# Yikes! Quicked!



## nifty (Aug 2, 2013)

ARGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!! I quicked Dulcie's nail!

The grooming session was going GREAT - we had done the bath and the blow dry (that flying pig is really very good - It pretty much blows her coat straight without needing to be brushed at all (as long as it was knot free before the bath, obviously). Seriously, you can see it blowing right down to the skin and parting her hair in lines as I direct the nozzle in long sweeps down her back and right down her legs. Wonderful!

Anyway, the bath and drying took about 90 minutes - I shampooed her twice because she was really dirty and really massaged her well all over. Then a long rinse and so on. The drying probably took 45 minutes. Pretty good so far.

Next, I wanted to shave her feet first thing because I wanted those done first before the next trip outside for a bathroom break for her. 

I had refreshed my memory by watching the videos on YOuTube again and I took my sweet time -- I hate to tell you guys, but it took me over 2 hours to just do her four feet! However, after nicking her with the clipper last time on one of her toes, I was determined not to do that again! SO I went very slowly, took breaks to let her rest, and after each foot was finished, I clipped her nails slightly and then dremeled them. Everything was going swimmingly! I even used Diane Batelek's (sp?) tip on using the clipper to rough in the bevel at the bottom of the leg hair - and it worked like a charm! (Except that I think I went slightly high water on her -- but practice will help with that - I am just pleased at how much we got done!).

Sadly, at the very last foot, first toenail, Dulcie and I were both really tired and I was trying to be so careful. She wanted to lie down. I had to get her up twice. Just as I was about to clip, she pushed forward to lie down again and OH NO! I clipped her quick! 

Blood everywhere! I have been clipping her nails forever and it was one thing I hadn't had any mishaps on so far - but today was the day, unfortunately. Had no styptic - so I wet a cloth with cold water and put pressure on it. It did stop bleeding after awhile, but I put a sock on her foot just to be safe - because now I am concerned about that wound when she goes to the potty area. Dang.

Anyway, except for that tough ending, it was an overall pretty good effort and I am really pleased. Last time, I only really got one foot shaved before I nicked her and had to stop. Today, I managed to get all four feet cleaned up and they look great! 

From now on, I think I am going to stick with only the dremel for her nails. I used to clip because I had no idea how to dremel them, but now that I have a dremel and I learned how to use it, I love it! Dulcie doesn't mind it at all, either. The only reason I was clipping a bit first is because her nails had gotten so long over time and I needed to work it back slowly. Well, we will just do it even more slowly with just the dremel now. I won't take a chance on cutting her quick again. I felt so bad - poor Dulcie!!

Photo - mid groom, back foot clean, front foot very doodley!


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I feel for you. I am so scared to quick Merlin's nail as well. I bought a nail clipper, the guillotine type, and got the courage to cut his nails a few times. i hadn't done it in at least 15 years. I only do it because I can see the quick a bit.

I find you very courageous, I Know how hard it is. As for the feet, what blade do you use ? I use a 15 and Merlin has very fair skin, like a pinky little pig, and I've never even scratched him and I'm just a beginner. Once I used a 30 in his face and he as all scratches, poor thing. Never again !

What brand is your dremmel, I want to buy one as well.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

For your penance... read Jean Dodd's Vaccination Schedule in it's entirety.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Meh, as a groomer a quicked nail doesn't mean too much. Yes we try not to do it, but doing a large assortment of different dogs with different nails and you can get a nail every now and then. Some super long nails with short quicks, some super long nails with LONG quicks, some short nails with even shorter quicks, some short nails with quicks almost right to the end. But it happens. most dogs don't even notice.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Mysticrealm said:


> Meh, as a groomer a quicked nail doesn't mean too much. Yes we try not to do it, but doing a large assortment of different dogs with different nails and you can get a nail every now and then. Some super long nails with short quicks, some super long nails with LONG quicks, some short nails with even shorter quicks, some short nails with quicks almost right to the end. But it happens. most dogs don't even notice.



Agreed, not a big deal at all.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

If it ever happens again, and you do not have styptic powder handy, use flour or cornstarch to stop the bleeding. This will do the trick. I agree with others, not a huge deal, but it can be a bit messy.

VQ


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## nifty (Aug 2, 2013)

Thanks Everyone! I hope it's not a big deal to Dulcie - that is the most important thing! I'd like to finish her groom tomorrow (first attempt at her face -- and trim her topknot, ears and tail and clean up her sanitary area).

Dechi, I used a 15 blade on her feet, too, to start with -- although I worked up the courage to switch to the mini brava which has a 30 blade. It is nice and small and I think it actually worked better than the 15 blade on the full sized bravura. I went very slowly, just to be safe. 

The sander I have is a Dremel brand dremel -- it is called a micro. It is cordless and has a little light which shines out of the end on where you are working, which is helpful. Someone else on PF recommended it (I am sorry I can't remember who!) and I think it is just the thing. Here is a link to show you:
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-8050-N-18-Rotary-Accessories/dp/B015DVN4E4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458873652&sr=8-1&keywords=Dremel+micro[/ame]


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## Indiana (Sep 11, 2011)

It's true; I always try not to, but I have 4 dogs with black nails, and life happens--sometimes we go on holidays or get sick, or the dog does and for one reason or another, nails don't get trimmed weekly. I like to dremel but occasionally I clip and have quicked a nail or two. They don't hold it against me! The worst was when my Boston played so hard she broke her nail in half! Argh, my tummy did flip flops when i tried to trim it so it wouldn't catch on things.


