guineapig inhaling nail dust?

[piggyl0ver]

ive been using a dremel on my guineapigs, it works perfectly, it has been safe and they seem to be really calm (they are VERY vocal if they are in pain/discomfort ), it seems to be more safe than using scissors.
i have read online that when dremelling an animals nails you should wear a mask to avoid health issues. is it only dangerous for humans to inhale the nail dust, or is it dangerous for the guineas health as well? because if it is, i will stop using the dremel and start taking them back to the vet to get their nails cut. would never compromise the piggies health for convenience.
thanks so much. :-))))

 

[Hope4gem]

I personally use a small animal nail cutter (it looks a bit like a pair of scissors). They are sold in pet stores and online. I would not use anything motorized. I'd be worried that it may take off too much of their nail or catch their fur. I'm not sure what effect the nail dust would have, but probably not good for them because of their delicate respiratory systems.

 

[Wiebke]

ive been using a dremel on my guineapigs, it works perfectly, it has been safe and they seem to be really calm (they are VERY vocal if they are in pain/discomfort ), it seems to be more safe than using scissors.
i have read online that when dremelling an animals nails you should wear a mask to avoid health issues. is it only dangerous for humans to inhale the nail dust, or is it dangerous for the guineas health as well? because if it is, i will stop using the dremel and start taking them back to the vet to get their nails cut. would never compromise the piggies health for convenience.
thanks so much. :-))))

Please don't use a dremel!

A) Guinea pigs are prey animals and this a very frightening experience for them. When they go quiet, then it very often means they are actually in fear of their lives (unresponsive prey reflex).
That is not the kind of situation any loving owner wants to put their pets in first and foremost, is it?
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips

B) Guinea pigs airways are very small and narrow and much more sensitive than humans.
So a BIG NO NO in that respect, too.

It is one of these silly human tricks that look great on the surface for inexperienced owners but are actively harmful to the pet in several important ways. Try clippers instead of scissors; some people (including me) find them easier to use.

 

[Swissgreys]

You mention having your vet cut their nails.
This is fine of course, but maybe next time you are there you could ask them to give you a lesson in nail trimming - I am sure they will be happy to help teach you.

 

[piggyl0ver]

Please don't use a dremel!

A) Guinea pigs are prey animals and this a very frightening experience for them. When they go quiet, then it very often means they are actually in fear of their lives (unresponsive prey reflex).
That is not the kind of situation any loving owner wants to put their pets in first and foremost, is it?
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips

B) Guinea pigs airways are very small and narrow and much more sensitive than humans.
So a BIG NO NO in that respect, too.

It is one of these silly human tricks that look great on the surface for inexperienced owners but are actively harmful to the pet in several important ways. Try clippers instead of scissors; some people (including me) find them easier to use.

Thank you for this very helpful and informative response. ) I was very apprehensive about using it again because of the dust, but knowing definitively that it is very dangerous I will no longer use it. Thanks again.

 

[piggyl0ver]

You mention having your vet cut their nails.
This is fine of course, but maybe next time you are there you could ask them to give you a lesson in nail trimming - I am sure they will be happy to help teac

Please don't use a dremel!

A) Guinea pigs are prey animals and this a very frightening experience for them. When they go quiet, then it very often means they are actually in fear of their lives (unresponsive prey reflex).
That is not the kind of situation any loving owner wants to put their pets in first and foremost, is it?
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips

B) Guinea pigs airways are very small and narrow and much more sensitive than humans.
So a BIG NO NO in that respect, too.

It is one of these silly human tricks that look great on the surface for inexperienced owners but are actively harmful to the pet in several important ways. Try clippers instead of scissors; some people (including me) find them easier to use.

just wanted to let you know that I have not been using a dremel long term (I tried it once today after hearing another persons experience on this forum that has been dremelling piggies nails since 2018, on my previous post), up until this point I have been using clippers and been going to the vet, so it won’t have done any long term damage to them. Additionally, I really appreciate your advice and your link and knowledge on the Guineas being stressed but after owning them for a few years I know when they are frozen out or fear or when they are calm. I am immensely appreciative of all the work that you do for this forum and all the incredibly helpful information that you provide, however I do not appreciate the insinuations and condescending tone of your comment, because it implies that i am inexperienced and fall for gimmicky attractive products just because they seem fun or convenient and do not care for the well-being of my pets. I tried a Dremel because the monthly travel to the vets stressed out my pigs and wanted to find an alternative method. I obviously do care about my Guineas because I made this post, as I stated in my post I would never compromise my Guineas Health because of convenience. I was incredibly apprehensive about using the dremel again due to the dust hence why I made this post, despite the dremel appearing to be a suitable alternative in every other aspect as they seemed a lot calmer comparatively to when I had used clippers and taken them to the vets. Again, I appreciate all that you do for this forum IMMENSELY and you are obviously an incredible owner but I do not appreciate the implications of your comment. thank you.

