clipped nail in to the quick... still bleeding

[Angie ashcraft]

Tried to clip my 2 yr old (80 lb) Goldendoodle's nails myself. I swear I clipped just a tiny tip off the end of one nail but it has been a while since he has had them clipped and I believe the quick/vein had extended to the tip. He bled, soaked a paper napkin. Used cornstarch... got it to stop.

soaked it in lukewarm water til the water was clear and all dried blood/cornstarch was removed. I touched the tip with gauze and no blood was coming off on the gauze.

I applied a gauze bandage...  then put on one of my kids footie socks and secured with athletic tape. He was fine.

Then he started walking around, playing with a ball and I looked down to see the footie was soaked with blood and bloody pawprints in my carpet.

So we applied pressure again....changed the bandage.

So here are the questions:

how long til it stops bleeding?

And did it start bleeding again because he was putting pressure on it by walking around?

It's night time here so he would have to go to the Emergency Vet if I have to take him somewhere tonight. Or should I just keep an eye on it through the night and take him to his vet in the morning.

Thanks....

[F, Calla & Luca]

I never wash off the styptic powder I have used on occasion. Yes, try to keep your dog inactive for a while. A sock may help but I have not used a bandage. By morning all should be fine. Your dog will not bleed out through his nail.

[Angie ashcraft]

thanks for help.

[Stacy]

Your post makes me laugh. I once called the emergency vet about a bleeding nail. I was fairly convinced she would bleed to death out her nail. They told me corn starch too. And yes, to leave it on and not wash it off. Blood just has this amazing ability to expand exponentially. 

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I have no experience myself but here is a link to an "Ask A Vet" site. This post sounds a lot like your situation and the vet makes suggestions of things to try  to get the bleeding to stop.   Hope you get it resolved soon! 

http://www.askavetquestion.com/answer_np.php?id=2520-cut-my-dogs-na...

[Angie ashcraft]

thanks for the link.... from the post it sounds like they really cut the nail way deep. My dog, Bo did not have a stream nor did it puddle in the floor.

Since it's nighttime here... he will be down for the night soon. So hopefully after sleeping all night it will be resolved in the morning.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Yes, that really sounded bad! 

I think you're right that a good night's sleep and staying off of it is probably the best treatment for Bo.  Let us know how he is in the morning.  

[Stella]

Corn starch or 'Kwik Stop', don't wash it off and try to keep him quiet.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

If still giving him a problem, I would run to any drugstore and by styptic powder.  It works quickly to stop bleeding.

Good luck.

[Lynda Kamrath]

I think you are over reacting to a very common situation.  When I clip my dogs nails, I keep a soldering gun handy and if you happen to clip it too short, cauterize with the soldering gun.  Or, you can use the same thing that men use when shaving and get a nick.  Actually, it also works well to use a little grinder to polish the nails.  Cut off a little bit and then polish with the grinder.  It works like a nail file.  An emergency vet is way over reacting and will be expensive.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Hoping (and expecting) that your boy is fine by this am.  Styptic powder usually does the trick within a few minutes or hours. I've never used cornstarch.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Angie ~ how is your doodle doing.  I imagine the nail has healed by now.

[Diane and Alma]

That same thing happened to Alma a few weeks ago. Luckily I had some Kwik Stop on hand. What surprised me was the amount of blood and how red it was! Somehow, none of it got on my carpets even though I had to treat her paw a few times. She didn't even seem to notice. Hope Bo is back to normal and that it didn't leave a stain on your carpet.