Dog Grooming

Stop Dog Nail Bleeding at Home- Symptoms , Causes & Cure

Nail cutting looks simple grooming but in reality, it is a bit sensitive and difficult job. A little mistake can bring big trouble. If you cut the nail too close your dog may never let you touch his feet again.

Moreover, there are veins and nerves running in each nail. Cutting closer will cut them and nail will start to bleed.

Even you are using nail clippers, still, there are chances that you cut closer if you are not expert in doing so. Chances of the mistake increase especially when nails are black or dark in color.

Dogs with white nail are easy for nail trimming as their quick is clearly visible and you get an idea where to cut.

How to know your dogs should be trimmed?

One way to understand that your dog needs trimming is by looking at his nails. If you don’t regularly check dogs feet then you must pay attention when he is walking around you.

if there is any nail click-clacking when he walks on the floor or hard surface it does mean that his nails are grown bigger. It is right time to cut his nails otherwise he may break them while playing in the yard.

Safe Nail Trimming Steps

When nails reach that particular size when they must be trimmed you can follow these steps to cut nails safely.

Make your dog calm and relaxed:

Before going for nail trimming take your dog to a walk or outdoor game. This will help you make him calm and relax when you are back at home. Make your dog sit or sleep and check his feet for dirt and debris. Now make your dog more comfortable by moving your hand on his body. Start trimming when you feel the dog is completely peaceful and relax.

Hold your Dog:

Use your arms and upper body to hold him and make him realize that you mean to keep him in that position. While cutting front nails put your forearm around his neck and hold his paw in your hand. If your dog is jumping or moving, make him lie on side and hold him gently.

Use Nail clipper:

Examine nail for the right place to cut from. Make use of specially designed sharp nail clipper to avoid more pressure on the nail. Avoid cutting to close because there are veins in nails. After the nail cut, end up the procedure by using an emergency board or file to smooth nails.

Following these steps reduce chances of Quick cut. However, a little movement of the dog or a minor mistake by you can make the whole process worse. If the nail is cut too close, it will make your dog restless and nail will start bleeding heavily making your floor bloody.

 

How to stop dog nail bleeding?

Dog Nail Bleeding

While nail trimming you never know when you have a mishap by cutting too close? Therefore it is better to keep all the necessary things near you so that you could take action at once.

In such mishap, you first of all will definitely try to stop bleeding. There are several ways you can do it like wrapping a cloth around but the most effective ways are to apply styptic powder or a styptic pencil. These are easily available in stores.

Applying styptic powder has stinging effect at once you apply, so make sure to hold your dog firmly and don’t let him move. This powder has a quick effect on nail bleeding. However, there are many products you can make at home and use to stop nail bleeding.

Like, you can make a mixture of cornstarch and baking soda to treat dog nail bleeding. You can also stop bleeding by applying bar of scent-free soap and wet tea bag. These remedies work well but are not as instantly effective as a styptic powder.

Here is How you can Step by Step Stop Canine Bleeding:

  1. If you accidentally have cut the quick (vein) compress the bleeding area and keep it compressed for at least 2 minutes. You can do so with a clean piece of cloth or paper towel.
  2. After this, if bleeding is minor you can stop it by rubbing the wound with a bar of clean, scent-free soap. While in case of steady bleeding you should wrap ice pieces in the cloth or paper towel you have just used for compression. This will stop the blood flow to some extent.
  3. Now you can either apply styptic powder or cornstarch without baking soda. You do it in this way or you can just dip bleeding nail into powder. This way you can immediately stop bleeding. You can repeatedly dip the bleeding nail in case if it is not stopping.
  4. Make sure not to wipe blood before dipping as this will help in coagulation.
  5. Keep the bleeding area compressed with cloth or paper towel, after nail bleeding stops. Don’t let your dog stand on his feet for at least 30 minutes.
  6. Now you can use lukewarm water to wash the wound and apply a bandage to prevent the dog from licking it along with preventing the wound from getting infections.

This is how you can stop nail bleeding but in case you fail to stop it within 20 to 30 minutes, you must call a Vet for proper treatment. This is necessary because there might be some other issue as well and losing too much blood can lead to serious consequences.

 

Can Dogs bleed to death from bleeding nails?

A normal healthy dog has proper coagulation which will stop bleeding in due course. Hence a healthy dog can’t bleed to death from bleeding nails. However, this bleeding can be fast and furious because there is a vein in the nail, which is cut.

If it is let to stop by own it will cause a loss of a good amount of blood. To avoid this it is better to cure it with medicines. Too much loss of the blood can lead to other health problems.

 

How long does it take for a dog’s nail to stop bleeding?

Duration of stop bleeding completely depends upon how you are treating it and what kind of medicines you are using. However, normally it takes 30 minutes to stop completely. If bleeding does not stop in 30 minutes a Vet must be called to handle the issue. it is because your dog can’t afford the loss of more blood. The dog can be a victim of some other health problems due to blood loss.

