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14 December 2005

I need to drug my dog. Please help me. →[More:]I need to sedate her, because she will not let me trim her nails- she goes ballistic. They are getting *so* long, I just don't know what to do. I've heard of some people using Children's Benadryl- anyone tried that? She weighs approx 9 lbs.
post by: ThePinkSuperhero at: 16:44 | 46 comments
I'm not being snarky...you can't just hold down a nine pound dog while a friend does the clipping?
posted by danostuporstar 14 December | 16:49
I can't help you with the drugging but my dog refuses to let his nails be cut. He weighs 80 pounds and I've even tried groups of people holding him down while we clip. No use. (Also tried the gentle approach, of course. Same thing.) My dog will let me do absolutely anything else to him. He'll take needles without so much as a look in your direction. I can touch his feet, clean them, wipe in between his pads... just no cutting of the nails.

As a result, they haven't been cut in... 7.5 years. I just walk him on pavement, which keeps them short, but by no means trim. :)
posted by dobbs 14 December | 16:50
I know, it sounds crazy. But she absolutely freaks out, biting and what not. I might be able to hold her, but I don't have any friends that will attempt to trim her nails (see, this is what was good about having a boyfriend- I always made him help me). And no one wants to hold her, because she freaks out and bites and what not. Plus, she's my baby and I just hate to see her freak out like she does. I figure if I can sedate her, maybe it'll be an easier process.

On preview: Isn't it weird, dobbs? Don't you think they'd want their nails cut? Hers are so long right now they've started catching on things.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 16:56
wrap your dog up tightly in a blanket or towel restricting the movement of all limbs except the one you are cutting.
posted by ozomatli 14 December | 16:57
It's tough with a dog that's so little, because all of her limbs are close to her mouth. So, you reach to try to grab a paw.... and she freaks.

The last trim we did, I took her to Petco, and she bit both me and the Petco guy pretty hard. It was ultra-embarrassing (why doesn't that woman have control of her teeny little dog?!)
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 16:59
I used to have a cat* that had this issue. I would just ask the vet tech to clip her whenever I took her in to the vet. Does she go to the groomer? Would you consider it?

*named Matilda.
posted by matildaben 14 December | 17:00
Our pooches are given cheese bits during the nail cutting process since puppyhood, and cheered when the cutting was done, so they think it's a more of a party than a torture session. They cooperate completely, including being still, and we trim only about 1/8" at a time, about every 3 weeks.

I'm not sure how to correct the behavior once the resistence is established. I will have to consult the resident pooch communicator and get back to you....
posted by chewatadistance 14 December | 17:01
Does she go to the groomer? Would you consider it?

I would consider it, but I'd have to tell them how bad she freaks out, and I feel like they might be resistant to doing it. Most places don't have a muzzle small enough to fit her little mouth.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 17:02
It's so weird, because she didn't always freak out... when I first got hern (9 months, two previous owners), it was absolutely no problem to get it done (but they might not have trimmed her nails regularly). But it just got worse and worse every time, until now it's just absurd.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 17:03
Rupert (aka Mr. Destructo) is only 16 months old so I'm training him to like clipping with treats. Lars doesn't give a fuck.
posted by matildaben 14 December | 17:05
Drugging dogs is dicey. Their systems can be really shocked by even mild sedation, and it could seriously take (human) years off her life. Some dogs go grey after just a couple times under sedation.

You might be able to tire her out and try to pet her into relaxation, and do one toenail a day, if that's what it takes. Mind you don't cut to the quick, though.

Seriously, consider one-a-day nail trimming (24 hours is usually long enough for a dog to forget that you clipped a toenail last time she felt drowsy and was given all the attention she wanted). It's not like having an odd number of clipped nails is gong to throw off her balance.

And it's much, much safer than doping.
posted by Hugh Janus 14 December | 17:10
Theo hates it too & I have to get the groomer to muzzle him - it's really been the only solution. He hates all aspects of grooming which is a pain since he has all this long collie fur that gets extremely rastafarian extremely quickly.
posted by mygothlaundry 14 December | 17:11
thepinksuperhero

Don't drug her, especially not with over the counter stuff, I would be very reluctant to do that to a big dog, let alone a little one. The vet if you can, if not it's really the towel wrap and a whole bunch of swearing.

