My dog fears nail trims. How to safely cut his long, bleeding nails?

Some pets are so fearful, that anesthetizing them is safer for everyone involved. However, finding a vet office that is Fear Free certified or has techs or doctors that are can really help. There are definitely drugs that can be given, such as Trazodone, that can help to reduce anxiety. There are proven nail trim desensitization programs that can be done to help fearful pets as well. Also, teaching your dog to accept a basket muzzle in a fear free way and getting him his own can really help to make the process easier and safer! Bringing really good snacks like canned cheese, peanut butter or hot dog pieces can also help. Benadryl does not reduce fear at all so definitely talk to your vet about options!

If you are having a lot of problems cutting Rio's nails, you can have them done at the vet's office. Alternatively, you can ask your vet if there are any sedatives that can be prescribed for him so you can cut his nails safely. Unfortunately there are no OTC sedatives for dogs. If he's getting very upset, leave him be for now, and make him an appointment at the vet. Best of luck!

The only safe and effective sedatives for dogs are available from the vet. Unfortunately it's illegal for me to recommend using anything, including OTC drugs, because I can't see Duke in person. That's because doing so requires a veterinary client patient relationship which cannot be achieved via an internet forum. In addition, the experts cannot say for certain if a specific drug is safe for your dog. He's an older dog, and specific drugs may be contraindicated in him due to potential health problems such as heart disease. I'd make an appointment with his vet. The vet can give him a safe sedative and trim the nails for you. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

They won't take Brent away and put you in jail for not clipping his nails! It sounds like he does need his nails clipped, and if you are having trouble doing it yourself, I would take him into the vet. The good news is that getting your dog's nails clipped is actually really cheap as long as he doesn't need a sedative to do it. Typically it costs between $10-$15 to get it done. Not much at all! I would call local clinics to get their price, and make an appointment for him. I hope this helps!

Poor Dash! I can definitely sympathize - there are many dogs who are extremely stressed and upset by having their nails trimmed. I agree that this is especially concerning for him, given his age and the fact that he is prone to seizures. I would suggest calling your veterinarian to discuss a plan for this - there is no reason that nail trims in the vet's office need to be stressful at all, as they should be able to give him a dose of injectable sedation to trim his nails safely without causing him to struggle or get upset. We do this quite frequently at my clinic for dogs who become very stressed and upset about nail trims, and it works extremely well - it's a much safer and more humane option than trying to just hold him down and force him to hold still.

One option may be to use an oral sedative from your veterinarian. Ask the vet about Acepromazine or Trazodone. Working on some positive association may also help. You may need both the association and a sedative. Begin by having a high value treat. Start toughing his feet and reward him as soon as you touch his toe nails. Do this for a few days. Once Sparks seems comfortable with this behavior, show him the clippers. Rewards him every time he looks at the clippers. Gradually move the clippers closer to him until they touch his nail. Give him treats frequently. Then cut one nail, reward him immediately and stop the trimming for that session. Work up to multiple nails. Be patient and don't stress him or get injured. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

You can use a nail grinder instead of clippers; these are designed to "file" the nails down rather than cut them and they dramatically decrease the risk of bleeding during a nail trim. Sometimes the noise and or sensation is just as bothersome if not more so than trimming the nails, but it does give you a safer option at home if you are afraid of cutting them too short. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/wahl-premium-nail-grinder Thanks for asking PetCoach!