 

What to do if a dog’s nail comes off?

Dog Nail Bleeding

If nails of dogs are grown bigger and not trimmed on time your dog will break his nail one way or the other. It is painful for a dog to walk with a broken bone. The symptom that can indicate that your dog’s nail is broken are:

  • The dog will hold his paw up rather than putting it on the ground
  • He will lick the paw constantly
  • Paw will swallow
  • Will not allow you to examine it
  • You can see a nail, not in its original position
  • You may also sometimes feel blood on the nail

 

You can cure broken nail of your dog by following these simple steps:

  1. Remove remaining piece of the nail carefully and gently. This will help you treat the wound well. However, there are people who believe that cutting only the broken area with nail clipper makes easy to cure dog.
  2. Removal of the nail may cause bleeding. Stop bleeding using the process mentioned above.
  3. Once you feel bleeding is completely stopped, wash with care and Spray a pet antiseptic on the wound.
  4. Don’t leave the paw open it may get infected. Bandage the paw this not only will help in the prevention of any infection but also will help dog walk without feeling much pain.

 

Does a dog’s nail grow back?

A featured nail present in the paw is really painful for dogs. it must be removed for proper treatment and regrowth of new nail. Broken off the nail in dogs grows back similarly it does in human beings.

 

Dog nail cut too short pain

Nails are one of the sensitive parts of human as well as the dog’s body.  It contains veins and nerves. The part of the nail where these both veins and nerves lie is called “quick”. This is the area if cut causes so much pain and bleeding.

Too close cutting of the nail is called “Quicking”. Most of the dogs having experience of quicking avoid nail trimming because it is too painful.

However, it can be cured unless your dog is suffering from clotting disorder. If you have cut your dog’s nail too short, make hurry to treat it and stop bleeding.

 

Cut dog nail too short infection

If cut dog nails too short is not properly cured and treated it can get worse. It can infect the nail bed.

Symptoms of an infected nail bed:

There are several symptoms which indicate that your dog’s nail bed is infected like the paw will develop a nasty smell. It is similar to a wet dog’s smell bet even worse.  Except this sometimes all nails of the paw, most often the infected nail gets filled with pus. Licking of the paw continuously can also be another sign for infection.

Other visible symptoms for the infection include the appearance of reddish-purple color on the paw due to irritation, the hollow appearance of the nail and high temperature of about 103 degrees.

Causes of the infection:

Commonly infection is caused by trauma and postoperative complication. If we consider trauma it includes:

  • A puncture at the site of the nail bed,
  • A cracked nail
  • A nail that has been completely torn off with the quick exposed

In other cause, if the dog had surgery before at this area, this surgery can also be a cause of the infection. In this case, Your Vet will only suggest some cleaning solutions. You will have to use those solutions as directed until the infection is cured.

Some people believe that cutting into quick while taking the broken nail out will leave infection. This is not the right perception. However, it I better to clean the wound after bleeding stops with lukewarm water.

How to cure cut dog nail too short infection?

As soon you note the infection, make a visit to a good Vet. Because infection gets worse with passing time and it becomes difficult to treat. If your dog faces any of these issues

  • Cracked or broke off the nail
  • Punctured the area around the nail
  • Pus in nails
  • Etc

Without wasting a movement visit to the Vet for proper treatment, ignoring free advice of the people to use different home-made formulas, antibiotic cream and wrapping the foot.

Infected place, nail bed of the dog is prone to bacteria hence your dog require some oral antibiotics along with other cleaning medicines.

Along with medical treatment what you need to do is keep the infected place dry. Never let your dog play in moisture.

Dog’s nail bleeding after a walk

The nail bed is a very sensitive area in the paw, which contains vein and nerves. Cutting nails too short is a painful mishap, which causes bleeding too. This bleeding nearly takes 30 minutes to stop. Even you make it stop it is advised not to let your dog put his food down,

If your dog breaks off a nail or you incidentally cut it too short both are same conditions. In both condition nail bed is infected. Walk in either case can produce bleeding.

If you find your dog bleeding compress it with cloth or paper towel and apply styptic powder this is a most effective way of stop nail bleeding.

 

Will a dog’s nail stop bleeding on its own?

Every living organism possesses a degree of clotting factor. Like all human beings and dogs too can also make clot until there they have any clotting disorder.

if your dog is healthy and not suffering from any clotting disorder his nail bleeding can stop by its own. However, until it stops a good amount of blood will be wasted.

 

How long does it take for dog’s toenail to grow back?

A dog can break off his toenail while playing. This too like nail cut short needs special attention to cure it. As soon it is cured a new nail starts to generate. This time depends mainly upon medicines you use. However, normally it takes 2 to 3 weeks to develop a new nail.

Johni Barresto

Johni Barresto Is a father and animal lover. With a range of expertise in animal health, he decided to start Animal Heed. His passion is to share his knowledge to help animal owners worldwide. When not in front of his computer, he's out with his kids, teaching them the importance of animal care.

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