Cutting Toenails

[sheena]

I am nursing one badly scratched hand...my fault...I pulled my hand away when she went to put her paw on it during a game. She seems to like to "grab" with her paws & not content with just gently patting me. I cut her nails but have only been game to take off the tip. How far back towards the pink bit can you cut

[GSD FAN]

if the nails are white you can see the blood vessel in the nail. cut below this otherwise the nail will bleed. if you do accidentally cut the quick then use a bar of soap and scratch the nail into the bar. do try to avoid this though as it is quite painful. if the nails are black just trim a little bit at a time. if you arent confident doing this or your dog is uncooperative you could always ask your local vet clinic or groomer to do it. a clinic i worked at offered this service for $10. good luck.

[~*Shell*~]

If you are really wanting to trim them back and are worried about it, you can take the tiniest bit off the tip everyday. The quick will shrink back as you cut the nail until a certain point (usually smaller than you would want to cut it). If the dog has one white nail and the rest are black, you can estimate how much you can take off the nail before hitting the quick with that one.

As GSD fan said, if you nip the quick and the nail bleeds (and it will bleed a lot if you hit it), you can rub some soap on it - or you can use corn flour to get the blood to clot. Just throw it on to the nail until it stops bleeding. Keep in mind though that if the dog licks at it, it may start bleeding again.

[sheena]

Thanks for the replies. Fortunately all her nails are white & I can see the pink bit (I assume this is the quick). She doesn't mind me doing her nails & I have a proper nail trimmer but find it easier to just use a human toe nail cutter as she can't see it in my hand. I just wish she wouldn't "grab" with her claws out

[Sandra777]

I just wish she wouldn't "grab" with her claws out ;)

This is a dog you're talking about isn't it? Their claws are always ''out''

[Rottifan]

If you are really wanting to trim them back and are worried about it, you can take the tiniest bit off the tip everyday. The quick will shrink back as you cut the nail until a certain point (usually smaller than you would want to cut it). If the dog has one white nail and the rest are black, you can estimate how much you can take off the nail before hitting the quick with that one.

As GSD fan said, if you nip the quick and the nail bleeds (and it will bleed a lot if you hit it), you can rub some soap on it - or you can use corn flour to get the blood to clot. Just throw it on to the nail until it stops bleeding. Keep in mind though that if the dog licks at it, it may start bleeding again.

I have heard that using condies crystals helps to stop the bleeding, shake the paw to make sure the blood drops off the nail and pinch the crystals in your hand then press onto nail, it seals it and the dog wont lick it or licking it wont make a difference anyway....apart from changing the colour of their tongue!