Things you should have handy if you are trimming your pets nails in case you do cut the quick are:

• Your phone—ensure it contains your family vet’s phone number
• Tissues
• All purpose flour or styptic powder

When you accidentally trim your pets nails, bleeding from that nail occurs and sometimes can seem almost profuse.

Step 1: do not panic as your pet will sense your anxiety and panic with you.

Step 2: Take a wad of tissue and apply pressure on the site.

Step 3: If you have styptic powder, while trying to dab/wipe and clear the affected nail of blood, dab this styptic powder or even all purpose flour on the site that is bleeding.

Step 4: Keep you pet calm for then next few hours. Let them stay in resting position for the next few hours so their body’s repair mechanisms have time to kick-in. The wounded area should form a clot itself preventing further bleeding. Once it is stopped bleeding, do not touch the site for 2 hours and try to have your pet not use this paw in that time so that the clot is not prematurely removed.

Step 5: If the aforementioned steps do not stop or slow down the bleeding, you can repeat steps 2 and 3 until you see improvement. If after a few minutes, the bleeding still seems profuse or you feel uncomfortable or concerned, call your family veterinarian with your phone on hand.

Over the next week, watch that your pet is walking fine, still active and energetic, that there is no malodour coming from the nail or further bleeding or discharge from the wounded nail bed. Although that would not commonly occur, should that happen, your pet may warrant an examination by your veterinarian as it may have become infected.