My dog is scared of nail trims. What at-home medications can help?

Question

My dog Zeus has recently developed a fear over getting his claws clipped, I have tried restraining and also letting him come to me on his own but he is just to afraid. I have contacted the local veterinarian hospital and they want to charge over $200. I have some training in veterinary assistance and am fully capable of trimming his nails myself. Is there an at home medication I can give him to do this myself? He is about 85 pounds. I also already have trazadone if that is a suggestion. Pet's info: Dog | American Staffordshire Terrier | Male | neutered | 1 year and 8 months old | 75 lbs

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH · Accepted Answer

Zeus is gorgeous! Thanks for including a picture. The problem with strong dogs is that they quickly realize that they can overpower you. I have problems with this with my own pit bull. The best way that I have found to trim his nails is to use a Kong filled with peanut butter to keep him busy, then nonchalantly trim his nails. Certainly that won't work for Zeus right now if he is very anxious with nail trimming. There are a number of medications that we will try to use for nail trimming at home (or to decrease anxiety in the clinic). Trazadone works great for some dogs, but sometimes we have to adjust the dose. So, you could give the recommended dose 2-4 hours before trying a calm nail trimming with positive reinforcement. You may only be able to trim a few nails, but I would consider that a success for a nervous dog. Be patient with the process. If the Trazadone does not decrease his anxiety enough, then I would recommend talking to your vet about other options or the possibility of adjusting his Trazadone dosing. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

My dog is scared of nail trims. What at-home medications can help?

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