Nail strip to see the quick?

Has anyone tried the new strips that you can put on black nails, they are supposed to change color where the quick ends?
I wonder if they work? I am pretty nervous about doing nails when they are all black and really long, it would be nice to see how far you can cut without having to do it in 100 tries...
If you know of them or have tried them, can you share your opinion?

Thanks
Lisa
AKA Gluergirl / Little_Critters on e-groomer

[Raffyroo]

No, I haven't seen these yet. Who carries them? I guess they would just be little LCD temperature strips like they use for the thermometers that stick on the sides of fish tank aquariums.

Don't be nervous about black nails. If you keep practicing by cutting little by little you soon be able to tell where the quick is (or at least very close to the quick) just by looking at the nail. I can usually tell by looking at the nail from underneath and, if you look really closely, usually you can see where the quick stops and the end of the nail starts. It took thousands of dog toenails but I rarely quick a dog's nail now.

[k9cosmetologist]

do they turn red???

[Cat Crazy]

I've seen them at the Groomer Supply stores but I've never tried them. Yes, they turn red or yellow (can't recall) when you fold it over the nail. I believe they want you to cut through the strip as you trim the nail. I imagine you could use one to see the length, then remove it and trim the nail. A bit tedious, but may be a good learning tool.

[Dolly]

Have never seen the strips, BUT I do know that those nail clippers, with the light that reads where the quick is, DOES NOT WORK. I purchased a fairly expensive pair ($80+) and tried it on white nails, that I could clearly see the quick, it gave all sorts of false readings with the red, green, yellow light………..sent them back for a full refund !!

Happy Quick Cutting

Dolly’s Barking Bubbles, LLC

www.dollysbarkingbubbles.com

[gluergirl]

Thanks for the input, and I am glad that Dolly replied about those nail clippers, I was thinking of them as well...not anymore. I might order a package just to see, If I can find the quick on one nail ( the really long nails) it would help me know where the rest of them would be on the other feet, so for 11bucks if I only used 1 strip on these dogs to get an idea, it would save some time for sure.
They are in the Ren's catalog and online at Ren's and I think Pet SUpply may have them too, Canadian places, not sure about where to get them in the USA, but if I see them anywhere, I'll be sure to let you know!

Thanks again
Lisa
AKA Gluergirl / Little_Critters on e-groomer pages

[olive]

I have some, tried using them once and said screw it! These ones are the purple ones that turn lighter when they`re on the quick. I`ll bring you the rest so you can do with them what you will.. I think you`ll end up tossing them though!

[Debbiedogs]

Gluergirl

You don't need something to find the quick. You can SEE where the quick is by looking into the end of the nail when you cut it. Or, rather, you can SEE the texture of the end of the nail and tell if you are close to the quick. If you see crumbly, whitish area, you can keep snipping. If you see a darkish center, not crumbly but smoother, you are getting close to the quick.

Even on white nails where you can see the pink quick, some quicks can extend further than what you see, and therefore the dog can bleed. It is better to look into the center of the nail after you snip. When you think you are getting closer, then snip edges.

And buy a mini-dremel. Saves a lot of "quicking" when you are still so uncertain.

[gluergirl]

Thanks elizabeth, I would like to try them and you may be right about tossing them, I am a bad one for the really long nails, ( I am ashamed of my own dogs nails) they are hateful to do and I do have a dremel, I bought the cheap battery one for puppies and I have an old plug in one for the bigger dogs, but I need to get a new one...the old one is un-reliable...sometimes it will work, sometimes it won't LOL!
I have only ever hit one quick, but it freaked me out...now I am paranoid of nails for some reason, my mind just can't seem to forget it, so I grab a foot and get ready to trim a bit off, and I have an anxiety attack...I am sure with more practice I will do ok, it's just getting past the image that makes me think it is going to happen again and again...and maybe it will, but hey, it's part of the job so I just keep trying to get them done and not worry about it.
I must say that is one of the things you miss out on when you don't go to an actual grooming school, there is nobody looking over your shoulder and telling you to try this or show you, you just watch a few clips and then try it, so we people who take the courses offered online or through the mail, miss out on some of the little but important things that a real school graduate would have no problem with...it's a confidence issue. Luckily I have a friend who is going to visit me who can give me some pointers, and she will most likely crinch at the sight of my dogs nails I really need to get over this lack of confidence and as Nike says " Just do it"

Lisa
AKA Gluergirl / Little_Critters on e-groomer