black nails--Help!

I need some help about Bianca's nails. She won't let me cut them, and the vet has a very hard time as well. Today, when I took her to get them cut, the vet was only able to cut a few. The quick had grown too close. We take a couple of walks a day on concrete, but still, they look long to me. (I read the past posts on this subject and saw some beautiful clipped nails in a picture--Bianca's nails are no where near that short!) Help--what can I do to get them as they should be? If I don't do anything about it, the problem will only get worse. She is 2 yrs. old and I "adopted" her from my son. Evidently, she's had a bad experience or something with getting her nails clipped. Any advice you guys have on this subjuct would REALLY be appreciated![/b]

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Maybe trying giving her something to chew on to distract her while you are clipping. I have my son help by giving my pups tasty treats while I am clipping.

Some dogs' quicks are just much longer than others'. Stomps was a rescue, and apparently his nails had not been clipped for the first three or four years of his life, so his quicks are very long. And he used to be horrible at nail clipping time. I couldn't do it, and eventually we learned that if I was in the room when it was being done he would freak. At first the vet techs had to muzzle him. Now (after many years), they take him where I can't see him, he lays on his stomach and one person rubs his belly while the other clips his nails, no muzzle needed. But it sounds to me as though your dog is keeping her nails short enough with the walks on concrete. If that is the case, you are very lucky! My only advice is to not try to do it yourself, and to give it time--it will get better.

Some people swear by using a Dremel on their basset's nails to file them down instead of using a clipper. (I've personally never tried it on my hound though.) I wonder if maybe Bianca wouldn't be quite as opposed to the Dremel as she is to the clippers. If you do a little bit at a time on a more frequent basis, I believe the quick should recede a little eventually.

Also, if Bianca ever has to be anesthetized for a dental or something in the future, you can always ask the vet to clip the nails right down while she's out. We've had our vet do this each time Scully has been under for whatever reason.

I dremel and I wouldn't have it any other way. You take a little bit at a time with the dremel, and can stop short of drawing blood. Clippers and I never got along!

Charlie, who is six, has always hated to have his nails done. He gets on my grooming table with no problem, and I can do anything else I have to, but when it's time for nails -- OY!!! I've learned that the best route to follow with him is to quietly but firmly pin him and start grinding. When he fights me, I stop grinding and just hang on. After about 15 minutes of this, he sort of quiets down and I can finish the job. Edith Ann and Eloise are both good about their nails and pretty much lie there enjoying their pedicures.

The quick in the nails will go back if you continuously keep the nails short. I do my dogs once a week, or at least every two weeks. I leave Charlie's a bit longer than the girls' because he's retired from the show ring, but Edith Ann and Eloise have very short nails........

Try a groomer. They generally have a LOT more experience doing toenails than vets do. They're usually cheaper, too.

MANY thanks to all of you who replied to my desperate plea!! I think I may next turn to a "pet parlor" here. Later maybe I can get a dremel and do it myself, so it can be done once a week as suggested. Even though she walks on asphalt some each day, it probably doesn't get them filed enough. (I surely wish I could believe it did!!) Bianca is just a pet--not for showing--so maybe I don't even need to worry about it.

MANY thanks to all of you who replied to my desperate plea!! I think I may next turn to a "pet parlor" here. Later maybe I can get a dremel and do it myself, so it can be done once a week as suggested. Even though she walks on asphalt some each day, it probably doesn't get them filed enough. (I surely wish I could believe it did!!) Bianca is just a pet--not for showing--so maybe I don't even need to worry about it.[/b]

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If you want the quick to recede, once a week may not be enough. The next time the dog is to the vet and sedated for a procedure you can have the quick cut. Being under prevent the pain associated with cutting the quick so you will not have enduring nail cutting problems if you were to so this on a regular basis. Since it is not an immediate health issue IMHO the risk associated with anesthesia is not worth it just for shorter nails but if the dog is being put out for a more compeling reason there is not reason not to get the nails whacked back all at once.

ruby has black nails and I take her to the groomer at the vet. She's never let us touch her nails.

Janice

ruby has black nails and I take her to the groomer at the vet. She's never let us touch her nails.

Janice[/b]

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Thanks! I'm going to get an appointment today. How often do you find it needs to be done for Ruby?