how do you cut nails without making them bleed?

[AtYourCervix]

Old decrepit collie can't walk far these days. Consequently his nails have got long.

I have proper nail cutter but I did one foot and now he's bleeding all over the kitchen (from 1 nail).

What do i do?

[digerd]

I've only had a few drops of blood when clipping mine.
I had it happen only once and my let me do anything to her dog, never let me touch that nail again.

If the nails are a pale colour, the blood vessel can usually be seen.
If not then you clip just the end of the claw that curls over .

The less the claws are kept short, the longer the blood vessel will become.

Mine just stopped on its own, but there wasn't lots of blood.

[AtYourCervix]

It didn't hurt him. Some are pale, some black. I think they've got too long without me realising and yes, the blood vessel is long too. Poor old boy.

[MimsyBorogroves]

I'd do it slowly over time - a bit off each cut as then the blood vessel recedes.

When I used to do guinea pig nails I would have some flour to hand in case I nicked the blood vessel - it stopped the bleeding. I assume it would work on dogs too...

[AtYourCervix]

Ooh. Will try flour.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Buy a septic stick from boots it is what us vets use. Look at the nail from the underneath you will see a hollow bit this is the bit you cut off roughly level with the pad.

[multitask]

You need this www.christiesdirect.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=431 works better than anything else.

If your dog will accept it and if you have one use a Drimmel sander, very similar to this www.christiesdirect.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=433 we used one for the dogs for years before they were sold especially for groomers. Some dogs won't let you use these but ours have always been good. They do vibrate and there is a noise but works really well for dogs.