How to Trim an Aggressive Dog’s Nails Without Sedation?

What Can I Give My Dog to Calm Her Down to Cut Her Nails?

“We are having a hard time with our female Rottweiler’s nails. She will fight tooth and nail to keep us from clipping her claws. When she was a pup, she used to let us, but when she quickly got clipped, that was the start of the battle.

She has to be doped up at the vet now, and it still takes three people to try and hold her steady—the end result is that her nails are still too long, and then they grow back in no time. She has split one of her claws, and it is now growing straight up (the part that did not break off) and has gotten infected. She’s on antibiotics for the time being.

It has become a very sensitive subject between us and very stressful for Molly. I can not see putting her through this trauma every couple of months because each time, she gets more aggressive. We are considering having her claws removed. I know this is cruel, and I would never consider this unless I thought there was another way. We have tried distracting her with treats and other groomers, but most tend to be afraid of the breed, as is our vet.

Can you offer any suggestions on how to de-escalate her outside of drugging her up? Thank you.”—T.B.

Surgery Is Not the Answer

Yes, you are correct that removing Molly´s nails in surgery is not the way to go. The third digit of each toe needs to be removed, so unless it was done when the dog was still a puppy, there will be severe side effects. It is not unusual for a dog to end up with lameness and permanent lameness after this procedure.

Alternatives to Heavy Sedation

The most common thing that is done with dogs that have aggression problems with nail trims is sedation. It is certainly not a good option if you are using one of the older sedatives that have to be given at the time of the nail trim, but there are several alternatives that can be given at home so that she is calmer when you take her in. These will still allow her to learn better behavior, and most importantly, do not dope her up like heavy sedatives.

Give a Mild Sedative at Home

I recommend that you try several things at once. The first would be to give her a medication called trazodone at home. This is a mild sedative that has been used successfully in dogs that are nervous about going to the vet. It is used as an antidepressant in humans but blocks serotonin receptors in dogs and works as a mild sedative. (1) It does not sedate them fully but does “take the edge off.”

You will need to get the medication from your local veterinarian. If your dog seems too sedated, you can try other methods.

Try Desensitization Training

Along with the trazodone, I suggest you also use desensitization training to get her used to having her nails touched. It sounds like she is already stressed out by being taken to the groomer, so this would be very difficult without the medication, but with help, you can get her to be much calmer about this procedure.

• Week 1: In the first week, give her the medication, wait for about half an hour, and then take her to the groomer. Just take her inside, allow the groomer to touch her toes if she will allow it, give her a treat and then a lot of praise, and leave. Do not give her a nail trim or anything that is going to trigger her fearful aggression.
• Week 2: Do the same thing again the next week. I cannot tell you how many visits it is going to take for her to become desensitized, but the average is about 3 to 6 weeks.

After she realizes that going to the groomer’s or the vet’s office does not equate with being held down for a nail trim, you can actually consider touching her nails.

Switch to a Rotary Tool

Another thing that might help is to stop using the clippers altogether and use a rotary tool to grind the tips of the nails. She may associate the sight of the clippers with the painful experience, and I find that Dremel-type rotary tools help with some of the more reactive large dogs, as you can introduce them gradually and trim the nails at home. Some dogs are afraid of the nail clippers, but others feel that the trip to the groomer is the most stressful part of the procedure.

Dremel tools are not that expensive, so you can get one of the battery models and get her used to the sound of the tool before you mess with her feet. Set it down next to her food bowl when it is time to feed her so she gets used to the sound of it, and after a few days, touch her nails to see if she will let you do so without getting upset. (Dogs also are much calmer if licking peanut butter or cream cheese from a spoon while you are doing this, so you should try that too when touching her nails.)

You need to do this very gradually so as not to upset her. It may take several weeks, but eventually, she will grow used to you touching her nails while the Dremel tool is turned on.

Be Patient and Go Slowly

Since I do not know your Rottie, it is hard to say which of these techniques will work best for her. If you are against trying the sedative first, definitely go with the rotary tool. (I linked to Amazon above, but you can also find them locally.) She is dealing with a lot of fear and anxiety, so no matter which method you choose to use, go as slowly as possible.

Source

1. Erickson A, Harbin K, MacPherson J, Rundle K, Overall KL. A review of pre-appointment medications to reduce fear and anxiety in dogs and cats at veterinary visits. Can Vet J. 2021 Sep;62(9):952-960. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8360309/

This article is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from your veterinarian. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

© 2024 Mark dos Anjos, DVM