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Well...true confessions.

With Sugarfoot, I carefully Dremel his nails, but they stay pretty short most of the time even on their own due to jogging and being active.

With our IG, Pixie...well, she's an elderly homebody, her nails turn into out-of-control *talons* within (what seems like) mere days, and some of them are black. So, every once in a while, it's a sit-down with me, her, and the mondo-clipper for a ruthless pruning. 

Last time, I went _snip-snip-snip-snip_ lickety-split on each foot, and almost every nail was quicked. My shirt looked like I'd been involved in a mass murder, but a quick dip in the stryptic and Pixie was none the worse for wear. She didn't even shriek during the clipping.

So, don't feel bad for quicking one nail. They'll get over it!

--Q


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## seminolewind (Mar 11, 2016)

In a pinch flour or cornstarch works great.


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## poofs (Jan 6, 2016)

I've got the Dremel 8050 on my puppy shopping list.
It's got the light in the tool head.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Yup! Even with white nails sometimes you end up quicking em'! For some reason Molly's front nails grow like crazy and even when I quick them. the quick never seems to recede enough to get them really short and I end up quicking them again and again! Thank goodness she's forgiving and for Quik-Stop!!!! LOL!


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

It happens and often. Mix fine ground white pepper with kerosene (diesel fuel) to make a paste. When applied this will stop bleeding instantly and kill infection. It will not be painful.
Eric


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I quicked Poppy for the second time last week - like you, at the very end of grooming. Neither of us even noticed until I realised she was leaving a spatter of blood behind her sometime later... Cornflour works!


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## TeamPoodle (Aug 10, 2015)

Aww I think it is worse for the human than it is for the poodle. Even when extra careful, it will happen. Cornstarch is amazing. Just dip the nail in some and the bleeding will stop pretty much instantly.


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## nifty (Aug 2, 2013)

Thanks everyone! I did not know that about corn starch or flour! I'll know next time! Eric that mixture sounds helpful too - and I definitely like the part about warding off any infection. That was my greatest concern as going for bathroom breaks means necessarily walking in crushed gravel which has been liberally used by many dogs for relieving themselves. What I have done so far is to put a clean PAWZ booty on Dulcie's injured foot for bathroom breaks.

Today I am going to attempt her face for the very first time. I needed to stop yesterday after the accident, naturally, to give us both time to rest and recover from that shock! Like Poppy, Dulcie did not make any sign that I had cut her and I was getting ready to do the next nail when I noticed that she had a little pool of blood under her foot - ugh! Either it really did not hurt her too much or she is a very stoic girl! I suspect stoicism, though, because of the amount of licking that she has tried to do to it since - seems like it must be bothering her at least a bit. I am keeping a sock on it so it can breathe and heal but she cannot get it all wet and keep licking it.


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## AngelAviary (Aug 12, 2014)

Oh I feel for you gal! I HATE to do nails, I always have! They used to beat it into our heads in Vet tech school to not make them bleed! Ive been paranoid ever since. And the things Ive done with animals at the vet for treatments or surgery and such! No problem but when it comes to teeth extractions (Vet!) and nail trims I start to sweat! 
To make it worse my Border Collie is just horrible for her nails. She has always been done with the dremel and has never had a nail bleed, but she will fight and lift her lip at me if I try to push her to much for to long! Stella is great! But I only use the dremel on her too! I try to do a tiny bit each week but still feel her nails are too long! 
Good luck with the rest of her groom today! I cant wait to see the final pictures!


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## BeckyM (Nov 22, 2013)

Sophie has very long quicks and no matter how little I shave off, I always manage to quick at least 50% of her nails.  Luckily she's a brave girl and doesn't even flinch. I just use quick-stop powder. If I wait longer between trimmings, they grow too long. I don't like my dog's nails to touch the floor when they stand so I clip ever 1-2 weeks. 

As a side note, quick stop is useful around the barnyard, too. I had to clip my 4 rooster's toenails and spurs last night and quick-stop came in handy!


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

ER and ambulance crews used to use Kerosene as a means of stopping bleeding but now other better things are used. The Kero with pepper was used by my groomer in the 1960s and I later found it to be a good mix.
Eric


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I quicked Lily rather badly a couple of weeks ago. She's long since forgiven me. Now you have to forgive yourself.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I've quicked mine more than a couple of times and that was with a Dremel. I just went too short and there was that little drop of blood at the end. The difference is it doesn't flow. It gets cauterized. But when I use to clip, I did too every so often. Some kind of styptic powder or corn starch should stop the bleeding. I've just put a tissue on the end of the nail and put pressure on it while elevating and it stops pretty well usually. That's before I used a Dremel. Not only do they forgive you, I don't know that it hurts them that much...at least for not long. Mine go galloping off and act like nothing happened if they get quicked. They don't seem to lick it like they would another wound. They don't hold their foot up...I don't really think it's that bad. But it makes us feel guilty, huh. lol.


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## grab (Jun 1, 2010)

No need to put a bootie on, infection shouldn't be an issue from a quicked nail. And no need to put kerosene on it


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## cello56 (Apr 2, 2017)

In a pinch, you can run a bar of Ivory soap (or any gentle soap) over the end of the nail to stop the bleeding!


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