Nail Cutting?

2057 Views 20 Replies 18 Participants Last post by KJsChihuahuas, Jun 2, 2005

loubie1736

Discussion Starter · Jun 1, 2005

Hi Guys,

I really need/want to clip my baby's nails. She's 10 wks old now and keeps getting hooked on everything!! plus her nails are sharp against bare skin!! I've read in the books that you should get them used to having their nails cut asap..... but when I asked my vet he said definately NO way!! He said that I should never clip puppy's nails as then they can curl and also because they are so small, if I cut them a bit too short by mistake it will hurt and she will freak and never let me touch them again!!?

So any advice please?! I'm sure I'd be very careful and not hurt her though...?? :?

Thanks
Lucie & Lola 8)

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

Armando...

· #2 · Jun 1, 2005

I don't know...my dogs have always had their claws trimmed since I got them when they were 10 weeks old.
I know for sure that Chiquitita had them clipped before than because the breeder told us to not let them grow to long, and that she clipped them very often.
The vet clips their claws everytime I take them over the hospital. They have seen 4 different vets at that hospital and they don't seem to mind clipping their nails.
Maybe just ask another vet.
Mando

luv4mygirls

· #3 · Jun 1, 2005

i agree with mando, chiwi gets hers done all the time and her breeder even cut them the day she was going home and she was 10 weeks old.

what i do with her is every day i mimick the act of cutting her nails just to get her used to it and i actually cut hers every 2-3 weeks. yes if you go to short you do risk cutting the vein or quick and she will bleed. it will freak her out but i've quicked a few dogs in my time working at a vets office :? and the next time those same dogs came back to me they were fine and let me do their nails again. i never traumatized a dog by cutting the quick. but i agree, at such a young age it may freak her out cause it does hurt and bad experiences as a puppy can lead to insecurities later on, and she may be a pain in the butt later for nail trims. keep some qwick stop (or similar product) on hand in case you ever do cut the quick, it stops the bleeding.

i'm not happy with your vet saying no. there is a concern for long nails and dew claw to get caught in fabric and get ripped out and that sucks for the dog and leads to a trip to the vet.

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Seren

· #4 · Jun 1, 2005

Its easier and less nerve wracking if the dogs nails are light coloured as you can see the pink inside and have a much better idea how far to trim. Its easy tho.Just take care and it saves a trip to the vets!

NoahFL

· #5 · Jun 1, 2005

Are you comfortable clipping them yourself? You might want to try a nail file if you're abit nervous and since the nail is so small it would serve the purpose. I recall when I worked for a vet and very young or small puppies would come in, we'd use cat nail clippers and it worked great.

I prefer this type when they are that young (see below):

luv4mygirls

· #6 · Jun 1, 2005

Seren said:
Its easier and less nerve wracking if the dogs nails are light coloured as you can see the pink inside and have a much better idea how far to trim. Its easy tho.Just take care and it saves a trip to the vets!

how sad am i one of the dog's i quicked was a clear nail :? :shock: and she was one of my favorite dogs! a rat terrier named lady, she forgave me though and i felt like an *ss, my excuse i wasn't used to the nail clippers i had to use, someone took the ones they ordered just for me (ones i am most comfortable using on small dog's, theya re really cat clippers) so they wre too big and bulky and i ended up going to far down. it was the first time i ever quicked a dog so i was real upset.

some also prefer a dremmel instead of cutting the nails.

one's i prefer:

KB

· #7 · Jun 1, 2005

THATS insane :x (the vet).............I cut Bindi's nails at 10 weeks and every week thereafter, now we do it every two weeks and I dont like clippers I use a dremel tool you get a nice smooth finish! PLUS you dont risk hurting them if you get too close to the quick

loubie1736

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 1, 2005

Hi guys....

Thanks for your replies! I did think it was a bit strange he wouldn't do it! I think its worse leaving them and she keeps getting caught and trapped in nearly everything which must be more distressing for her!! I am quite happy to do them myself... bit nervous though! The breeder I got her from had been cutting them just fine before I even picked her up at 7 weeks.
I went to the vet again today and asked him but he totally refused!! :x

So from your advise I shall start doing it myself then!!

Also one other thing.... I just need confirmation that I should be worming her every two weeks until she's 12 weeks right? And then I was told when she's 12 weeks wait a month and then again and after that every 3 months.

Love Lucie & Lola.

P.S. Am moving next month which means a different vet anyway!! Although he seemed really great in all other aspects!! :?

