How do you know where the vein is in a dog's nail?

Question

I bought dog nail clippers a month ago and wanted to manually clip them, but I'm afraid to clip too far. Is there any visible sign where the vein is?

Answer 1

When you see blood.

Answer 2

Just clip a little tiny bit at a time, and once you start to reach the quick, you will see the tip of it - you'll know it when you see it. It will poke out a little, looking like a little nub of membrane.. Don't be afraid to draw a tiny pinprick of blood from the end of it while clipping - if you only nick it a little, that isn't harmful or even that painful to the dog. My dog doesn't even react, when it's only a slight nick. I clip my own dog's claws all the time, and have learned from Sheltie breeders I know that if you do draw a little pinprick of blood (which will happen sometimes, no matter how careful you are), the quick recedes into the nail better and faster, so next time you clip, you can take the claw back even shorter. Obviously, be careful not to cut into the quick very much, or else it will be painful to the dog. You can buy stiptic powder or liquid in a "pen" from a good pet store, such as 'Petsmart" - "Quik Klot" or "Quick Stop," for example. If you do happen to cut into the Quick enough to cause more than just a tiny bit of blood, hold some paper towel or a cloth against the end of the nail, and apply firm pressure for a few minutes, then the stiptic substance, and the bleeding will stop. Having the claws very short is ideal, because they don't disturb the natural alignment of the paw and bones, with the dog is standing. Once you do, only cut away the sides, top and bottom of the claw around the quick, with the clippers angled, then file around the claw to make it all smooth and rounded at the tip. I use a metal canine pedicure file that I purchased at "Petsmart." You can get a good idea of where the quick is, by looking at the shape of your dog's claws, if they're very long. The tips on long, overgrown claws tend to be narrower, with the claw widening where the quick begins.

Answer 3

It can cost anywhere from $5-$15 to have a groomer clip the dog's nails. Bathing and grooms (IE clipping the coat) can be $30 or more per visit. If YOU'VE never clipped a dog's nails or if the dog has never had it done regularly then i would have a groomer do it a few times FIRST so the dog can learn that nail clipping is NOT a bad experience. That way when YOU go to do it the dog isn't scared to death and you will have an easier time with the clipping and can do it in a calm manner that builds YOUR confidence as well as his (it's just as stressful for the handler when it comes to grooming and clipping as it can be for the dog, especially if the handler is nervous.) Once the groomer has done it a few times and tells you the dog is okay for it, have THEM show you how to clip the nails. Quicking a dog won't kill him/her, but it can pinch and can make for a poor experience for you and the dog - that can carry on to future nail clippings and can create a fear response in the dog.

Answer 4

If you look at the nail in profile, you should be able to see where the quick ends. Best I can describe this is, there's a little jog on the underside curve of the nail. Stay away from this. Try to just take the tip off (about 1/8"), then you and your pet should be safe. Do it once a month, if you let the nails grow too long the quick comes further down into them. We do it at the time of their monthly baths.
PS - if I let my dogs' nails get an inch long they would look like grizzly paws and claws - but then, my dogs are dachshunds. I use a dremel to sand their nails down. It's not a bad idea to use an emory board to smooth the rough edges.

Answer 5

On white nails you should be able to see the pink part of the nail, you don't want to cut this area you want to leave a sliver of white there otherwise you might cut it, which we call the "quick" . If the dogs nails are black and you can't see the "quick" then when looking at the nails you'll notice a hook to the nail. You can take off the hook to the nail. There is a invisible line that runs from the pad of the dog's foot to the nail. You can cut up to that invisible line. If you do accidentally cut the quick and it bleeds you can apply corn starch to it or flour, this will stop the bleeding. There is a great product called "Kwik-stop" . It helps stop the bleeding fast. Good luck!

Answer 6

Yes - don't clip below the 'quick' of the dog's nail. This is where the white of the nail becomes pink where it joins the nail bed, visible as a line. This is just the same as with our nails, you wouldn't want to clip below the white of your nails!

If your dog has black nails that makes things more difficult - you may be able to see the quick if you hold the nail up to the light or shine a light through it.

I would suggest getting a vet, or a vet nurse (free) to do it the first time to show you how. They also have things to stop the bleeding if it occurs!

Chalice

Answer 7

Look at your dogs nails and there is a little V shape at the front of the nail closest to the paw stay above that do not cut that part it is messy and before you clip there nails always have a stick of stiptic powder to stop the bleeding if you cut to close stiptic powder will help clot the blood

but it is hard to see the V pattern on a nail if it is a black color so be careful and get some stiptic powder

Answer 8

In white claws it's easy to see the pink part you'll need to avoid. Clip just below the pink part.

In black claws it's tougher -you need to remove very tiny slices until you approach the vein. You can tell the vein is getting close in a black nail when you see a darker spot appear in the center of the lighter middle nail. I prefer to use a Dremel on my black-clawed dog, so I have more precise control over nail removal, and it's easier to avoid cutting the veins. There's a good site that explains how to use the Dremel, and has a photo of how to tell when you're approaching the vein: Go to http://www.doberdawn.com and click on the 'how to dremel dog nails' link on the lower left portion of the page.

Hope this helps!

Answer 9

When your cutting the dog's nails, you'll see that there's a red part. Those are the veins. But DON'T cut that part or it will be seriously painful. Like cutting off your own nail completely. Not pleasant.

Answer 10

Yea it's barely noticeable but you can see it. Just leave about an inch of nail from their paw and you should be in the safe zone.