jorgelito

My doggie has long nails all the time. It is quite the struggle to clip them and file them. Does anyone know of a good methid for clipping and reducing the lenght of the nails?

cyrnel

Try a Dremel tool. Really.

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jorgelito

Thanks for the tip - Uh, what's a Dremel tool?

Sage

http://www.dremel.com/

it's the coolest most versitale tool EVER INVENTED!

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eribrav

First off, go to Agway or a pet supply store and get the large size clippers (they look more like a pair of pliers, rather than like human nail clippers).

Then, put your dog's choker on and have him sit up very straight. Position the chain high up on the neck, and hold it in a way that causes the dog to keep his head held up high (PETA types, I am not telling the poster to choke the dog). Have someone then clip the nails, while you maintain control over the dog.

jorgelito

Ok, I get what you guys are sayign but I'm narrowing it a bit down now.

1. Is Dremel safe for pets?

2. I do clip my dogs nails and sometimes have it professionally done. But they are still long because the quick is still high up. My question is, how can I get it to recede more so that the nails in general are shorter?

Thanks for all the input you guys.

Ch'i

This advice isn't useful to the present, but trimming your pet's nails at an early age helps. I've never liked using dog formatted nail clippers, so I would be willing to try the Dremel. Interesting idea cyrnel, thanks. Just curious; how do you go about trimming the nails with one of those?

Trickbe

Don't use a Dremel.
I use an Oster nail grinder specifically designed for the job. The Dremel tool has too much torque that can hurt the dog if things go wrong. If the dog freaks and bites the grinder, if the grinder picks up a bit of hair and gets tangled, etc.

The Oster has high speed like the dremel but has lower torque such that it can be stopped by grabbing the stone with your hand. It also runs at low voltage.

I have 2 Bullmastiffs that have nails that can't be clipped even with the largest clippers and they tolerate the grinder well. It takes a few cookies, but they tolerate it. The grinder eliminates the bleeding as well, the dog will let you know when you are getting close to the quick.

As far as getting the claws shorter, trim them every 2 weeks and the quick will move back naturally.

thingstodo

Or just go to the groomer. They know what they're doing.

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ratbastid

The groomer gets expensive, though. Cooper's nails need clipping once every few weeks.

Cooper tolerates the old-fashioned clipper pretty well. The cats don't. Or... didn't, until we discovered scruffing them. If you grab a cat by the loose skin on the back of its neck, it suddenly relaxes. In the cat's mind, it's mother has it and there's no sense in fighting mom. They may not like it, but they resign themselves to it.

It's still a two-person job. One of us (me) scruffs, the other (lurkette) quickly clip-clip-clips, and it's over in thirty seconds. Versus, used to be, I'd wrap a cat up in a towel, extract one paw while avoiding teeth and claws, clip 'em, rewrap, unwrap... Like a cat tortilla. Long, miserable process for biped and quadruped alike.

oberon

Cats will naturally trim their claws if you give them something appropriate to scratch. I don't usually bother cutting my cat's claws because she does a good job keeping them trimmed herself.

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ratbastid

Boy, that sure isn't our experience. Our cats have plenty of scratching options (enough that they leave our furniture more or less alone), and they manage to sharpen their claws to long, needle-like point.

lindalove

Are yours outdoor cats? I have found that if a cat is allowed to go outside they usually keep their claws trim. Our cats have always much preferred the fence outside to any scratching post and it's much more effective.

warrrreagl

Our local vets and pet stores all do it for free. Our 4 babies are all indoor cats, so they don't get to climb trees and trim their claws in the usual way. We THOUGHT we were doing okay to take them in occasionally whenever a claw started getting hung or "clicked" when they walked. However, our oldest was at the vet last week for another reason and they determined he had a severely ingrown dewclaw (the "thumb" claw up on the side of his front paw). It had grown around and back down into his pawpad and had gotten infected.

Please understand that we dote all over these damn cats and this guy showed absolutley NO indication that he was in pain. In fact, the vet said he would have missed it, too, except he noticed that the cat kept licking and licking the side of his paw, so he took a look.

We will now become regular, monthly visitors to the free claw trimming service at the vet.

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oberon

I didn't say she kept them dull, I said she kept them trimmed.

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Ch'i

I haven't trimmed my dog's nails in a long time and they seem to stay trimmed themselves.

I have to confess that I just posted this to see oberon's avatar...

*Nikki*

There is nothing wrong with using a Dremel as long as you know what you are doing. I have worked at many vet clinics who use this. I agree though that filing the nails down in this way is really the best option and eliminates cutting the quick or surrounding blood vessels which would cause the pet to bleed.