Remedies to Treat Nail Injury in Dogs

| Modified on Jul 31, 2016
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU CUT INTO THE QUICK OF A NAIL

Most pet owners have had to deal with that dreadful moment of what to do when as a result of clipping your pet's nails you accidentally cut into the quick. First of all let's make sure that you know exactly what the "quick" is.  If you take a look at your pets nail (view the side area of the nail), you will see that part of the way up there is pink line portion inside the nail.  This is the blood vessel of the nail and is called the quick.  This is much more difficult to detect on black or dark colored nails, but if your pet's nails are white you should be able to see it easily.

It is often when attempting to trim those black or dark nails that accidents happen and we sometimes cut the nail too deeply and hit the quick.  The problem with cutting into the quick of the nail is that it is extremely painful for our pet, and is very difficult to stem the flow of blood.  Often once we think it has finally stopped, the animal moves to get up and just merely touching the nail on a hard floor or object causes it to bleed once again.

Some people choose to use a styptic powder such as Kwik-Stop to prevent further bleeding, but most of us don't have that on hand.  There are a number of everyday products that work just as well to stop the bleeding and that are guaranteed to be found in almost every home.

Here are a couple of suggestions...

Grab a Dry Bar of Soap and gently rake the nail across the soap to block the blood flow

OR

Fill the palm of your hand with Baby Powder, Baking Soda or Flour and dip the nail into the powder, making sure to coat it well so that the nail stops bleeding

The trick after you have stopped the bleeding is to keep the animal lying or sitting still for a good period of time so that the bleeding does not begin again.




Baking Powder

2 User Reviews
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Posted by Denice (Roulette, PA) on 04/26/2008
★★★★★

We were watching tv and our dog, Dixie was laying quietly with us so we decided to trim her nails and got one too close and she started to bleed. We looked for anything and my husband suggested using the computer and your web site came up. It listed baby powder, baking soda and flour...in my rush to stop the bleeding I grabbed the baking powder put about a teaspoon on my hand and we packed it against the bleeding nail. It worked within 10 minutes and we are still keeping her down at this time. Thank you for your help and your web site. This will be marked as a favorite! Thanks again!

Replied by Peter
(Calgary, Alberta)
12/10/2011

My father and I have done many trimmings and cutting the quick does happen some times. His dog Tessa is a rescue dog and nails were not attended well in her previouse life. Any way we got a bleeder and did the flour and a baggie remedy. Kept her still but not before she licked a lot of her own blood up. We got the bleeding stopped but later in the night she got sick. Would any one know if drinking her own blood makes her sick , or would you think it would be a coincidence? Thanks if you can help with my question.

Replied by Jj
(Dixie Tx)
02/13/2014
★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

ok so same thing, decided to do my dogs nails and got too close. I freaked so looked this up which the 1st thing I tried was baking soda, no good it must have stung or something b/c she went nuts squirming and started bleeding twice as bad but then I did flour and elevated her foot above her heart and in no time she was good the next morning but neosporin on the tip THANKS for this web site


Bar of Soap

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Posted by Luckyspal (Bethesda, Md) on 05/14/2010
★★★★★

I just used a bar of stop to stop bleeding after I cut to much when trimming Lucky's nails! It stopped immediately and he stopped licking it, too! Thank you, thank you thank you!

Replied by Lane
(Evans, Ga)
08/04/2015
★★★★★

The bar of soap worked great it was about stopped bleeding by the time I read this article but applied to ensure it would stop and my dog hasn't licked the nail nor has it bled anymore! We happened to be in the bathroom so that's why I opted for the soap over flour or other items! Thanks so much for the advice!

Replied by Tonya
(Rockford)
07/31/2016

Hello, I was wondering how does the area not get infected?


Black Pepper

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Posted by Quinn (Philadelphia, PA) on 08/07/2006
★★★★★

Another way to stop bleeding is with black pepper! It doesn't hurt and won't injure a pet (or human) if ingested. Small packets from fast food restaurants are great tucked into first aid kits, glove compartments and grooming supplies.


Castor Oil

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Posted by Sallypants (Calgary, CA) on 12/07/2014
★★★★★

I am ashamed to say that I let my daschihuahua's back paw develop an in-grown paw nail. It had circled around and grown into her paw pad. I cut the nail off when I found it, and then pulled it from her paw pad. I then proceeded to apply a castor oil pack (directions elsewhere on this site) and banished the infection overnight. Nice going, earth clinic - you helped me help my dog. No vet visit necessary.

Replied by Brenda
(Mountain Top)
02/15/2015

Thanks for the tip. I cut my babies nail too short and it wouldn't stop bleeding until I used the flour/peroxide solution. Thank you!


Corn Meal

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Posted by Jessica (Nashville, TN) on 08/29/2006
★★★★★

My doctor told me to use this instead of buying the items in the pet store. I was skeptical at first and was freaking out when I couldn't figure out exactly how to make it stop bleeding! But I just coated his nail with it and made him lay down for about 10 minutes. He actually went to sleep while I was holding his leg. Its an excellent method and much cheaper!


