Superfroggy
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2005
- Messages
- 83
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A couple weeks ago I noticed that my female dog, Ichaya's nails had grown a bit too long and decided to trim them with the clippers that I have for that purpose. Normally I've always been able to do it with no trouble and have in all these years never accidentally cut down to the vein. Well that day she wasn't too happy about having her nails clipped, and fidgeted (she normally sits very calmly while I do it), causing me to lose the correct grip on the clippers and cut the nail off at the vein- of course she started to bleed profusely- not just merely "bleeding" but with the blood visibly "pumping" from the vein. I ran to get a towel and got scared to death at how quickly the blood poured out, soaking the towel. I had heard that animals can bleed to death sometimes if this happens and so I yelled for my husband to call the vet. It was a Sunday, so the Vet's office was closed but he was able to call the emergency on-call service. Meanwhile my poor dog sat there calmly, staring at me while I held her paw wrapped in the towel, with an accusing and resigned stare as if to say, "Well now look at what stupid thing you've done" 
The on-call vet told us to go into the kitchen, grab a bag of flour, and dump a handful right on top of the bleeding claw, wrap it with a towel, and keep the flour in place for a few minutes. I really thought it sounded like a strange idea, but it really did work. In about ten minutes the flour had thickened over the blood like a "clot" causing the bleeding to stop. We did have to repeat the routine once more after an hour since our dog knocked the temporary "flour scab" off while walking to her bowl to get a drink of water, but what a relief. We were happy that our dog was going to be ok, and our dog was happy because she got to lick the excess flour off her paw (and the couch, carpet, chair, our clothes which were also covered in blood and flour). Happy ending, but I've vowed never to clip my dogs nails by myself again and will instead allow the vet or dog groomer to do it!
The on-call vet told us to go into the kitchen, grab a bag of flour, and dump a handful right on top of the bleeding claw, wrap it with a towel, and keep the flour in place for a few minutes. I really thought it sounded like a strange idea, but it really did work. In about ten minutes the flour had thickened over the blood like a "clot" causing the bleeding to stop. We did have to repeat the routine once more after an hour since our dog knocked the temporary "flour scab" off while walking to her bowl to get a drink of water, but what a relief. We were happy that our dog was going to be ok, and our dog was happy because she got to lick the excess flour off her paw (and the couch, carpet, chair, our clothes which were also covered in blood and flour). Happy ending, but I've vowed never to clip my dogs nails by myself again and will instead allow the vet or dog groomer to do it!
