K. Nail Grinding
Thursday, November 27th, 2008 by Mike CronkThe latest fad in grooming is to use a rotary grinder. It is advertised as a safe and easy way to take down your dog’s nails. But take it from me, there is nothing easy about it and it’s not any safer either.
Most dogs are reluctant to get their nails done as it is. Many of them pull and resist quite a bit–even our most calm dogs are rarely happy about the process. There is a vein that grows into the nail which can be cut during nail cutting. It hurts and bleeds and we try our best not to clip too close when we use the nail clippers. Occasionally, especially with black nails, we do hit the vein. We keep styptic powder in the shop to apply and stop the bleeding but it’s not fun for either of us when an accident happens. It’s a fine line though. We often get told to clip the nails as short as possible especially in the case of owners worried about hardwood floors and scratches on their legs. Remember that the length we can cut is dictated by the length of the quick (the vein). Some dogs have nails that just naturally scrape right against the floor. Also keep in mind that cutting nails shorter doesn’t dull them. Freshly cut nails are extra sharp and need to be worn down with long walks on pavement.
Our shop stays away from grinders. We do our best to be quick and careful. As for being safer, grinders can hit the quick just as easily as nail clippers can. Nail grinding takes more time and ultimately more patience to get the job done. Most dogs will have nothing to do with it. With a nail clipper, we can just git ‘er done but grinding involves holding an unwilling dog in an uncomfortable position for much longer. This can be even more difficult with dogs who are scared by the noise of the grinder.
Cut through the advertising and do what works best for your dog. If you are interested and your dog is willing, we are able to file nails. But for most dogs, the more comfortable solution is nail clippers.