Trimming my dog's nails in a NIGHTMARE! Please help!!!! I'm at my wit's end!?

[Penny the TFT's mom]

I have a 13lb VERY over-sized Toy Fox Terrier.When it comes to having her nails trimmed, she is a nightmare!

She bites, violently thrashes about and screams (yes screams. It's like a high pitched sound halfway between a howl and a whine). I tried muzzling her to stop her from biting but 1) her muzzle is so long that she still is able to nip even with it on and 2) she can get it off in 2 seconds flat.

I've tried many many times to do it myself but it's just impossible. Even with 3 people holding her she just has too much adrenaline going so she's able to get free. This last time I took her to the groomers and after 10 minutes they brought her back out without any of her nails done because she bit the groomer, pooped all over, scratched the groomer, and they just could not contain her. (For the record I told them she has a history of biting and they should muzzle her but they didn't listen).

When I go to clip her nails I try to be as calm as possible and every time I start feeling nervous I stop myself.

I have tried giving her a sedative per the vet's recommendation but that didn't work either! She was acting all loopy and out of it and I thought "Hey! Maybe this will work!" but no....as soon as I got the clipper close to her paws she flipped and was back to her old self.

I have tried the whole taking it very slow "touch her paw w/the clippers, give her a treat" method BUT when she's stressed she basically shuts down and becomes deaf to praise and refuses treats. It does not matter how yummy they are! I have tried chicken, cheese, steak...you name it, I've tried it.

The weird thing is she isn't afraid of the clippers. I can rub them anywhere else on her body and she doesn't care. It's just if I try to clip her nails w/ them.

I have even tried the Dremmel per her trainer's recommendation but she's just as bad with that. She didn't care if was near her, but as soon as it got close to her nails...

The other odd thing is she doesn't care if I touch her paws. I can handle her paws all I want as long as I don't put the clippers near them.

She used to be fine. Up until about a year ago she would just sit in my lap an let me do it...and then one day it all changed. Nothing happened, I never cut the quick or anything, she just decided she didn't like it and wasn't going to take it anymore!

I have thought about taking her to the vet and having them put her under anesthesia but 1) That's only a temporary fix and 2) That's really expensive!

Please help! I'm at my wits end!