 

[piggyl0ver]

However I do respect the fact that I made a mistake and will take accountability and not use the dremel again. :—))

 

[piggyl0ver]

I personally use a small animal nail cutter (it looks a bit like a pair of scissors). They are sold in pet stores and online. I would not use anything motorized. I'd be worried that it may take off too much of their nail or catch their fur. I'm not sure what effect the nail dust would have, but probably not good for them because of their delicate respiratory systems.

Sorry yes I meant clippers / animal nail cutters. I appreciate your helpful insight, thank you :—-)

 

[piggyl0ver]

You mention having your vet cut their nails.
This is fine of course, but maybe next time you are there you could ask them to give you a lesson in nail trimming - I am sure they will be happy to help teach you.

That’s a great idea but after several attempts at cutting the Guineas nails at home i found it too difficult because I feel so terrified at the prospect of unintentionally injuring them, but perhaps I just need to face this fear bc the monthly vet travel is stressing the guineapigs out. I’ve cut their nails a few times successfully but every time I do it again it is just as terrifying. :—(((( thanks for your idea again.

 

[Wiebke]

just wanted to let you know that I have not been using a dremel long term (I tried it once today after hearing another persons experience on this forum that has been dremelling piggies nails since 2018, on my previous post), up until this point I have been using clippers and been going to the vet, so it won’t have done any long term damage to them. Additionally, I really appreciate your advice and your link and knowledge on the Guineas being stressed but after owning them for a few years I know when they are frozen out or fear or when they are calm. I am immensely appreciative of all the work that you do for this forum and all the incredibly helpful information that you provide, however I do not appreciate the insinuations and condescending tone of your comment, because it implies that i am inexperienced and fall for gimmicky attractive products just because they seem fun or convenient and do not care for the well-being of my pets. I tried a Dremel because the monthly travel to the vets stressed out my pigs and wanted to find an alternative method. I obviously do care about my Guineas because I made this post, as I stated in my post I would never compromise my Guineas Health because of convenience. I was incredibly apprehensive about using the dremel again due to the dust hence why I made this post, despite the dremel appearing to be a suitable alternative in every other aspect as they seemed a lot calmer comparatively to when I had used clippers and taken them to the vets. Again, I appreciate all that you do for this forum IMMENSELY and you are obviously an incredible owner but I do not appreciate the implications of your comment. thank you.

Hi

I know that you are a good owner and that you are quite obviously concerned but - apart from the breathing aspect - I need to make you aware that seeming calm and compliance in guinea pigs can mean exactly the opposite. And that this something that sadly many owners are not aware of.

Having a fully compliant and seemingly calm piggy during grooming (especially one that has been highly stressed out in the same situation before), has become for me a red alarm signal that in fact their survival prey animal instinct has kicked in. I'd always much rather work with a complaining piggy because then I know that they haven't gone into protective mode and that they trust me enough to give their opinion.
Having adopted a fair number of very skittish and sometimes outright traumatised piggies and working hard with them to bring them out has taught me to heed the seeming contradiction in sudden quiet behaviour carefully; piggies don't go from screaming at the vets to being quiet around an electric gadget because the latter is usually scarier for them.
As you are indeed a caring and very loving owner, I hope you can understand why I would not wish you inadvertedly creating the exact opposite of what you are aiming for with you piggies - winning their trust and not just the compliance of a prey animal in distress.

Please do not take this as personal criticism for you but as criticism of whoever came up with the idea of using a dremel on unsuited pets in the first place. If you are worried about using scissors or clippers (the latter of which I use), then please try a human nail file, which does the same as the dremel but without the same distress that the noise from an electric gadget is causing any prey animals.

As with so many things, cutting nails is the usual jump into cold water and then practice, practice, practice. You do not have to cut or file all nails in one go; even just one or two in one go at first will get you there eventually.

 

[piggyl0ver]

Hi

I know that you are a good owner and that you are quite obviously concerned but - apart from the breathing aspect - I need to make you aware that seeming calm and compliance in guinea pigs can mean exactly the opposite. And that this something that sadly many owners are not aware of.

