Nail clipped too short

J
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Hi everyone,

I was clipping my dog's nails this morning and accidentally cut one of his back claws too short—I hit the quick and it bled. I put a bandage on it and the bleeding seemed to stop. However, this afternoon he pulled the bandage off and it started bleeding again. Does that sound "normal" to you?

I've cleaned it with an antiseptic solution and put a new bandage on with gauze and some low-tack surgical tape. Is there anything else I should be doing?

His coat is quite long at the moment and I haven't trimmed the hair around the area; could that be a problem?

I'm worried about missing the early signs of infection. Is there anything in particular I should look out for, besides his energy levels, appetite, toilet habits, and temperature?

Thanks for your help, it's the first time this has happened. He's three and a half years old, a small breed (similar to a Shih Tzu) with no particular health issues.

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18 answers
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    • J
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    Thanks everyone!

    Phew! I’m kicking myself for being so clumsy!

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    ?
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    Hi Juliette,

    Just like Doudou said, there’s no need to worry; if you keep disinfecting it for a few more days, it should be fine.

    I had the same problem with my little one, and by keeping it clean, there wasn't any trouble at all...

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    J
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    His bandage is off now... I'll put a plaster on him for when we go out.

    Thanks for the advice and for putting my mind at ease!

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    Doudou229
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    You’ve done the right thing by disinfecting it; there’s no reason to worry. Just keep cleaning the wound every morning and night for the next 2 or 3 days and change the dressing. Keep a close eye on how it looks (watch out for any pus or a nasty smell) every time they come back from a quick toilet break—that's when you should check or change the bandage. If you’re in any doubt, take them to the vet.

    Betadine, or a similar antiseptic...

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    J
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    Thanks, I'll see how things are tomorrow.
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    Munch
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    Don't worry too much; it might look a bit scary, but it’s really nothing serious! I know some people on here will probably kick off, but my family’s dogs have had their claws clipped too short plenty of times, and they’ve all been absolutely fine with this trick... - Paw up, use some hydrogen peroxide to disinfect it and pretty much stop the bleeding. - Put a drop of superglue on a bit of paper (writing paper, otherwise it just soaks into kitchen roll) or a bit of plastic like a carrier bag (this works best!!!). And before it sets (it dries really fast, so you have to be quick), dab it onto the tip of the claw. Apply pressure for a few seconds, wipe off the excess, and you’re sorted! (For the record, I often seal my own cuts using superglue; it sets so quickly that it doesn't get absorbed and there are never any complications).
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    J
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    Thanks! It’s stopped bleeding now.

    I’m mainly worried about the risk of infection...

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    Doudou229
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    Good evening. You can definitely use ingredients from your kitchen, like cornflour. Put some cornflour in a tea towel and add a little water so the resulting paste coats the cut and the claw (hold the cloth firmly against the claw for 1 to 2 minutes to pack the paste in). The bleeding should stop after a few minutes. If you don't have any cornflour, you can use plain flour (without any added baking powder). Just follow the same steps as above. Once the bleeding has stopped, gently remove the excess, then clean and disinfect it very carefully before applying a gauze pad and a bandage. Check the dressing after an hour; there should be no more bleeding. If the quick hasn't been damaged, it shouldn't bleed anymore. 🙂
    Translated from French

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