Trimming your dogs nails?

Question

I heard that if you trim your dogs nails too short and cut into the quick the dog could bleed to death. Is this true?
I am so scared to trim his nails cuz of this?

Answer 1

They won't bleed to death but you should have some flour or cornstarch on hand if they do bleed. My daughter has a small dog and I am the nail cutter. I always worry about cutting into the quick because it's a small dog and is hyper. I just saw an advertisement for a new nail cutter for animals called the QuickFinder - cost $29.95. It flashed green if it's safe to cut and red if your in the quick.The website I saw it on was PetGadgets.com. It is currently not available yet but said it would be soon. If you send them your e-mail address they will respond with a note telling you they will inform you when you can purchase it.

Answer 2

No they won't bleed to death but they do bleed a lot. If they have dark nails it is really hard to tell where the quick is. I trim my dogs nail right at the corner where they curve, seems to be short enough and I don't hit the quick. If I were you I would ask someone experienced to show you the first time you do it and then you will feel more comfortable with doing it yourself. One of the reasons why I say that is they might put up a fuss the first time and you might accidentally cut the wrong place, mine did. They will get used to it after a couple of times and it will be easier to do. Hope this helps you.

Answer 3

it's not true.
if you do cut too short, it will bleed. use qwik-stop (at your local pet store) or even just flour or corn starch. dip your finger in the powder and hold it up to the bleeding nail and press firmly for a few minutes. it will stop. if you do not cut your dog's nails regularly (every 3 weeks or so), the vein may grow with the nail, so you can only cut back so far.

i actually prefer dremmeling nails if the dog allows it. a dremmel is basically a motorized tool that sands, or files, the nail. if you go into the vein using a dremmel, it automatically coterizes (sorry about my spelling) the nail so it does not bleed. many groomers and vets provide this service. it is also nice because it will smooth out the nail and it wont be so sharp after being trimmed.

Answer 4

No they wont bleed to death. They bleed alot but not that much.
When you cut their nails look for the cuticle line up the nail shaft that where the vain is. Just cut a lillte below that point. Also keep some septci powder or stick around in case you do go to deep that will immediately stop the bleeding. when you cut nails especially for the 1st time take a little at a time. Dont try to take it all at once. If your really aferaid to try go to a pet groomer they only charge about 10 dollars to cut nails and they usually will show you how its done.

Answer 5

I don't think they would bleed to death but most people do recommend have some stop-quik or powder on hand to stop the bleeding in case you do cut into the quick. Just be very careful and try just taking off the tips a little at a time. Some dogs nails are a different color where it goes into the quick but not all of them are. I take mine to the vet to have their nails trimmed and it costs me about $8.00 and worth it as far as I am concerned. You could also probably get a groomer to do it for a nominal fee. I have done it a few times myself but always worry they will jerk their foot and cause me to cut where I don't want to so I just prefer to take them to have it done. My sanity is worth a few $$. lol

Answer 6

He won't bleed to DEATH but you can easily buy styptic powder at any pet supply store which will cease any bleeding.
It's important to keep your dog's nails trimmed because if not he/she could possibly catch it's nail in something and rip the whole thing out. The one thing that can happen is if you have a bird, and it breaks a "blood feather", that can lead to death by bleeding because it won't clot, but the dog shouldn't have an issue. I always have styptic powder on hand though, and if you are really freaked, have the vet or a groomer do it for you.

Answer 7

They will bleed alot!!! And it will also really hurt your dog. there is a vein in the nail if you are going to trim only take a little bit. If the nails are really long the vein extends with the nail so you can only trim a little bit. The best thing to do is to let your vet show you how and that way you will know how to do it and your dog will be safe and painless.

Answer 8

I doubt they can bleed to death, but if you cut it too much and they do bleed, it's painful for them. If you plan on clipping their nails yourself, get yourself a steptic pencil at the drug store, it will help the blood clot. If you're really nervous about doing the nail trimming yourself, you can have your vet do it for you, or ask your vet to show you the proper way to trim the nails. Then there's always the last option...lots of walks. Walking your pet regularly will help his or her nails stay naturally trimmed.

Answer 9

No, your dog won't bleed to death.

However, cutting the quick is very painful for your dog and it does cause a pretty good amount of bleeding, which can be traumatizing to your dog.

It's not likely to kill him - you can stop the bleeding quickly using styptic powder. They sell that at most pet stores and it's great to have on hand for pet emergencies.

If you don't know how to cut the nails without cutting into the quick, you should take your dog to the vet or a groomer to have it done. They can show you how to do it correctly so you won't hurt your dog.

Answer 10

they wont bleed to death. it will bleed alot. i do believe it hurts them. they tend to get upset when you cut it. its very easy to cut the nails if they are white. because you can see the quick. if your dogs nails are black just trim the tips. try and do it every 2 weeks. especially if the nails are really long. the more often that you do it the shorter the quicks get. you can also use a dremel if you dog will tolerate the sound.