EMERGENCY: BLEEDING FROM NAIL TRIMMING

[ilovetegocalderon]

RO - i know last time i posted i was being a brat and said i would never post again, but please forgive me...i need your help. i was trimming one of the baby's bunny's nails because it really did look ridiculously long so i started out with onlya tiny tiny tiny piece.....well im an idiot, it made him bleed, and he is bleeding like CRAZY!!!!!! PLEASE HELP, WHAT DO I DO, IM PANICKING!!!!!!!!!!



edit - i've messed up nail trimming before, but he is bleeding profusely!! and i swear i only snipped a TINY TINY TINY piece! the vet is closed, please help and thanks in advance!

 

[ani-lover]

use a styptic pencil used for clotting cuts after shaving or you can use styptic powder most groceries have them.if you dont have one then take a rag or something and hold direct pressure on the nail until the bleeding stops and you can clean area with damp paper towel
edit- first of all dont panick because you will scare the bunny and you dont want to do that or else he will get scared and wont let you work with him so...stay calm and relax so you dont scare bunny.
ps after this xperience you should probably start an emergency kit so youre ready for anything.

 

[Haley]

First thing I would do is get a clean cloth and pinch it to stop the bleeding. I cant remember what helps stop bleeding...Let me find the thread for you..hang on.

I know it seems like a lot of blood, but just keep applying pressure for now.

Yeah, styptic! Thanks Ani..and I know there are other things you can use. Here ya go:


[*]Many kinds of trauma can cause bleeding, but most bleeding stops on its own. [*]To help it stop, apply direct firm pressure with a clean absorbent cloth or gauze. [*]Do not remove the cloth if it gets saturated - this will dislodge the clot. Simply place another layer on top and continue to apply pressure.
[*]For bleeding toenails, apply styptic powder, flour or talc directly to the nail tip. You may have to repeat the application several times.Despite its "Nightmare on Elm Street" appearance, no rabbit has ever died of exsanguination secondary to a toenail trim. Info Fromhttp://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/firstaid.html

Good Luck!

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

thank you both so much!!!!!! just so you know, i didnt freak out in front of my bunny, just in my head....lord knows i've witnessed bunnies who get scared because you dont keep your cool - - - he seems to be doing better, - i freaked because he is soooo tiny and all that blood, it was scary....anything else, should i keep him on a towel or provide some sort of different flooring???



btw - i named him Bullet

 

[naturestee]

No need to change his flooring or anything. Once the bleeding is stopped with flour or cornstarch (or styptic powder) he'll be fine. I've done that with Mocha before. It looks much worse than it actually is.

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

thank you all!!! the cornstarch definitly worked wonders! :imsorry: about being a brat last time..... :baghead



p.s can i put neosporin on it?

 

[ani-lover]

if the bleeding stopped you really dont have to put any thing on it

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

Haley wrote:

Despite its "Nightmare on Elm Street" appearance, no rabbit has ever died of exsanguination secondary to a toenail trim. Info Fromhttp://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/firstaid.html

Good Luck!

fyi - my heart was pounding so hard and fast before i read this because i thought i killed him, so thank you.

and thank you ani-lover for your very informative and speedy response!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and naturestee...............i cant find any words right now but im sure you know.:embarrassed:

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

ani-lover wrote:

if the bleeding stopped you really dont have to put anything on it

so there's no chance of infection?

 

[ani-lover]

youre welcome and you can always count on the RO crew if you need anything

 

[ani-lover]

no there is no chance of infection if the bleeding stopped just dont let bun dig in dirt until tomorrow (if you do) just so the nail has time to close. Domino doesnt like getting his nails cut so once in a while if he pulls the nail away i have to get some styptic stuff to stop the bleeding and styptic closes the wound so no there is no chance of infectin.

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

Bullet is in his cage now with Marshy, and hes sticking close by her, and she is grooming him (something she only does on rare occasion). on top of that, she is looking at me with an evil glare - - - am i imagening this or do you think she things im a rabbit killer or something?

fyi - she grooms him then stops and gives me an evil glare then, grooms him again - - i think she knows i did something bad to him....:?



Edit - for those that dont know, Marshy is the mom

 

[Haley]

ilovetegocalderon wrote:

so there's no chance of infection?

Nah, he should be fine if the bleeding has stopped. You could put some on for good measure if you feel like it, but I dont think its necessary.

 

[ani-lover]

you didnt do anything bad to him you just clipped into a blood vessel/quick by accident.

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

ok, um, you guys might think im being a paranoid retard, but i have NEVER seen this before - he has his head under her chin, and she is sticking close by him with his head under her chin and glaring at me while im on the computer...if looks could kill, i would be dead now!!

you dont think she knows i hurt him??



edit - she just jumped out of the box she was sharing with him, i went over to check on them and she thumped at me and jumped back in the box with him.....she is making me feel like a rabbit abuser!

 

[Haley]

lol...shes a protective mommy, thats all!Give her a few craisins and she wont hold a grudge. :wink

I dont think Ive ever hit a quick on Basil and Max, but I still get dirty looks and feet flicking after each clipping...raisins heal all wounds.

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

great idea - i only have a banana - im gonna give her that - - a BIG piece

 

[ani-lover]

good luck and you are very welcome for every ones help.

 

[ec]

Phew - thanks to ani-lover and Haley for the advice here. I accidentally clipped the quick on one of Nibbles' nails while trying to do a trim and she wouldn't hold still for me to get the styptic on. The more i tried to get hold of her and get it on, the more agitated she got, while bleeding like mad. (I know you've been there and done that.)

Her paw got fairly bloody and she *really* didn't want me to interfere with her grooming after I got the bleeding stopped.... I *know* this was totally unintentional on my part, but the poor girl's scared and doesn't really want me near her right now.

Now (while typing) I see that she's flopped out and chilling, but I'm still on edge from all that blood and trying to help her stay still long enough to get the styptic powder applied. [Big sigh.]

Thanks to all the mods in this section, too, for the Bunny 101 pages and much more. They're a huge help!