# I cut into her quick again!



## Westhighlander (Sep 28, 2007)

I keep doing this even as I try to cut only a little bit of her nail. I always seem to get her quick too. She's small and her nails are black so it's hard to see. Any tips on how to avoid hurting her?


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

Use a Dremel or a file. I only use the clipper to take the the tips off (when I've let trimming go too long).


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

Cut a very small amount off, look at the nail, you should beable to see a white dot when you are reaching the quick.


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## Westhighlander (Sep 28, 2007)

Marsh Muppet said:


> Use a Dremel or a file. I only use the clipper to take the the tips off (when I've let trimming go too long).


I've got a peticure that I've never uses, maybe give that a try?
Do you use a regular nail file?



Tankstar said:


> Cut a very small amount off, look at the nail, you should beable to see a white dot when you are reaching the quick.


I do cut off very little but sometimes I still hit the quick. We walk on sidewalks a lot so maybe it's pretty low already? I don't see white, unless you are referring to the nail? BTW, Blaze is beautiful, I've always wanted a rough collie.


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## rosemaryninja (Sep 28, 2007)

Are you sure her nails aren't short enough already? If you're cutting off very little and still hitting the quick, her nails must be pretty short. I don't ever clip my dogs' nails; they are always short enough because we walk on a lot of tarmac and concrete. Do you have a picture?


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

If you feel they need to be trimmed or shaped you could try a nail file from a beauty supply store (sometimes Walmart carries them in the nail / manicure aisle). They are the kind of emery boards (usually funky colors) that are used for acrylic nails, pretty coarse. They will do a nice job on the dog nails.


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

Westhighlander said:


> I've got a peticure that I've never uses, maybe give that a try?
> Do you use a regular nail file?


The peti is a good option if your dog will tolerate the noise and vibration. IMO it's worth working on it. My dog has claws like a velociraptor, and they grow quickly. When I use a hand file, I use a cross-cut, 2nd cut machinist file. For a small dog, you could use a manicure file (don't buy junk) or emery boards.


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## agility collie mom (Jan 26, 2008)

If you walk on concrete surfaces a lot than you may not need to trim her nails. Her nail should be (the tips) even with her pad when you look from the side. If you look at the underside of her nail and there is no groove (v-shaped from the tip back) than the nails are too short too trim. Hope this helps.


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## Westhighlander (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks everyone. I cut them because when she walks on the hard wood floors at home, it goes clicky clat, clicky clat so I thought it might be too long. She walks on concrete everyday so I thought it didn't need to be trimmed, but if she if her nails are making sound when walking it may be too long? I'll check tonight to see if they are even.


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## lovemygreys (Jan 20, 2007)

I use a dremel on all of our dogs.


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## Binkalette (Dec 16, 2008)

lovemygreys said:


> I use a dremel on all of our dogs.


Careful with a regular Dremel if you were to use it on your Westie though, long hair can get caught in them.


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

Westhighlander said:


> Thanks everyone. I cut them because when she walks on the hard wood floors at home, it goes clicky clat, clicky clat so I thought it might be too long. She walks on concrete everyday so I thought it didn't need to be trimmed, but if she if her nails are making sound when walking it may be too long? I'll check tonight to see if they are even.


Blaze make the clicky noise while walking on the harwood as well. but his are also right at the quick. I never cut them. I cut them maybe 2 times a year in winter since he doesnt get to wear them down on concrete then. Otherwise I just do the declaws and he is fine. So ours might be right at the quick, some quicks are longer then others. You could slowly file them down and the quick should get smaller if the noise is a problem. Otherwise I wouldnt bother cutting them at all.

PS: Thanks for the compliment on Blaze.


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## Cheetah (May 25, 2006)

I recently started using a PediPaws on Shippo because I got tired of hurting him with the pressure from the clippers (he's a wuss). He responds much better to this and I'm able to get them filed back a lot shorter than if I were to use the clippers. And supposedly, if you file back too far with a dremel-type tool, and end up nicking them, it's less painful than having the ends of their quicks chopped off by a metal blade. I haven't had it happen to me yet though, so don't quote me on that one lol.


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## Westhighlander (Sep 28, 2007)

I checked and her nails are even with her pad. I'm a dummy. I just probably will file it from now on to smooth it out. Thanks everyone.


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## briteday (Feb 10, 2007)

There is a nerve that extends 3-4 mm beyond where the end of the quick is. So if your dog starts to react when you are grinding...take notice. It's a good way to know when to stop. At that point you should be able to see the nail bed.


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## lis (May 21, 2009)

I would recommend a regular nail file, as opposed to a dremel. A regular nail file may take a little bit longer, but a dremel can take off too much if your not careful, and again you can end up damaging the quick, along with getting a dogs fur caught in it. 

I do aesthetics, and will not even use a dremel on a person, definitely not going to use it on my dog!!

Also, if your really worried, most vets will do this for you complimentary.


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

Also to keep the nails nice and short do them every week. It is just part of our weekly grooming. Saturday morning is a quick brushing and dremel the nails. It only takes a few minutes to do both dogs because they stay nice and short, I just buzz the end a little bit to take any rough edges off.


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## Cheetah (May 25, 2006)

lis said:


> I would recommend a regular nail file, as opposed to a dremel. A regular nail file may take a little bit longer, but a dremel can take off too much if your not careful, and again you can end up damaging the quick, along with getting a dogs fur caught in it.


If anyone is worried about it being too high-powered or getting fur caught in it, I think the pedipaws would work fine for them. It is low-powered (in fact, many people on here were complaining about it not filing fast enough, compared to more advanced dremel kits) and has a guard that helps prevent fur getting caught. I switched to it because I got sick of damaging my own nails during traditional filing, and it taking 30 minutes to file the nails down on one dog. But to each his own lol.


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## lis (May 21, 2009)

I have not personally used the pedipaws, however my sister-in-law has, and she said it works great. No issues, nothing. The only complaint I have heard is that it takes too long, however I think that is MUCH better than taking too much off too quickly.


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## 0hmyd0g (Aug 18, 2008)

I use pedipaws on my dog. I also have a dremel but she has long hair and is a squirmer and the pedipaws has a protective cover on it. She's much more comfortable having her nails done this way other than clipping, but I hate that it's battery operated. I much would prefer a plug in type like my dremel.


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## MonicaBH (Jul 5, 2008)

I've read in other places that you can use a nylon/pantyhose/tights to cover the dogs' feet with; you push their nails through the toe of the nylon/pantyhose/tights and it keeps the hair protected.

Just a suggestion, although I have not tried it thus far. I use the Pedicure for my littlest dog (he's ~18#) and a Mini-Mite Dremel for the bigger dogs (38# and up).


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## Cheetah (May 25, 2006)

lis said:


> The only complaint I have heard is that it takes too long, however I think that is MUCH better than taking too much off too quickly.


Exactly. I agree. It's especially good for people such as me, who are new to dremel tools. It's virtually fool-proof LOL!


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