Dog claw help !

[Mayblossom]

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Morning guys ! Having problems with Lily’s claws, she’s nearly 12 and her claws are growing really quickly ( due to her age according to the vet) but the back outside claws are curling in towards the pad,the vet tried to trim them but the quick goes to the very end of the claw so she couldn’t do it but gave me no alternative to alleviate the problem. I’ve been trying to file them with an Emery board but this involves hubby holding a snarling growling terrier in a headlock while I struggle to rasp the tiniest bit off ! Just worried about it growing into her pad which will be painful and could cause worse problems . Wondering if anyone else has come across this before.

 

[JudyN]

Hi Mayblossom

To get the quick to recede, you could try trimming using the 'alternative cut line' (ACL) - have a read of this: https://www.shorthairsandshotguns.com/post/the-art-of-nail-trimming-part-1 Filing it might work too, if she's happier with that. Or you could try a dremmel.

If you want to try to use desensitisation & counterconditioning to help her learn to love nail trimming, there's a great Facebook group called Nail Maintenance with Dogs. You do have to be prepared to take several steps back before getting to actually trimming/filing the nails though, e.g. just showing her the clippers and treating her till just the sight of the clippers gets her excited...

 

[Mayblossom]

Thanks Judy, will check them out I can get the clippers on the other nails ( which are curling away from her pads ( which is good ) but these back ones leave no space to get the clippers in or a dremmel . She’s always been a ‘difficult’ child regarding nails but so much worse as she’s aged , had them done regularly from 5 months old when we brought her home, I can touch her feet and rub her pads, play with her nails etc but try anything on those back claws and it’s mayhem I just dread the fight every time ...good job she’s only little