Styptic pencils are relatively easy to obtain and contain an astringent that stimulates blood vessel contraction, which encourages bleeding to stop. [2] X Research source Clinical Procedures in Vet Nursing. Aspinall. Publisher : Butterworth-Heinemann Styptic pencils are available from most pharmacies. You can also use a styptic powder to treat the bleeding. [3] X Expert Source Natalie Punt, DVMVeterinarian Expert Interview. 15 February 2022.
The blood loss from a bleeding quick is not dangerous to a healthy dog. [4] X Research source The bleeding nail can, however, look a bit alarming, especially if the dog is scrambling around and spreading blood over the floor. Know that the dog is in no danger, but act quickly to minimize its discomfort. Remember that remaining calm is important for you but also for your dog. The quick is tender and full of nerves, so having it clipped will be painful to your dog and it will be looking to you for cues about how to react. If you get panicked or frantic, your dog likely will, too.
Grab your styptic pencil and remove any packaging. Expose and moisten the tip of the styptic pencil.
Place the styptic pencil directly in contact with the bleeding toe and press firmly. Keep the pencil held firmly in place for at least 2 minutes, then remove.
The bleeding should stop after holding the pencil in place for five minutes. If it doesn’t phone your vet and ask whether you should bring your dog in.
An ordinary bar of soap, when pressed into the claw, will form a plug that covers the quick, like putting a cork in a bottle. [6] X Research source Clinical Procedures in Vet Nursing. Aspinall. Publisher : Butterworth-Heinemann This plug generally dislodges itself several hours later and needs no further attention.
A healthy dog won’t be at risk from blood loss from a bleeding quick, but the blood can be somewhat alarming, particularly if your dog seems distressed. [7] X Research source Know that the dog is in no danger, but act quickly to minimize its discomfort. Remaining calm is important to both you and your dog. If you cut the dog’s quick, the dog will likely be distressed and will look to you for cues on how to react. If you show alarm or become frantic, your dog likely will, too.
Push firmly so that the nail is embedded into the soap to a depth of approximately 3 - 4 millimeters.
Remove the toe from the soap after 3 - 4 minutes with a gentle twisting action. If your dog won’t hold still, push the claw firmly into the soap and then remove the soap with a slight twist of the wrist.
You’ll know a plug has successfully been formed when the soap is blocking the tip of the nail and no more blood is seeping through. If the bleeding won’t stop, contact your vet.
Potassium permanganate is a powder made up of bright purple crystals and is the preferred method of veterinarians to stop bleeding nails. [8] X Research source Clinical Procedures in Vet Nursing. Aspinall. Publisher : Butterworth-Heinemann It’s highly effective and the permanganate is a natural disinfectant. [9] X Research source Clinical Procedures in Vet Nursing. Aspinall. Publisher : Butterworth-Heinemann Potassium permanganate crystals are widely available on internet retail sites.
The blood loss from a bleeding nail is not dangerous to a healthy dog. [10] X Research source The bleeding nail can, however, look a bit dramatic, especially if the dog scrambles around spreading blood all over the floor. Know that the dog is in no danger, but act quickly to minimize its discomfort. Remember that remaining calm is important for you but also for your dog. The quick is tender and full of nerves, so having it clipped will be painful to your dog and it will be looking to you for cues on how to react. If you get panicked or frantic, your dog likely will, too.
You don’t need to soak the swab, just dampen it with a few drops of water.
The bleeding should stop fairly quickly.
If after 5 minutes the bleeding still hasn’t stopped, contact your vet.
If the vet recommends bringing your dog in, calmly begin preparing your dog for transport.
Use a bandage from a first aid kit to put a temporary dressing over the paw to help stop the dog from hitting the sore nail and to keep the car a bit cleaner. Alternatively, you can place a swab or gauze dressing over the toe and wrap a bandage around the paw to hold it in place. Put enough tension on the bandage that it grips the paw and doesn’t fall off, but don’t pull it too taut or the bandage may cut off circulation to the paw. If the bandage is too tight, your dog will seem distressed and chew at the bandage; if that happens, loosen the wrapping. If you don’t have access to a first aid kit, wrap clean toilet tissue or cotton wool around the toe and apply a tight-fitting sock over the paw to hold it in place. If you have someone available to help, ask them to hold cotton wool over the nail while you’re en route to the vet.
If your dog shows noticeable distress at going to the groomer’s or to the vet’s, you might consider asking the vet or groomer to show you better strategies for trimming your dog’s nails at home. If you’re able to get more comfortable trimming the nails yourself, you may be able to avoid giving your dog the extra anxiety that may be associated with going to the groomer or vet. [14] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source