Ahh, yes trust Hugh, he knows.
posted by Divine_Wino 14 December | 17:12
GONG!!!!! A giant shepherd's crook should take me out of here for that performance.
posted by Hugh Janus 14 December | 17:12
I actually have tried one-a-day, and it works pretty well. But then I get all ambitious, and try to do two, and ::evil dog face::

Thanks all for the advice- looks like the one-a-day method is the plan for now.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 17:14
It'ssss showtime... at the apollo!
posted by Divine_Wino 14 December | 17:14
duct tape

apparently chickens go into hypnosis if you tap them on the beak ('pupps, is this true?). im assuming it doesnt work with dogs.

is the vet too prohibitive?
posted by urbanwhaleshark 14 December | 17:15
I love Showtime at the Apollo! I just wish it wasn't on at 1:30 in the morning.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 17:15
Isn't it weird, dobbs? Don't you think they'd want their nails cut? Hers are so long right now they've started catching on things.

No, I don't think it's weird. I mean, it's more weird that we cut them.

As for "catching on things".... I don't have that problem as my dog's always on the ground/floor. I assume you're talking about blankets and throws and whatnot when the dog is on the couch or bed, right? What else could they catch on? You're not putting boots and stuff on her, are you? :>
posted by dobbs 14 December | 17:16
Do not drug animals with Benadryl. It will kill them and is used to put down cats. Consult your vet before you kill your pet. The vet will have good advice on how to kill your pet properly.

Anybody want to explain the theory and practice of general anesthesia? Krist on a Krutch.
posted by warbaby 14 December | 17:17
Yea, they catch on blankets, fleecy toys, sweaters...

She haaaaaaates any form of clothes, except her I (heart) NY t-shirt, and even that she'll only stand for a little while. She pouts in clothes, it's hysterical, so she's naked 99.9% of the time.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 17:17
Calm down, warbaby, I don't want to kill my pet.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 17:18
Showtime at the Apollo is one of the best shows for watching while on acid, nothing is funnier with a head full of the meadows cheapest and speediest acid than someone getting boooed off and the dude in the afro wig sweeps them off the stage. Ahhh good times.
posted by Divine_Wino 14 December | 17:18
yes relax, have a tab or two and settle down on the couch, it's amateur night.
posted by Divine_Wino 14 December | 17:19
I know, and the audience yells WOOP WOOP! WOOP WOOP! It's the greeeeatest.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 17:19
A co-worker got her dog prescribed valium to make her relax about grooming, but she already had a prescription for valium for her cat (which had "anxiety issues"), so the vet might just have been loose with the valium.
(Or she could have been taking it herself and just had the cover story of pet valium, but she was getting it from a vet).
posted by klangklangston 14 December | 17:21
Haaaaaaaaa, awesome.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 17:23
I saw The Worst Showtime at the Apollo Ever last week. It was the worst Showtime at the Apollo ever.
posted by Hugh Janus 14 December | 17:23
DO NOT TAKE CAT VALIUM, IT WILL MAKE YOU VERY RELAXED!


I saw The Worst Showtime at the Apollo Ever last week. It was the worst Showtime at the Apollo ever.

Was it the one where a dude dressed like Hitler and another dude dressed like Pol Pot sang "I wanna sex you up?", 'cause that one freaked me out good.
posted by Divine_Wino 14 December | 17:25
I liked the one where the amateur comic came out and started with, "You know when you fart and it smells so bad even you think it smells bad??" They whop-whoped her right off the stage.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 17:26
"You know when you fart and it smells so bad even you think it smells bad??"


I think they should have given her a chance, that's a very valid sentiment, but more in the realm of philosophy than standup.

posted by Divine_Wino 14 December | 17:28
Yeah, so don't drug your dog. Side effects, stress on her body, etc are just not worth it, in my opinion.

Try either the one-a-day nail thing, or if that really won't work, buy a muzzle that fits her and take her to a groomer. It'll be well worth the money.
posted by Specklet 14 December | 17:42
I've tried finding muzzles that fit her... but they always end up being too long in the snout.

I have actually just been offered dog nail trimming help from a (brave!) Mefi friend, so we'll see how that works out.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 17:47
pink: I just had a friend (his wife is a surgical nurse) put down his own cat (very old and sick) with a Benadryl injection. Benadryl was recommended by an anesthesiologist as being particularly lethal to cats.

Just remember, 0.6 of an LD50 dose of anything will get you high. Unless, of course you are a member of the LD30 group. If you are, you get to meet Elvis.
posted by warbaby 14 December | 17:57
So I just re-read this as "I need to drunk my dog."
posted by Specklet 14 December | 19:08
I recall hearing that dogs have some sensory nerve endings in their claws -- they feel some pain when you cut their nails. That might explain the aggressive behavior.

