank you!

 

[Pinkvboots]

Never thought of a vet nurse but yes I believe they do. They certainly run various clinics. I’ll find out.
Cecil has always been happy enough at the vets, keen not to ruin that.
I don’t mind him being muzzled. I’d swear blind he wouldn’t ever bite, but you never know. He strongly dislikes having them fiddled with and if someone unknown tried it’s best be safe than sorry.
Pinkvboots that sounds like it might be worth a try. Is it like a dremel type thing or specially for dogs?

Yes they are quite small but powerful about £16 on amazon you just charge it up goes for ages.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Winnie doesn't really bite either but she will try and whip her head round and I would rather my groomer didn't take the chance.

 

[Nasicus]

Wow! What an amazing idea, I think that could work as he loves a treat and picks up on games or toys pretty quickly to get one.
Making it something he might actually enjoy would be fantastic. Thank you!

You can make one for a few quid using a sturdy board and some grit tape, that's what we have for mums dog Meant we could make a big one to hide our hands behind, else he tries to punch your hand lol

 

[poiuytrewq]

So much food for thought! Thanks all.
Who knew there were so many nail clipping options
Would walking him on the road more also help keep them shorter? I’ve never had to trim claws before but have never lived on a farm before so all our other dogs did more road work!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Road work may work depending on foot conformation. But a lot of dogs with long nails angle their feet so that the nail does not make contact with the floor, which can cause soreness and lameness due to uneven weight distribution.

 

[Bellasophia]

Long nails have to be cut…if not the foot distorts and splays ,resulting in upper leg trauma issues..then as cc says above,road work to keep them short.
Ive had a few terrors brought to me to have their nailed cut(when I used to accept dogs for grooming ) ..

my trick was to ask the owner to hold the dog in their arms..
I gave a towel to hold against the side of the dog‘s face…..the dog could not see what I was doing..
Iwould clip the nails and the dog never reacted…
If a tiny breed ,I would use Cat clippers (like. scissors )
Win for everyone.

For my st poodle I dremmel the nails..he stands square like a horse and I lift his foot and tap the excess away.For his dew claws I use the guillotine clippers.

For my small breed schnauzer I use the cat scisssor clippers. No fuss.

From the left.
1.Large cat scissor clipper….medium dog..

2.small cat clippers…toy breeds and cats

3red and black guillotine clippers medium breeds..(also dremmel)
…for bigger dogs the dremmel.