Safe Mild Sedation For Nail Trimming?

[PatricksMom]

Leo came to us with long nails. We've been able to successfully trim most of them, but one was really long and he's touchy about it and just gotten worse. I asked the vet to hack it way back when he was under, but she didn't, and now he refuses to let us get anywhere near his feet with clippers or the dremmel.

 

Our dog sitter was confident she could do it--she's very experienced, but with her and her husband, one holding him down, muzzled and feeding him super great treats, they couldn't do it without him struggling so much they worried about hurting him.

 

He's not due for a dental for about 4 months so I don't want to knock him out, but does anyone have any suggestions for a safe sedative to ask the vet about? We tried Xanax for anxiety, it doesn't do anything.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

I have no advice for sedation, however, I do have another tactic you should try with your dog sitter. Instead of holding him down, try lifting him up (like scooping him up, typically one arm on the chest and the other either scooping the back legs or one arm under the tuck) and elevate him slightly. Make sure he is muzzled, but sometimes the lifting kind of makes them go limp. In the kennel we actually had a sling that we used for difficult dogs that suspended them from the roof about two feet off the ground. Do not lift him too high, and make sure that if he panicked and he was dropped it's in a soft place (like on carpet, or have a bed under him) Some dogs do panic and will flail, so do a trial run first and see how he reacts, however, out of all the difficult greys I have dealt with, only one did not handle this method well. If that doesn't work, I would just wait til he's under for his dental. In the mean time, take him on long walks on the concrete and see if that helps. There isn't really a good "mild" sedation that I know of, especially if xanax didn't work!

[Houndmommy03]

Following this as I just talked to my vet (actually just one of the girls in the front office) about this yesterday. She thinks his toe nails are fine so we aren't going to do anything but it could be a problem in the future. Marlow will not let anyone mess with his feet. We tried to trim them and the vet has also tried but he goes crazy. I walk him on concrete several times a day. Interesting about lifting the dog up - unfortunatley Marlow is a big boy so we couldn't do that, especially in light of how he panics but I can see how that could work. Good to know for my smaller hound that doesn't get upset. Anyway, following to see what others say.

[PatricksMom]

We've tried holding him partially up in the air, no luck, but I'll have to try that technique. He's usually such a good boy, but not about this. We do leash walk daily, but on asphalt (no sidewalks) and grass.

[tbhounds]

Many clinics will just use a sedative that can be reversed (dexdomitor). No need to stress your dog out.

[Burpdog]

The one dog I had to take to the vet was Mahogany. She was just awful and it wasn't worth it. She lived with long nails most of the time I had her

[greysmom]

The lifting up method can work. Also, sometimes, just catching them when they are tired and relaxed - after a long walk or tiring play session - and laying down. Not *holding* him down. Sometimes they do it better just standing up with the clipper person aproaching from the side and someone holding his head and feeding him treats, or putting peanut butter in the front of his muzzle.

 

Sometimes just having someone else, a stranger, not someone he knows well, can work. Have you tried a groomer in your area? Ask around your greyhound group for recommendations.

[GreyKarma]

I agree with the Dexdomitor and AntiSedan (reversal) worked fine with my first grey for minor surgery...saw many nail trims done with it.

[PatricksMom]

Many clinics will just use a sedative that can be reversed (dexdomitor). No need to stress your dog out.

Good to know if we end up needing it, thanks. We're going to try taking him to the local dog bakery, where he doesn't know them. Their groomers seem very caring and there's also the bonus of really good treats afterwards.

[Guest greyhound_in_LA]

If one nail is really long, can you just use a file on it a little every day to make it wear down faster than walking on asphalt?

[cleptogrey]

i worked w/ a patient groomer. felix was muzzled, he lifted him up on the grooming table and i held him - neck up and above the front elbow. the groomer chucked and spoke to felix in a gently tone, that didn't stop felix from pissing on him. after many visits- 2xs a month i decided to start working on his nails myself. muzzle and dh feeding him small special treats helped. doing 2 paws at a time and working on them every week really helped. using a dremel helped, and having felix lie down on his bed and just doing it and telling him to knock it off after a couple of years of all of the methods mentioned above ultimately worked.

 

now, he will stand or lie down- throw his head off the bed and be submissive- but it took years to teach him that he was not going to die-from nail trimming. it's all a matter of you preserving, they will get over it. have one special garbage treat that you only use after nail trimming. trust me he was a howling bucking bronco! now, people come to my house to get their greyhound's nails trimed! have you thought of benadryl?

 

btw- watch out for flailing heads w/ muzzles on- they really hurt.

trust me this took a long time- over a period of 2 years and lots of $$ getting his nails cuts 2xs a month, but it was worth it. rome wasn't built in a day, be very very patient.

Edited October 9, 2014 by cleptogrey

[PatricksMom]

If one nail is really long, can you just use a file on it a little every day to make it wear down faster than walking on asphalt?

You'd think, but nope. He's happy to have me (not DH) handle his feet, but as soon as we mess with that nail, all bet's are off.

[Batmom]

If he's that bad, I'd probably vote for knocking him out and doing them very very well now. And starting the day after, do at least one nail every day -- file or dremel. Muzzle, special treats -- even if he won't take them -- and try keeping him on his feet or slightly suspended across someone's lap (his chest over somebody's knees) rather than lying down. No restraint other than the leash -- don't try to hold him that still.