[dinki2]

My girl Heidi a GSD has really long nails, we rescued her in November and i've been clipping her nails usually once or so a month and her previous owners never really cut her nails I guess so the quick is really close to the tip of the nail and I cannot cut them to a decent length.

So im asking if you think I should take her to the vet and have then cut them short and into the qwik? As they dont seem to bug her but her nails just seem to long to keep the qwik where it is.

 

[briteday]

You might try clipping her nails every WEEK to get the quick to recede faster. And using a dremel style tool to get right to the quick can speed up the process too. I would try weekly trimming / grinding before I would resort to a procedure requiring anesthesia and pain meds.

 

[Kathyy]

I thought really getting the nail short would help me keep on top of it. Max broke a dewclaw and the vet clipped it short for me. I couldn't keep it any shorter as it was too sensitive. The quick didn't recede at all.

I use the dremel as well. You can sand on the outer sides and leave the sensitive quick area alone and the nail will be short enough. Go to this site, on the left hand side of the page is the most excellent doberdawn dremel page. Even if you don't want to dremel you will get good information on how a dog's nail grows and how to trim it without hurting the dog. Even with clippers you can condition the dog to better accept them and there are ways to trim nails with a clipper to get more nail off.
http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merensjp/doberdawn/index.html

 

[Purplex15]

putting the dog under for nail trimming realy should be the LAST resort. i only ever recommend it to people whose dogs are literally impossible to do (as in the dog is more likely to have a heart attack due to stress than get any nails clipped). i have only met about 2 or 3 dogs that i would put into that catagory. as it doesnt sound like your dog hates nail trims, just that she has long nails, i wouldnt suggest letting the vet do it. there is a risk everytime a dog is put under (anyone really), and i dont consider it to be worth the risk, should something happen to the dog. i know people who have had it done when getting other things done (teeth cleaning, for example), and that makes a little more snese to me than putting the dog under just for the nails.

and like the above poster said, the nails will be extremely sensitive after the procedure, since every one of them were cut too short and bled.

and you should be trimming them more if your goal is to get them shorter. once a month trimming isnt even enough for some dogs with normal nail lengths. start checking them everyday and if there is some to trim then trim it. if you barely cut the quik, its no big deal, just keep septic powder around. i would be trimming them at least every week, more if the nails are growing faster.

 

[dinki2]

They all hate it lol but Heidi is kind of getting use to it, as I always coax her with a treat after clipping each nail, I have noticed if im calm shes a little better lol clipping nails always use to make me nervous but i've gotten kind of use to it now.

I was using the guilotine (spelling?) for her nails but those sucked so I have moved to the scissor style clippers and they work so much better for me and her.

And her nails tend to grow really slow, but the previous owners just never cut them so they were pretty long. I would say right now after i have clipped them they are maybe this long

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[Purplex15]

its hard to imagine it without seeing it for myself.

in general, i think the scissor type trimmers are best for everyone (especially for beginners though, they are just easier to hold). i have met few who prefer the guilotine style.

any dog (or any animal really) will be better in any situation if the person is calm. i would suggest not even trying to trim the nails of a dog who doesnt like it if your nervous. it sort of defeats the purpose. it is best to learn on easier dogs. im glad that shes better now that you're more comfortable, b/c thats a sign that she will keep getting better.

if you can't seem to trim the nails more often than you are b/c they are growing slowly, then a dremel will be the next best option. however, they take some getting used to as well, and some dogs dont always respond well to them. i would maybe call around to different salons and see if they offer dremeling, and if maybe they can teach you how to do it. it may be hard, most groomers are busy. but sometimes you get lucky and one has a free afternoon.

 

[poodleholic]

Nails that are too long can be dealt with by clipping once a week, and then using a dremel every 3-4 days. Clipping nails only once a month will result in the nails being too long.