How to Use Your HSRT to Help Care For Your Pets:
This information that I am giving to you, is from knowledgeable people who use their HSRT to help care for their pets. Some are professional pet-care people who operate a business caring for pets. At this time, I don't have any pets and have never used a HSRT on them. I mentioned the Veterinarian who used her HSRT to grind horses teeth. Well, I would suggest we leave that type of thing to the Pro's, who know what they are doing.
Sanding your Dog's Claws: Apparently dogs, particularly dogs that are kept indoors, need their claws cut at regular intervals. Cutting or clipping their claws can be painful and therefore sanding the claws down is a better alternative. Most dog owners, that have a HSRT, can do this themselves.
Note: As a dog owner, you are in the position to best judge your dog's temperament and how he/she may react to such treatment. Take Care!
1. Use a small battery-powered HSRT. The main reason for this is that they are very quiet. No dog likes loud noise, especially if it is approaching his paws. Also, very low power is required to sand their claws, and a battery-powered HSRT will stop if it accidentally "binds" or "grabs".
2. Use a 1/4in. sanding drum and #240 grit sanding sleeve. The small drum is most effective and the fine sandpaper will create the least vibration.
3. A speed from 10,000 to 15,000rpm is best. A higher speed sands the smoothest but do not run your HSRT high enough to create too much noise.
4. Sand the claw from the bottom. The sanding drum should be rotating "outwards" as if the dog was scratching something. See photo.
Tip: Place your dog's paw inside an old nylon or pantyhose. Pull it snug so that the dog's claws protrude through the hose, and his (or her) hair (or coat) is kept cleanly back from the sanding drum. This gives you good access to the claws, and provides some protection for your dog.
I could not get a dog to volunteer for this photo session and so the drawing ?? in the photo is to represent your dog's paw, as his claws are being sanded. Note the direction of the sandpaper. This should not cause discomfort to the dog.
5. Take care not to get the dogs hair, or coat, wound around the sanding drum, as this will pull his hair quite painfully.
6. I hope your dog appreciates his good treatment.
Note: Other people have told me that they use this same method on parrots, cats, and small birds.