Cutting your dog’s nail too short is the most common reason why you are rushing to stop dog nail from bleeding. It is a common danger when you trim the nails of your dog. But luckily there are a lot of solutions that you can try to stop dog nail from bleeding.
Your dog might lose your trust in you when trimming his nails, and it would take time to regain it. But the wound itself is a very easy task to do to treat it even just in your home. Solutions from using styptic powder to a soap are available. Here are some ways on how to stop dog nail from bleeding.
1. Rinse the Wound with Warm Water
It is the simplest thing to do when treating a bleeding dog nail as you only need to heat water to perform it. Slowly pour a slightly warm water on the wounded nail. Place your dog’s paw on an elevated object to decrease the bleeding.
2. Use Styptic Powder to Quickly Stop the Bleeding
Probably the most common and efficient way to stop dog nail from bleeding is by using styptic powder. Styptic Powder is the most common treatment for bleeds and cuts used by veterinarians and pet groomers. Benzocaine, its active ingredient, works like a topical anesthetic that reduces the pain. It also contains ferric subsulfate which helps cease the bleeding.
Using styptic powder to stop dog nail from bleeding is fairly simple. You just have to dip the affected nail directly to the powder or just use an applicator like a swab or a q-tip. However, always make sure to apply just a moderate pressure to the nail of your dog for a few moments or until the bleeding stops, in case you chose to use an applicator.
These styptic powders or styptic pencils are kinds of antihemorrhagic agents wherein they stop the bleeding by contracting the blood vessels. The powder aides in clotting the blood and also prevents bacteria from infecting your bloodstream. They are very available at your nearest pharmacy or pet store.
3. Use Everyday Household Items if the Styptic Powder is not Available
If the styptic powder is not present in your emergency kit, you don’t have to worry as there is an alternative to stop dog nail from bleeding. Household items and ingredients such as cornstarch, flour, baking soda or a bar of soap is very effective in stopping the bleeding. All of these alternatives require you to put solid pressure against your dog’s nail when applying them. They are very effective but is unable to stop the bleeding instantly just like styptic powder. That is why you need to apply a little bit of pressure for a few moments.
4. Use soap to stop dog nail bleeding
Another effective way to stop dog nail bleeding is to use a bar of soap. But first, you have to moisturize and soften your dog’s nail by soaking it or making it wet. Then you have to place directly the bar of soap to the bleeding nail and apply moderate pressure for a few minutes. If you don’t like pushing your dog’s nail directly to the bar of soap, you may want to chip off a piece of it and wrap it in a towel before you apply it. Remember to keep moderate pressure for a few minutes to completely stop the bleeding.
5. Use Potassium Permanganate
If you chose to send your dog to a veterinarian, he will probably use a chemical called the potassium permanganate. It is a kind of disinfectant that the leading veterinarians commonly use. They are in a form of crystals and should stay in the bleeding area for a short period of time.
6. Patch It Up Using a Bandage
To apply pressure on the wounded nail and protect it against licking, infections and tetanus, a bandage would be a great help. However, wrapping a wounded nail can be a bit tricky. The best thing to do instead is to let your dog wear a sock and tape it to their wrist so it wont fall off. Be sure that you don’t tape it too tight.
7. Wrap It Up With an Ice Pack
Just like a human wound, you can also try cold compressing the wounded area using an ice pack. To avoid a “cold burn”, place a sock first on the injured part before doing the cold compression. This will speed up the healing process but remember not to put too much pressure on the wound.
8. Try to Use WoundSeal or an Alternative Product
WoundSeals produce a “fake scab” instantly upon applying it to bleeding wounds. It is made up of a certain kind of polymer that expands then becomes hardened as it is exposed to moisture. It also has potassium ferrate to speed up the clotting process.
9. Rest Your Dog After Treating His Nail
After the treatment, you have done became successful, it is very important to rest his feet for at least half an hour. You can let him play a stuffed toy so he won’t be bored. Keeping his feet idle for a few minutes will avoid re-injuring the nail. It can be more effective if you wrap his paw with a bandage to even prevent more injury from happening.
10. Call a Veterinarian
And the best thing you can do is to call a veterinarian, especially if the bleeding doesn’t stop. Your veterinarian should be very knowledgeable on what is the best treatment for your dog’s wound. It is also the safest option as your vet will apply everything that will ensure a speedy healing process for your dog. (You could use our Pet Service Directory to locate the nearest veterinary clinic near of your place)
If the bleeding still persists and none of these treatments work, then it is very advised to call the attention of your veterinarian. Remember that trimming their nails is part of their grooming, and that bleeding can be inevitable. The good thing is that you now know how to manage a bleed when it shows up.
