ChatterBank3 mins ago
Dog's Claws
18 Answers
Bit of advice needed here please.
Have taken on a rescue dog - nine year old Border Collie - had very little proper exercise in his life- now is very, very much fitter and enjoying long walks and plays etc. His claws are long (and black!) - I've trimmed them but judging by the way he tippy toes around sometimes I'm convinced they are still troubling him.
I know if I keep snipping the ends eventually the quick will recede but it's going to take ages and he doesn't really like it.
Has anyone any experience of having them cut short by the vet then cauterised -(under sedation)?. I imagine it's fairly painful if all four paws are done?
Pros and Cons would be gratefully accepted by ABers who have experience/opinions of this. Thank you.
Have taken on a rescue dog - nine year old Border Collie - had very little proper exercise in his life- now is very, very much fitter and enjoying long walks and plays etc. His claws are long (and black!) - I've trimmed them but judging by the way he tippy toes around sometimes I'm convinced they are still troubling him.
I know if I keep snipping the ends eventually the quick will recede but it's going to take ages and he doesn't really like it.
Has anyone any experience of having them cut short by the vet then cauterised -(under sedation)?. I imagine it's fairly painful if all four paws are done?
Pros and Cons would be gratefully accepted by ABers who have experience/opinions of this. Thank you.
Answers
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What does the vet say? I have no experience of the clip and cauterise procedure but I have had a dog who broke a long claw and I had to be very careful while it healed so as not to get it infected. Its also worth confirming that it is in fact the claws that are causing him pain....again, I would go to the vet if it was me.
Thanks woofgang - have chatted with the vet and he agrees they are long , like you I've no experience with this proceedure and want to give beastie the best chance of enjoying his new life but at the same time don't want to put him through any unnecessary hassle. Tough one really, maybe I'll take a rain check for a while and keep snipping away at the tips for a week or two and see if there's any improvement.
Its very unlikely that the quicks are so long that you will cut them if the claws are long. Try taking him to a grooming parlour, they will be used to cutting long nails, and even if they do cut one or two a bit short and make them bleed they will soon be able to stop it with special powder and it won't take long. Better to get them done in one go and then keep them trimmed.
Lankeela the quicks are very near the tip which is the problem - can see it on the white one - have always clipped nails myself but don't want to hurt him as he has become a really different dog already and trusts me. What I've decided to do is to try for a while to snip the tips very regularly and see what happens. If I take him to the vet nurse Naomi she won't be able to clip them any shorter than I can without hitting the quick which is why I've considered having them clipped to the correct length by the vet and then having them cauterised. However, am going to try the tip snipping method for a while at least.
Thank you for the reply.
Thank you for the reply.
Sorry rsvp, I was trying to be funny and failed miserably. I should have known better:-( Please don't be offended. I had visions of the vet being so scared of hurting the dog he (vet) had to be tranquillised.
I think you should carry on as you planned for the time being i.e. clipping little and often. x
I think you should carry on as you planned for the time being i.e. clipping little and often. x
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