My horse won't let me clip her face. How do I safely groom her?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Unfortunately, I cannot prescribe any medications for Marley without having examined him myself. If he is extremely aggressive while being groomed, you may want to consider having him sedated and groomed at your vet's office. This will mean that Marley is closely monitored during the sedation and supported with fluids and heat if necessary. Your vet can also perform a thorough exam, and ensure that Marley's heart and lungs are healthy enough to handle the sedation. At home, you can try calming chews available in most pet stores, and consider getting Marley a muzzle to keep yourself safe.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would ask your vet for oral (pills) sedatives to try at home. I would also purchase a muzzle to use so he can not bite you. Maybe with the right combination of sedatives and muzzle you will be able to trim around his face and do his nails. Sadly there is a small group of dogs that need injectable sedatives to have their nails done at the Vet. You can also practice with the oral sedatives, using yummy treats and gently play around his face and feet with the hope to desensitize him. It would take time and practice. You can also hire a trainer or a Veterinary behaviorist. I hope this helps and I wish you and Baby Bum the best!

It's not an easy situation and there is no simple answer or solution for this issue, all i can do is advise you to take him to a dog trainer to try and get his aggressiveness down as much as possible.

Some vets can sedate cats and then groom them or even clip them short so that you don’t need to worry about brushing as frequently. You could also try a pheromone diffuser or spray like Feliway if it’s available near you but it may not be quite enough to get the job done.

You can try to make the grooming experience as pleasant as possible for Penelope so that she will be more willing to hold still. I'd try offering her a very highly valued treat (something she loves and only gets when groomed) to distract her while you try grooming her. As long as she does not have a dietary sensitivity Peanut butter or spray cheese can work nicely. Initially you may need a second person to offer treats to distract while you groom, but hopefully Penelope will eventually allow you to groom her without an extra hand. You may want to also try Adaptil spray to help calm her during grooming. If these techniques do not work you will need to take Penelope to a veterinarian who offers grooming services. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If she won't let you trim them, you will need to take her to a vet and have them do it. They can give her some sedation, if needed, to make it easier for them to trim the nails.

There is nothing OTC that you can safely give that will effectively calm her down enough for grooming. You may need to have her lightly sedated by your veterinarian so she can be safely shaved or clipped. Using scissors at home can lead to a laceration if you aren't careful. An exam is also a good idea to determine why Xena is not grooming herself.