Looking for dog nail-clipping tips, please!

[BoxerTom]

Mary, I can tell you what did not work for me, a dremel. Scribs still freaks as soon as I turn it on, come to think of it she doesn't like just about every powered tool that makes noise, like the vacuum cleaner, lawn tractor, etc. I do have these guillotine clippers that work pretty well, just have to catch her when she's relaxed and dozing, which isn't often!

[k9Karen]

Yikes Traci - How awful

Don't they have immune vaccines for people who work with animals so you don't have to go through such an awful experience? One of my former students worked with exotic animals at Cypress Gardens, and she said she had to be vaccinated against rabies and all kinds of weird stuff.

I guess there are some advantages to working in human medicine - most of the time our patients don't bite (although I have had some close calls when trying to draw blood on some kids!)

[Traci]

Well different clinics have different policies for their employees. I've always thought it should be mandatory, but there's loopholes and various reasons why it isn't. Even vets don't often vaccinate themselves, despite the warnings from certain orgs and state health depts. In any event, no matter the employee or vet, rabies IS a concern, and depending on the situation (unable to locate an owner of a pet without records vs wildlife vs unable to capture the animal in question vs quarantine of suspect animal) depends on the action taken. Usually, if the animal is in custody, it can be quarantined for a certain length of time. If no symptoms are present after the alotted time, then the human is considered safe. Luckily the incubaion period is shorter for animals (10-14 days), as opposed to humans, which I believe is 30 days. If you don't have the suspect animal in custody, or if you do, symptoms present themselves and the state lab confirms rabies, one does not want to take that risk.

The first was from a raccoon we were monitoring and boarding before releasing him to his natural habitat. I knew he didn't have rabies, but to spare his life, I opted for the series. Don't ask, long story, and he and I were friends ...the second, for obvious reasons, can't rely on a client to tell the truth about 'mundane' things like that! As for other immunizations, I get a tetanus booster every 7-10 years, regardless, that's my choice. We do have one or two vets who work with monkeys occasionally, so they opted for hepatitis immunizations. I don't think the vets are too concerned with other exotics or the zoo animals we occasionally treat.