Clicking Toenails- click clack click clack

[GraceLikeRain]

Well I guess the dumbest question is the one never asked.

I’ve always associated the awful clickety clack of toenails on tile as a sign of overgrown curling nails with mile long quicks and usually accompanied by splayed toes from accommodating the long nails.

I’ve done weekly toe nail trims on my boy since he was 14 weeks old. I feel like I am taking them back to a reasonable length. The one time I pushed the edge I ended up with a decent quick which resulted in lots of hugs, treats, and apologies (not that he noticed or cared).

When I put him up on the table his nails look like they have almost 1/2" clearance all around. Is it just his foot conformation that allows for toenail contact?

I am not opposed to dremeling but I can’t really imagine his quicks getting shorter without doing a quick-back under anesthesia (which isn’t going to happen). Will the dremel push those quicks back even if I don’t quick him?

Every time I hear a toenail on tile I feel convicted that I am going to somehow deform his precious little feet over time. How do I determine how much clearance is right?

Thoughts?

[Simkie]

A dremel will help.

Think of it this way–clippers basically cut the nail straight across. You can take the “corners” off, but it’s tough to really get the “wall” of the nail back.

With a dremel, you can really address that wall without affecting the sensitive “sole” (am I the only one who really see parallels to my horse’s hooves?) And yes…if you are taking the nail wall back with the dremel, the quick WILL recede, without quicking the dog. Dremel whenever you hear nails on the ground.

Foot shape DOES matter, too, but you should be able to get him non-clicky with weekly dremeling. FWIW, I had a dog who was non-clicky with weekly trimming and another that really needed the dremel to get there–entirely because of the shape of the foot and how close the toenail bed was to the ground.

[GraceLikeRain]

Perfect explanation! I think his “soles” are at a great length but it’s difficult to get the toe wall back there without risking quicking the sole. I think I am going to try putting his toes through a pair of panty hose to get the long hair out of the way and give it a whirl this week or next.

Are those pet dremels worth it or should I just buy a normal dremel?

[shayaalliard]

The regular dremel gets so hot that it will cauterize- even if you quick them it will not bleed. The pet ones do not, so you would need to be more careful. That is how many vets deal with overlong nails- just dremel them off at high speed. The pet ones tend to be quieter, but I’ve never found that animals seem to mind the noise overmuch. We used a pet one on all the puppies, cats, and birds at the pet store I managed, but I use a regular one at home on my macaws. If you get the pedipaw, remove the yellow protective cap-it makes it much harder to accurately grind.

[Bluey]

You can keep nails short by cutting just as well as with a dremel.
Cut more often and a little at the time.
How do you think we kept nails short before dremeling?
No, it was not by quicking.

[godiva13]

I got my Dremel from Home Depot and it is cordless. I love it . I had one for pets before but it was not as powerfull and had a cord. With this one i can do their nail anywhere , even outside.

[Simkie]

Buy a regular dremel. They hold up far better than the pet versions. I have a cordless, which makes it very easy, and with only one dog, you won’t have battery issues, as long as you keep the pack charged up. (I can do my two dogs on one charge, but that’s about it…don’t think I would be able to do a third.)

This looks like mine. And you use the sanding bands for nails.

[vtdobes]

I use this dremel once a week doing nails on two Dobermans. I do them both one after the other and the dremel has not gotten hot. Warm a little yes but not nearly hot enough to damage anything.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-203040434/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=dremel&storeId=10051#.ULzYdmfIV8E

[BuddyRoo]

It sounds like you have them plenty short and it’s just a matter of conformation.

I have two large dogs. Both have their nails trimmed appropriately. One doesn’t click at all, one does. <shrugs>

[shayaalliard]

The heat doesn’t damage anything- and it only happens if it is run at high speed. Either way, if you prefer not to shorten all all once, then yes, if you do a bit and wait a couple days the quick recedes. I’m used to doing nails for people who come in once or twice a year- there is no doing some more tomorrow.

[GraceLikeRain]

Thanks for the input. I do think that his foot conformation plays a role but objectively I think that I can get his nails a smidgen shorter all the way around. As a vet tech assistant I have a lot of experience assisting with dremels but I was always the one restraining not dremeling. Hopefully after watching so many I should be able to tackle it.

Dexter thinks that leaf blowers, vacuum cleaners, and all sorts of loud noises are awesome so with some assistance and a couple yummy snacks I don’t foresee him objecting.

Simkie- Thanks for the suggestion about cordless. If possible, I will definitely get one.

[Rubyfree]

Some dogs just clickclack.

We do walk-in nail trims and get many, many folks who insist the nails are too long because they can hear clicking. It’s tough to explain that we can’t cut any shorter without making a bloody mess and many people don’t want to pay extra for the dremel nor come in once a week to push the quick back. Sigh. Really, some just clickclack.