Having a fully compliant and seemingly calm piggy during grooming (especially one that has been highly stressed out in the same situation before), has become for me a red alarm signal that in fact their survival prey animal instinct has kicked in. I'd always much rather work with a complaining piggy because then I know that they haven't gone into protective mode and that they trust me enough to give their opinion.
Having adopted a fair number of very skittish and sometimes outright traumatised piggies and working hard with them to bring them out has taught me to heed the seeming contradiction in sudden quiet behaviour carefully; piggies don't go from screaming at the vets to being quiet around an electric gadget because the latter is usually scarier for them.
As you are indeed a caring and very loving owner, I hope you can understand why I would not wish you inadvertedly creating the exact opposite of what you are aiming for with you piggies - winning their trust and not just the compliance of a prey animal in distress.

Please do not take this as personal criticism for you but as criticism of whoever came up with the idea of using a dremel on unsuited pets in the first place. If you are worried about using scissors or clippers (the latter of which I use), then please try a human nail file, which does the same as the dremel but without the same distress that the noise from an electric gadget is causing any prey animals.

As with so many things, cutting nails is the usual jump into cold water and then practice, practice, practice. You do not have to cut or file all nails in one go; even just one or two in one go at first will get

Hi

I know that you are a good owner and that you are quite obviously concerned but - apart from the breathing aspect - I need to make you aware that seeming calm and compliance in guinea pigs can mean exactly the opposite. And that this something that sadly many owners are not aware of.

Having a fully compliant and seemingly calm piggy during grooming (especially one that has been highly stressed out in the same situation before), has become for me a red alarm signal that in fact their survival prey animal instinct has kicked in. I'd always much rather work with a complaining piggy because then I know that they haven't gone into protective mode and that they trust me enough to give their opinion.
Having adopted a fair number of very skittish and sometimes outright traumatised piggies and working hard with them to bring them out has taught me to heed the seeming contradiction in sudden quiet behaviour carefully; piggies don't go from screaming at the vets to being quiet around an electric gadget because the latter is usually scarier for them.
As you are indeed a caring and very loving owner, I hope you can understand why I would not wish you inadvertedly creating the exact opposite of what you are aiming for with you piggies - winning their trust and not just the compliance of a prey animal in distress.

Please do not take this as personal criticism for you but as criticism of whoever came up with the idea of using a dremel on unsuited pets in the first place. If you are worried about using scissors or clippers (the latter of which I use), then please try a human nail file, which does the same as the dremel but without the same distress that the noise from an electric gadget is causing any prey animals.

As with so many things, cutting nails is the usual jump into cold water and then practice, practice, practice. You do not have to cut or file all nails in one go; even just one or two in one go at first will get you there eventually.

I definitely agree that compliance when they generally protest or are visibly agitated will almost always mean that they are extra scared as opposed to extra calm. However I think after caring for a piggy for a long time u get accustomed to their distinct personalities and quirks. For eg normally after my Guineas feel shaken up or scared after a vet appointment they need a lot of consoling and petting and to be in a hidey before they will eat like they won’t even sniff the food if they are scared however on the contrary I know that they are calm if they eat food immediately. But I guess it’s wrong of me to assume that I definitively KNOW if they are scared of calm and should always do what has been tried many times and is conventional
A big part of my concern and apprehension was that I couldn’t see many sources taking about dremelling on guineas so I made this post. But now I’m definitely going to throw it away after hearing everyone’s insight on the matter. Thanks for taking time out your day to write your comment. :—)

 

[Wiebke]

I definitely agree that compliance when they generally protest or are visibly agitated will almost always mean that they are extra scared as opposed to extra calm. However I think after caring for a piggy for a long time u get accustomed to their distinct personalities and quirks. For eg normally after my Guineas feel shaken up or scared after a vet appointment they need a lot of consoling and petting and to be in a hidey before they will eat like they won’t even sniff the food if they are scared however on the contrary I know that they are calm if they eat food immediately. But I guess it’s wrong of me to assume that I definitively KNOW if they are scared of calm and should always do what has been tried many times and is conventional
A big part of my concern and apprehension was that I couldn’t see many sources taking about dremelling on guineas so I made this post. But now I’m definitely going to throw it away after hearing everyone’s insight on the matter. Thanks for taking time out your day to write your comment. :—)

HUGS

It is always difficult when you come up against a problematic situation. There is unfortunately a good reason why there is not much information on dremelling.