Our old elkhound required three people to hold her down before nails could be trimmed, and she weighed 40 pounds.
posted by killdevil 14 December | 19:39
Others have given advice about techniques for restraining and rewarding the dog already, but I will address the Benadryl question. You can give adult Benadryl to a dog. The proportions are 1 mg per pound of dog. Benadryl usually comes in 25 mg tablets, so you could give it about 1/3 of a tablet and be fine. However, it may or may not have a sedative effect.

We give our large (30lb) Boston terrier 1 tablet every 12 hours or so now to help him with the itchiness associated with an allergy he apparently has. We are taking him in on Friday to have blood drawn to see exactly what he is allergic too. For a while the vet thought it was mange, but it is obvious it isn't.

I first learned of the Benadryl dosages when our littlest Boston terrier was stung by a bee a few summers ago.

To complete this, here are some photos, because I can't help sharing the cuteness.
posted by terrapin 14 December | 20:47
Oh, and I have had two vets in 2 separate states RECOMMEND Benadryl for our dogs for diffferent reasons, and have never had any side effects. I don't necessarily agree to using it as a sedative for grooming, but this scare mongering about killing your pets is not accurate.
posted by terrapin 14 December | 21:48
Oh terrapin, those little faces!! Thanks for the info on Benadryl- I've been searching and searching, and haven't been able to find anything about it.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 14 December | 22:35
If it isn't too cost prohibitive you might just want to cough up the dough and have the vet do it. If the quick of the dog's nails grows far down into the nail (as they do on mine) even a normal clipping can be painful. The vet will be able to do it quickly and efficiently and will also be able to sedate the dog if necessary.
posted by LeeJay 14 December | 23:36
Seriously, I'm shaking my head here, just don't drug your dog unless she needs emergency surgery or something. You don't want to end up with that kind of guilt over a grooming mistake.

And for folks who do drug their dogs, unless you're vets or instructed to do so by vets, don't do it. Even then, think twice.

I'd rather have a dog who bites me when I groom her, than no dog at all.

I'm not trying to be alarmist (though that's clearly the result), I just really, really care that you explore all your other options before you slip your dog a mickey. Please.
posted by Hugh Janus 15 December | 08:52
The initial comment on Benadryl had no dosage information. Cats are more sensitive.

But seriously, folks, any sedative or general anesthetic can be fatal if the dosage is high enough, because sedation occurs by depressing the vital functions.

People really care about their pets. I confess that I was a little appalled by the suggestion of sedation and the lack of comments about the hazards.

I once cold-cocked one of my cats by accident and spent a horrifying 5 minutes holding the little guy in my lap thinking I'd killed him. Bonked him on the head when I was unloading some tools and dropped a two-foot level when he jumped up to greet me. Gaah! Poor little guy.
posted by warbaby 15 December | 10:18
Don't worry gang- I won't be sedating little Twinkie without the supervision of her veterinarian. Thanks to all for your advice!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 15 December | 10:22
I read once about a way to trim a skittish dog's nails that seemed pretty ingenious. You take some favorite, pungent treat--I think liverwurst was suggested in the article--and smear it all over a sheet of waxed paper. Hang the paper from a wall or fridge door at your dog's level. As she is distracted licking and sniffing the paper, you gently start handling her paws. If she offers no resistance, then you start clipping. It may take a couple times with the waxed paper before you can get all nails trimmed.

Otherwise, I'd avoid drugging her and just take her to a groomer.
posted by Sully6 15 December | 11:51
You know, it sort of sounds strange... but I never thought of just taking her to a groomer. She's a short-haired dog, so it's not like she needs trimming.... but I could take her to one, tell them to do "the works", then run out the door real fast and see what happens while I'm gone! This is genius! Haha.

Of course then I'll come back and they'll have her chained outside in the cold, and I'll go in to see what happened and everyone will be all bandaged up and they'll say GET YOUR DEMON DOG OUT OF HERE!!!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 15 December | 17:06
Final update: a friend (who gets mucho mucho points!) helped hold her down, and I finally got those nails trimmed! It tortures me to do it, because she freaks out so, and I did cut one too short, which almost made me cry, but she's fine, I'm fine, and my friend is my hero! Yaaaaaaay for short dog nails!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 16 December | 20:15
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