Flour

13 User Reviews
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Posted by Tara C. (Warwick, Ri) on 09/02/2015
★★★★★

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just trimmed my Rottweiler's black nails and cut one too short my mistake. It started bleeding and I felt terrible. I immediately looked online for a remedy and found your site. I used self rising flour and it stopped the bleeding in just a few minutes! I just put it in a bag and placed her foot inside. Then kept her calm. I can't thank you enough for this site and helping me make everything ok! She is happily chewing on a new bone and being still and calm (thanks to my guilty conscience) and making sure to give her booboo time to heal.


Flour
Posted by Candace Kaye (Warminster) on 05/07/2014
★★★★★

Cut my Boston's nail to short. Quickly went on line searching for an answer and found this site. I went with the flour on the nail. I actually mixed it with a little water and made a paste of it. Then applied it with a Q-tip. Worked great, but I had to reapply it because the blood kept breaking through. Hopefully there will not be a next time, but if there is I'm going to use the flour in a plastic baggie.

I did want to respond to the person in another post who was outraged at the thought of using Super Glue on the tipe of the nail. This is a procedure that is often used in emergency situations. During the Vietnam War soldiers carried it with them for closing wounds when they couldn't get immediate medical care. I also know someone who went to the ER after hitting their head on the edge of a metal plate, and rather than putting staples in his head, the doctor used Super Glue to close the wound. So it is safe to use and does not sting when applying.


Flour
Posted by Adrian (Kalamazoo, Michigan) on 01/21/2013
★★★★★

I have a Labrador and I accidently over cut one of her nails and I couldn't get the bleeding to stop. So I cleaned with hydrogen proxide and then fixed together flour and water to great a paste and used a q tip and put some the paste on her toe nail and held for about an hour and then dipped her same nail in four about 15 times just to make sure and left her sit and relax for about an hour. And all the bleeding stopped. Thank you so much.

Replied by Brenda
(Mountain Top)
02/15/2015
★★★★★

Thanks for the tip. I cut my babies nail too short and it wouldn't stop bleeding until I used the flour/peroxide solution. Thank you!


Flour
Posted by Jenny Martin (Portsmouth, Hampshire) on 01/13/2013
★★★★★

My Jackrussel/Chihuaha X needed his claws cut and one of them is black which l accidentally cut to short and it bled profusly after 2 hours l found your site and put his foot into a bag flour, after half an hour cuddle the bleed stopped so a very big thank you for your help.


Flour
Posted by Blazer (Vineyard Haven, Ma) on 09/29/2012
★★★★★

Thank you we used the flour and it worked awesome. I actually placed my dog's paw in my hand filled with flour then layed with him for about 30 minutes. The bleeding stopped and never started again.


Flour
Posted by Roby (Sydney, Australia) on 09/05/2012
★★★★★

YAY, thank you so much for this amazingly simple but so so wonderful remedy! For the first time ever, I cut my dog jesse's nail too short and it poured with blood! My son was panicked, and I quickly went to the web and read your advice.... I put a ziplock bag of flour over her paw, waited 15mins, and its stopped! Thankyou :)


Flour
Posted by Justjan (Tolland, Connecticut) on 01/22/2012
★★★★★

My Schipp's nails are black. I am so careful, but got the quick today... First time I've ever done that. He didn't even flinch, but he was bleeding terribly. I got online, saw this site and did the flour in a baggie. I held him and petted him for an hour (he loved it). He is sleeping soundly, the bleeding stopped, and I'm so grateful. Thank you!


Flour
Posted by Sami (Canada, Nova Scotia) on 01/11/2010
★★★★★

I was cutting my shelties nails and on the last nail I cut the quick. So I tried everything besides the vet and I went online and found your website. I put his paw in a cup of flour for five minutes. later I check on him and an hour later it work his nail stopped bleeding!!! :):D

Replied by Robynn
(Tacoma, Washington)
12/30/2011

I cut my corgi Tucker's nails for the first time tonight, I had seen my dad do it many times before and had even helped a little, but I never thought it would be so easy to cut down too far! I was so scared when he was bleeding, I tried pressure then wrapping it, it bled through the bandage. Then I tried using liquid bandage, hoping that it would at least stop the bleeding, but that started up again when he walked around and it too bled through another bandage. The I found this site and now he's got a ziploc of flour on his paw, and he's fast asleep. I'm REALLY hoping this works!!


Flour
Posted by Susan (Milton, WV) on 04/24/2008
★★★★★

I accidently stepped on my chihuahuas paw with my heeled shoes. She yelped and I thought that was that. Then I noticed bleeding and found that she lost her whole nail. I put 1/2 cup flour in a baggy and placed her paw in it. I twisted the top of the bag and put a clip to hold it. I held her for about 30 minutes to keep her off her foot. It stopped the bleeding very quickly.

Replied by Tara
(Springfield, Illinois, Us)
10/04/2011
★★★★★

I am so thankful for this site. My son Donnie suggested that I check out online for home remedies for pets and I came across this site. My fiancee was clipping my dog Angel's claws and she pulled away and he cut to close to the quick and she began to bleed, I was freaked out but my son told me to check online and I found out about the flour and wow it really works. Thank you to who ever created this site. It is a blessing and a help.


Flour
Posted by Samantha (Holland, Michigan) on 02/10/2008
★★★★★

Hi my dogs nail had been bleeding non stop and i was scard and using the flour to stop the bleeding help us out alot! thanks so much for putting the info out:



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