My dog is terrified of nail trims. Can I use Benadryl or melatonin?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 50 lbs
My dog gets extremely nervous to the point of thrashing and shaking whenever I try to cut his nails or give him tick treatmeant. It gets so bad that my usual grooming place won't trim his nails even when he is restrained for defeat he might hurt himself. Is there anything (melatonin,Benadryl) that will safely "knock him out" so I can give him proper grooming care once every couple of months?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on March 5th, 2017
You can take Jake into your vet's office to have his nails cut, and the vet can safely give him a sedative in order to have the procedure done. Melatonin and Benadryl will not "knock him out," nor will it the sedative properties to ensure you can get his nails cut without issue. Speak to your vet about having him sedated at their office so he can safely have his nails cut.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on June 4th, 2018
He is cute! The best thing would be to talk to your vet about trying a medication called Trazodone. Your vet can prescribe the medication unless there is a contraindication. I don't think an OTC production would be enough to allow you to bathe and clip his nails.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
My dog hates having her nails cut by me or anyone for that matter. The only way I could think of is when she’s sleeping ? I read most people give them Benedryl ? Then best I know to cut her nails is by putting her to sleep ? What’s the best way to d
You can try using the Bendryl on Pele. Give it an hour to take effect. If this doesn't work (not all dogs get sedated on it), then contact Pele's vet who will have stronger meds that will work better. Many dogs HATE having their nails done so this method is commonly used. Best of luck with Pele!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi I heve a 1 year old Chihuahua that does not let me trim his nails or bath him he growl and bite me. I use to do it regularly when he was a poppy. I wondering if I can give him some melatonin or something else. Thank you
He is cute! The best thing would be to talk to your vet about trying a medication called Trazodone. Your vet can prescribe the medication unless there is a contraindication. I don't think an OTC production would be enough to allow you to bathe and clip his nails.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Is there such a sedative I can get from my vet so he will be calm and let me cut his nails or does he have to get general anesthesia? He's so scared of getting them cut after a bad experience at a different vets, been Working on it for at least 6 mon
Some pets are so fearful, that anesthetizing them is safer for everyone involved. However, finding a vet office that is Fear Free certified or has techs or doctors that are can really help. There are definitely drugs that can be given, such as Trazodone, that can help to reduce anxiety. There are proven nail trim desensitization programs that can be done to help fearful pets as well. Also, teaching your dog to accept a basket muzzle in a fear free way and getting him his own can really help to make the process easier and safer! Bringing really good snacks like canned cheese, peanut butter or hot dog pieces can also help. Benadryl does not reduce fear at all so definitely talk to your vet about options!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
HELLO i have a 97 lbs pit mixed that has a ingrown back toenail into what i call his thumb i am not able to pay for in office visits at this time .i really need to know if there is anything i could give him to calm him down enough to cut the toenail
Unfortunately, there are no OTC sedatives you can give Bobby to cut this nail. Sedatives are prescribed only by a vet; in addition, things people may suggest as a sedative (i.e. Benadryl) actually will not sedate him enough to where you can cut the nail without pain. In fact, Benadryl can have the opposite effect and make him more active. Finally, it's not a drug used specifically to sedate animals or humans, so it will not be effective. I can give you some resources, however, that may help you afford a vet. You God's Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.hum
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Duke needs his nails trimmed badly they are long over due, Ive been trying to trim them myself but I don’t know what I am doing. I’d take him to a professional but I’m afraid he might nip the groomer. Duke is super sensitive about his paws. Is there
The only safe and effective sedatives for dogs are available from the vet. Unfortunately it's illegal for me to recommend using anything, including OTC drugs, because I can't see Duke in person. That's because doing so requires a veterinary client patient relationship which cannot be achieved via an internet forum. In addition, the experts cannot say for certain if a specific drug is safe for your dog. He's an older dog, and specific drugs may be contraindicated in him due to potential health problems such as heart disease. I'd make an appointment with his vet. The vet can give him a safe sedative and trim the nails for you. Best of luck, I hope this helps.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have been trying to cut my dogs toe nails, but he wants to bite me, gets very mad, can u suggest some way to calm him so I can cut his nails?
If you are having a lot of problems cutting Rio's nails, you can have them done at the vet's office. Alternatively, you can ask your vet if there are any sedatives that can be prescribed for him so you can cut his nails safely. Unfortunately there are no OTC sedatives for dogs. If he's getting very upset, leave him be for now, and make him an appointment at the vet. Best of luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Which meds would be most effective to calm a dog down enough to clip nails? He had a horrible experience over a year ago at a vets and I have been working with him to hold his paws but whenever he sees the clippers or dremel he gets up and runs away.
One option may be to use an oral sedative from your veterinarian. Ask the vet about Acepromazine or Trazodone. Working on some positive association may also help. You may need both the association and a sedative. Begin by having a high value treat. Start toughing his feet and reward him as soon as you touch his toe nails. Do this for a few days. Once Sparks seems comfortable with this behavior, show him the clippers. Rewards him every time he looks at the clippers. Gradually move the clippers closer to him until they touch his nail. Give him treats frequently. Then cut one nail, reward him immediately and stop the trimming for that session. Work up to multiple nails. Be patient and don't stress him or get injured. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Will his quick ever go back to normal? It just seems so large. Also my vet told me there are only tranquilizers used to calm dogs for nail cuts, is that true or is there actually sedatives? I've been working with him on his fear of having his nails v
Thanks for using Boop by Petco. For your first question: yes! I expect this nail to grow back over the quick withing a few weeks.
For the second part: "sedative" and "tranquilizer" are often used interchangeably in veterinary medicine. In point of fact, what I usually recommend for our nail trim challenges is neither one. Instead, I recommend a true anti-anxiety medication such as Trazodone. It CAN have some mild sedation (lethargy, slower movements, more sleepiness) as a side effect, but not always. Generally, my difficult nail trim dogs on trazodone walk in, fully alert and acting basically normal - just calmer and less scared. The best part is, that in conjunction with a slow, gentle technician and friendly restraint, he can actually start to overcome his fear and learn to tolerate nail trims - eventually.
Then there are true sedatives/tranquilizers like acepromazine. These will make Otis slower and easier to trim, but do not actually address his underlying fear. So he will con
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has anxiety seeing other dogs. He isn’t aggressive, he just wants to play. He whines, and sometimes barks but very rarely. We have a trip to fly to Vegas this summer. I heard Benadryl is safe for him for anxiety and motion sickness. Is this co
I find that for over the counter products, melatonin works much better than Benadryl for most dogs in my experience. The product I would recommend trying for Marco is NaturVet Quiet Moments Calm Chews with Melatonin, which can be found online or at your local PetCo quite easily. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
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 $20
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 possi
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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