OP, this is the site I send people to for dremel instruction. Dawn offers a very detailed, thoughtful guide. I don’t follow her method to a “T” but I do use the 90 degree angle and find that it does reduce the clicky clacky a wee bit even on dogs who are inclined to do so.

[Simkie]

[QUOTE=Rubyfree;6698916]
, this is the site I send people to for dremel instruction. Dawn offers a very detailed, thoughtful guide. I don’t follow her method to a “T” but I do use the 90 degree angle and find that it does reduce the clicky clacky a wee bit even on dogs who are inclined to do so.[/QUOTE]

I do this, but then I take the wall of the nail back further–probably about 3 mm on my 70 lbs dogs. I don’t take it ALL off or anything, and I don’t get into the sensitive structures but I like to see the transparent-ish part for the first third of the nail. Mine have black nails, so it is quite easy to do. This also helps with the clicking because the “sole” part is softer and makes less noise when it does manage to click on the hardwoods.

It’s also important to hit the “heel” area of the nail (again, just picture a horse’s hoof as the end of the nail) as that can overgrow a bit and curl inward and click.

I have no idea if pictures would be helpful AT ALL, but if anyone wants me to try to get some to illustrate what I’m talking about, I can try…

[GraceLikeRain]

Simkie- If you have the time at some point, I would definitely be interested.

I went to Lowe’s all pumped up for my new purchase only to discover that half the ones online were not available in store and the cheapest one they had was $85. I am going to check out home depot and walmart next. I don’t mind spending money for quality products but if the $40 dremel will do the same job then I’d love to save the money.

[Crackerdog]

My cattle dog’s nails are as short as they will go without disappearing altogether and she still clicks on the floor. It’s something about the way she walks forward on her pads I guess.

[vtdobes]

[QUOTE=GraceLikeRain;6699285]

I went to Lowe’s all pumped up for my new purchase only to discover that half the ones online were not available in store and the cheapest one they had was $85. I am going to check out home depot and walmart next. I don’t mind spending money for quality products but if the $40 dremel will do the same job then I’d love to save the money.[/QUOTE]

Home Depot has free shipping on orders over I think $49 so if they don’t have it in stock you could order online. I bought my dremel kit at the local hardware store for something like $69. My boyfriend liked the purchase as it came with all kinds of attachments that he could use as well.

[Simkie]

[QUOTE=GraceLikeRain;6699285]
Simkie- If you have the time at some point, I would definitely be interested.

I went to Lowe’s all pumped up for my new purchase only to discover that half the ones online were not available in store and the cheapest one they had was $85. I am going to check out home depot and walmart next. I don’t mind spending money for quality products but if the $40 dremel will do the same job then I’d love to save the money.[/QUOTE]

I’ll give it a try later today. I should have decent light for it in front of the sliding glass door.

I would just order from amazon! I love amazon. (Of course, I wanted immediate gratification when I bought mine and got it from Home Depot.)

[wendy]

Dogs use their nails to grip the ground, so therefore it only makes sense that their nails would need to be able to touch the ground, which means they will, and should, click n clack on hard ground. I think you’re trying to cut your dog’s nails back too short- they should lightly touch the ground at rest, not be up in the air. You’ve removed the dog’s “cleats” if you cut them back so much they can’t touch the ground.
In some breeds the current fashion is to cut them back to non-functional little nubs, but that’s not normal nor really desirable.

[Simkie]

[QUOTE=wendy;6700302]
Dogs use their nails to grip the ground, so therefore it only makes sense that their nails would need to be able to touch the ground, which means they will, and should, click n clack on hard ground. I think you’re trying to cut your dog’s nails back too short- they should lightly touch the ground at rest, not be up in the air. You’ve removed the dog’s “cleats” if you cut them back so much they can’t touch the ground.
In some breeds the current fashion is to cut them back to non-functional little nubs, but that’s not normal nor really desirable.[/QUOTE]

Perhaps in a world where hardwood floors, concrete and other solid surfaces do not exist.

My dogs SKATE on my hardwood floors if their nails are long enough to click. No clicking = no skating. What you are calling “non-functional little nubs” allow my dogs to handle solid surfaces. And they sure as hell do not have any issues running and playing on dirt with no nails, either.

[wendy]

I see a big difference in ability to negotiate agility courses in dogs with their nails cut down to little nubs vs. dogs with normal, healthy length nails- certain conformation dogs with their fashionable tiny nubs slip and slide badly on the sharper turns on practically any surface. Also seen dogs with too-short toenails sliding around badly on wet grass that the normal-toed dogs had no problems with. Slipping and sliding can easily lead to horrible injuries.

I prefer to deal with the “slippery hardwood/tile floor” problem by not letting dogs run around on hard, slippery surfaces. Put down some appropriate floor coverings, and encourage dogs to learn to not be rowdy in the house. Thus they will be safe inside, and outside.
If you whack off their toenails, they won’t be safe anywhere.