Trimming black nails

Christin

Christin

New Member
Owned by
1 cocker
I've had experience cutting clear nails, but Lilly is the first dog I've had that has black nails. Is there a trick to find where the vein(or whatever makes them bleed when cut too short) is? I would prefer to trim them myself since the cheapest price I've seen/paid here in Chicago is $20 just for nail trim..
 
Sorry, I can't be much help. My cockers have had dark pigmented nails too. I honestly can't tell where I should cut. I'm afraid to. I trimmed my mom's black cocker mix and made her bleed. I see on Amazon a dog nail trimmer called "Quickfinder" which supposedly shows you were to cut. I wouldn't trust it. It seems too cheap to work as advertised. We have a vein finder in the ER. It costs thousands of dollars and works with special lights.
 
If you guys can wait til tomorrow, I'll draw and take pics to show u. It's pretty easy once you know what to look for and aren't afraid if u do get the quick. To them when u make it bleed it's like when we clip our nails too short.
Til tomorrow......


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I'm so afraid of nails. I will look forward to your diagram Robin. But, I know they sense my fear LOL... I just tip the nails, I have to give Pogo melatonin and I take it myself to keep calm LOL
 
Instead of melatonin for u Polly, put a mint in ur mouth. They can't sense the fear thru the mint. :)


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Wow Robin! I'll try that next time! I'm going to aim for 2 weeks, I need to get Pogo's down some more.
 
We do that b4 we go in the ring Polly.

OK, sorry for the fuzziness of the pics as I couldn't seem to get in focus by myself.
If possible, clip your dogs nails after a bath as they'll be soft and easier to trim until you get better at it. It's easier to shave slivers off while pliable rather than brittle.
The first pic is of the bottom of the nail, it should look white. If its pointed, clip the sharp point off. Then continually shave slivers with the nail clippers until you see a dark black circle in the center of the nail like you see in the second picture and that's where you STOP as that little black circle is the quick. Should you accidentally get the quick and it's bleeding, grab some quick stop, flour, or an ice cube and hold it on there for several seconds til the bleeding stops.
I prefer the plier type nail trimmers rather than the guillotine type in case the nail has started growing into the pad or is super close to it.
Hope this helps.
2181009d.jpg

When see this black circle, STOP!
d6eac362.jpg


Thanks to my nail model, Miss Rona.
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Very helpful. I might have courage to try myself next time. Does it look the same on light colored nails?
 
It does Manuel except the quick is a dark pink or light red instead of a dark black circle.


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Thanks! Hopefully it just starts getting warmer so I can walk Lilly more to file her nails, still a little nervous to clip them...I don't want to make her nails bleed, it freaks me out!
 
DJ's Three said:
LOL...I'll try the mint but I think it is the look of panic on my face that makes them nervous...
Click to expand...
To tell you how bad I am, even Stormy will pull his back feet away from me!! And, he was well trained by Robin!!!
 
Wow that was helpful but I think I will leave it to the groomer. I do cat nails just fine but the dogs scare me, I'm a boob !
 
I haven't nicked in ages, but I really just sliver the tips off. I usually do Nicholas when he's asleep, because he's so slow to wake up, I can get just one or two, maybe three nails in all. Cordelia's a whole different thing, I will try the mint trick!
 
Bella has a mix of black & white nails - so it should be easy right? but I constantly have problems with her.
(the last time she did bleed and I think her & her dad were ready to run away from home! )

The front nails grow at a normal rate and I clip them without a problem, including the dew claws (she has fronts but not backs).
Her back nails are another story altogether! Even just shaving little bits off, they bleed.
Also, I only even try to clip the back nails about once to every 4 or 5 times I do the fronts.
They just never seem to really grow.
Has anyone else ever seen this?
 
What's happening with Bella is she's wearing off the rear nails on her walks /runs. She probably takes off running digging her rear nails into the dirt/cement and that helps wear them down. On them, just do what we call 'tipping' the nail where u just clip the sharp point only off.


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( I was looking for a lightbulb smile with an A-ha )

That is probably exactly right!
She is always on a leash (we don't have a yard) and always walking on sidewalks.
 
My co-worker just got some sort of product that you stick on the nail and within a few seconds, it changes colour where the quick is. I have no idea what it's called or how it works, but she used it to trim her dog's one black nail and it worked! I have to find out what it is.
 
Please find out what it is, and do they offer group discounts? :p

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Messyhair said:
My co-worker just got some sort of product that you stick on the nail and within a few seconds, it changes colour where the quick is. I have no idea what it's called or how it works, but she used it to trim her dog's one black nail and it worked! I have to find out what it is.
Click to expand...
Wow!.......................
 
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