Nail Trimming Supplies

[latopla]

 Okay...tonight I was doing routine grooming stuff with Sheriff and the Sheltie.  As I was trimming Sheriff's nails...the trimmer thing slipped and the handles pinched my palm when I squeezed to cut the nail...resulting in a big ole blood blister!  Ouch! 

So now I'm not a fan of these trimmers and want to get new ones.  I'm thinking that I should try a different style as lately they haven't worked that well for Sheriff's nails...just the Sheltie.  It may be because Sheriff has really thick, blunt nails and the trimmer has gotten dull...I think I've had it for about two years now.  However it works great on the Sheltie's tiny, sharp, and thin nails. 

It is the guillotine style of clippers.  The hole really isn't big enough for all of Sheriff's nail to fit through anymore and it also doesn't cut that much because his nails are really blunt...so it just kind of slips off the end as it cuts.  Is there a better style for nails like that?  Are there styles that aren't going to bite me as well?

[Spectrum]

They do make another style...don't remember what it's called, but they look kind of like gardening shears.


http://www.petco.com/product/112142/PETCO-Dog-Nail-Clipper.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

[Kirsten]

The bypass ones, that look like tree pruners but with a notch in them to hold the nail from sliding when you press closed, tend to work better IMO.  Diamond makes the best quality ones.

OTOH, I think a Dremel is better still.  It leaves a totally smooth edge that won't snag on panty hose (something very important to Smithcat ), it makes it harder (but not impossible) to quick a dog, and costs around $20 for a rechargeable one.  If you slip on you or the dog, it doesn't really hurt unless you hold it in place for a while and press.  If it just bounces off a finger you hardly notice anything but the feel of an emery board rubbing across the finger.

On the down side:  they are noisy and vibrate.  This can upset some dogs.  It might pay to start out slowly and condition the dog to the noise and vibration before actually trimming with them.

Oh.  Another down-side:  toe nail dust.  It's best to do this outside in a well ventilated area and while wearing clothes you don't mind getting dirty.

[Kirsten]

One annoying thing about the bypass trimmers is that stupid guard thing.  You're supposed to put it across the cutting area to keep the nail from going too far into the cutting zone and getting quicked.  The problem is it is useless.  It doesn't prevent quicking because each nail is different and must be custom trimmed.  Meanwhile, that guard thingy can flip around and get in your way and jam the thing so it doesn't close when you squeeze. 

Yes, you can learn to work around it.  Just that as long as I'm pointing out the down side, I might as well come clean for both tools.

I don't like guillotine trimmers at all because they seem to crush the nail worse, get dull pretty easy, and like to move right as you're cutting.

So my personal preference is for the Dremel first, by pass second, and as last resort guillotine.

[Spectrum]

Speaking of dremels...

I have a Pedi-Paws thing for the boys. It's quieter than a dremel, less vibrations, slower RPM, and if you press too hard it stops. It comes with an orange cover with a hole in it for the nail, but I take the cover off to get better precision. It takes longer than an actual dremel because it has a lower RPM, but it works fine for me.

One thing to be careful of is long hair. Stick the dog's foot through a knee-high and poke the nails out the bottom so the hair doesn't get caught.

[Spectrum]

You can find some without the guard. I don't like the guard either.

I actually prefer the guillotine style for most dogs, but that might be because I deal with a LOT of squirmy dogs, and the guillotine ones seem to be quicker. You have to find a good pair, though, and that's not easy to do. Most of them are complete . The plus side is most of them have replaceable blades, so when they get dull you don't need a new pair, just a new blade.

[latopla]

I think I was mistaken but I always thought the bypass style (now I learned the name also!) were for small dogs.  Or maybe there is a version of that style make more for small dogs?  I don't remember.  I'll look into those though...I like the safety latch on them since my guillotine ones don't have that.

I've considered a dremel since Sheriff's nails are all completely black and it takes some guesswork on my part to not quick him.  I never have but I always keep that yellow dust (name just flew from my brain) around in case I do.  However, because his nails are so blunt...I figured the dremel would be sorta pointless in making them...more blunt.  The ineffectiveness of our current trimmers prevent any jagged edges since they really only trim enough off to prevent them from getting out of control long.  I'd really like to start keeping them shorter though...which is another reason why I am re-evaluating what we currently have.  I don't worry too much about the noise and vibration spooking Sheriff though because IMO that's just another thing he could get used to and just deal with.  But yes, desensitization if it did cause some initial nervousness.  Good to know about causing dust as well...I never considered that part.

I think I'd want to try both options.  If the bypass ones are as hard to press together as the guillotine ones...then there really isn't a point in those.  Although I would also blame this problem on the possibility of being dull.  Regardless, I really lack the strength to trim really effectively if I don't find something that clips easier.  Therefore the dremel might be better if it is effective.  I've never used it or seen it used so I don't know at all about it.

And I didn't consider long hair factoring into effectiveness of the tool.  I have to trim Sheriff's feet pretty regularly cause he gets some really long hair between toes and around nails!  Hmmm...

[Kirsten]

The bypass ones come in two sizes (or there are two I have encountered).  One for cats and small dogs and one for larger dogs.  The ones for cats look a bit like scissors.  I use them on, well cats, and also small puppies.

[Kirsten]

Stiptic powder.  It comes in other forms as well, such as a gel or a stick.

[latopla]

Lol now I can educate you some!  The bypass type come in three sizes.  One for cats and one for large dogs.  A third for really small mammals, reptiles, and birds.

[Spectrum]

At work we use Kwikstop powder and silver nitrate sticks

The silver nitrate stickas are much more fun. You can give yourself temporary tattoos with them! 

[Rovingrebel]

Also you can used flour to stop a bleeding quick. I use a dremill grinder to do my dogs nails.

[BlindMag]

I used a Dremel for a few years but as I can no longer see to operate it, I reverted to my old favorite, the #747 Jumbo Resco Nail Clipper, which I have used for over 20 years (periodically changing the blades).  Mine is stainless steel.