Tinker

· #9 · Jun 1, 2005

Worming every two weeks? That's a bit excessive. My breeder and vet both wormed Marcus once a month at first. Of course since he hadn't completed his shots at that time he was never outside on the ground and never allowed around another dog so I thought that even once a month was excessive.

Chi Mommy

· #10 · Jun 1, 2005

i clip my dogs nail every 2-3 weeks...i dont cut them to short just a little bit i dont want to go to close the the pink part...their fingers they dont mind at all...the sometimes get skirming when i cut the toenails though

SunnyFLMum

· #11 · Jun 1, 2005

My husband cuts Gizmo's nails every 3-4 weeks...(he runs around in the asphalt) we bought a pair of baby nail clippers and they work great...he is squeemish, but I hold him while his daddy does it and we get through it pretty guick. He won't let the vet do it though...he is a brat...LOL

Gadget's Mom

· #12 · Jun 1, 2005

Gadget is a PAIN in the butt when it comes to nail clipping

chimom

· #13 · Jun 1, 2005

I don't understand why your vet refused to clip your chi's nails. I've always clipped the nails on my chis, and every time I take Jasmine in to the vet, they clip her nails. It's just a routine part of their exam.

Jasmine absolutely hates having hers clipped, so I hold her while my grand-daughter clips them, usually every 3-4 weeks. I don't know why, but Jasmine does NOT like anyone touching her feet. :lol:

janiebabes

· #14 · Jun 2, 2005

umm maybe you should find another vet. i had gotten my chis use to nail cutting i touched their toes and feet constantly. the only one that doesnt give me a problem at all is Sturgis. Daytona and Lady are starting to cooperate somewhat. I had one dog that had dew claws she wasnt a chi and her right paw the dew claw grew into a circle and would grow into the skin it grew much faster than the other dew claw. I kept an eye on her after the first time it had grown into her skin every week i did that one dew claw.

Seiah Bobo

· #15 · Jun 2, 2005

I personally was to nervous to try it myself for the first time. So I took Seiah to Petsmart and watched how they did it. The second time I did it myself and man I broke out in a sweat. Each nail took about five minutes. But now its a cinch, once you get a hold of it. The first time I did go a little far, but Seiah was suprisingly forgiving, he just let me continue...even though his yelp was heart breaking. Now I do his nails and my fiance sisters dog.

loubie1736

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jun 2, 2005

Hi All,

I took your advice and clipped my baby's nails last night!! She was SO good about it. Well.... when I say I did it... I held her and my partner cut them!!

We got through it in about 2 minutes! All she was interested in was trying to nibble on the scissors!!

I feel much better now and Lola doesn't get caught on things anymore! I shall be doing it regularly from now on no problem!

Thanks
Lucie & Lola 8)

xx-nathalie-xx

· #17 · Jun 2, 2005

yeah i'm always sweating too , when i have to clip their nails :roll: i did cosmo's yesterday ....he's such a crybaby ..he was yelping but i looked and i was nowhere near his quick :? ( it was a white nail :wink: )

paris her nails are all black ...but very small too , so i only do the tip every once in a while ....

i clipped vienna's nails , the first day she arrived ....that's easy she has all white ones ....pfeeww :wink:

kisses nat

jensmom

· #18 · Jun 2, 2005

Jenny's nails are dark and I am always afraid of hurting her too. I use a penlight, like a doctor looks at your pupils with. I shine it under her nails so I can see the pink skin. I haven't cut her anymore when doing this and can get them shorter than before.

luvmydogs

· #19 · Jun 2, 2005

Yeah that is kinda strange that your vet wouldn't cut your Chi's nails. The first time I took Bella to the vet at 8 weeks, the vet immediately cut her nails. Now we do it ourselves and we cut them every 3-4 weeks. Her nails are all white. :wave:

Leslie

ilovesadie

· #20 · Jun 2, 2005

I also have never heard of a vet not willing or wanting to cut a dog's nails unless they had some type of blood coagulation problem. Most people come to us because they or the groomer are not able, we've even done it under sedation for really crazy dogs. Generally, it's best to start cutting them around 4 weeks just so you're sure they have time to develop all of their clotting agents if you cut the quick, but I've never had a problem doing it at a first vet visit. I would however, only tip them for the first few times though, just so the pup gets used to the clippers, one bad experience and it seems to turn them off to nail trims forever.

We started Ritz the first day we got him, and he is so good, I can put him on the table, ask for a paw, do each one at a time while he stands there, and then dremel them after that and he's just patient and a good kid.

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