Big scare with Valuran yesterday

[Stephanie]

A clip was long overdue with our rabbits, soyesterday was nail clipping day for them and our cat (who is welltrained for it).

Valuran's nails were on the longish side, and asthey're dark, I can't see the quick at all. I got his front paws doneno problem, but the second claw I do on his back right foot I went toolow and it started bleeding. Bad. I'm talking a pool of blood in thetable.

Thankfully, I remembered Pam saying that rabbit's claws tend to clot upmore easily than say a cat's or a birds. However, nothing is more scarythan seeing a beloved pet bleeding like that due to your mistake! And Ihave many years experience in clipping nails, although I admit this wasthe second time I've done this, though not so bad.

Very quickly I got some cold, wet paper towels, some dry ones, and madea heavy corn starch mixture and we got the bleeding under control in notime. Still, it was a pretty bad ten minutes with poor Valuran lessthan happy with having me holding him firmly while we piled on the cornstarch.

I also wanted to mention this to others, who may be afraid of this verything happening and not quite knowing what to do if it does. We haven'thad a nail clipping discussion in a while.

Vey is doing fine, after giving us the cold shoulder and the Butt bigtime all night. The other two were less than pleased with us also, asafter Valuran, we went on to do the other two rabbits.

 

[Carolyn]

I'm so glad it worked out in the end, Stephanie,but I do know the fear of seeing all that blood. Scary, isn'tit? I'm sure your heart sunk and the baby wondered what wasgoing on as you definitely must've had a physical reaction to seeingVal's blood. No matter how long you've been at it, it's stillan upsetting sight to see. Good for you for keeping your cooland getting the job done. I'm sure you were beating yourselfup. You should both have gotten a treat when it was all saidand done.

Glad that job's done for the next month!

-Carolyn

 

[Stephanie]

I was a lot calmer than expected, but still, notfun to say the least! If I hadn't had it happen before and hadn't hadPam's good advice and knowledge, I would have been freaking out bigtime.

I also remember Buck saying that if you clip the nails a bit at a time,frequently (as in once a week), the quick does grow back. I admit, weslacked on them due to all that had been going on. Valuran's especiallyseemed very long this time around.

 

[JimD]

I did the same thing to Benji last time Iclipped his nails. His nails are black and it's hard to see the cuticleeven when using a flashlight behind them. Danielle held a paper towelon the bleeding nail (while she was freaking out) and I calmly did thecornstarch thingie.

I've learned to keep a small cup of water, a small cup with cornstarchin it, and some q-tips handy when clipping nails. If you clip tooshort, dip the q-tip in the water, then in the cornstarch, and then onthe buns nail.

~Jim

 

[CorkysMom]

I always take off just the sharp tip cuz I'm scared to death of doing this...speaking of...I need to do this too!!

Glad it all turned out ok and you kept your cool...good job!

 

[Carolyn]

Stephanie wrote:

I also remember Buck saying that if you clip the nails a bitat a time, frequently (as in once a week), the quick does grow back. Iadmit, we slacked on them due to all that had been going on. Valuran'sespecially seemed very long this time around.

That's what I do with my crew. I don't stress then.It's amazing how much the quick does drop back within a day.I can see Fauna's and Cali's nails much easier than Tuck's.

I think about you a lot and how you're dealing with the loss of yourgrandmother. I know you're still very much grievingher and wanted you to know that I say a prayer for you each day.

ray:

-Carolyn

 

[dajeti2]

I am glad that Val is ok and you. I canonly imagine how stressful that was. I'm sure Valuran has forgiven youalready. It's great you were able to remain calm and deal with it theway you did. Thankfully you are done until next month.

Tina

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Pebbles nails are dark, butI cut more often and not as close, as Bucksuggested. I never cut the quick yet.

When we babysat Coco last week...a friends bunny,her nails are white and they were so easy to cut.Also she was a bigger bunny, so her paws and nails werebigger making it easier to hold.

Rainbows!

 

Thanks for thereminder Stephanie, I have that problem with ablack French Lop , when I got her she hadTallons not nails , any attempt atpicking her up and she wouldlitterally try to hook them thru your arm,. pretty scarey concidering she weighs 10 lbsor better . I have to redo hernails and will only tipthem for the next fewmonths due to the fact they are pitchblack and even natural sunlightdoesnt help in seeing hte Quick , OHher favorite treat forafter clipping is : Nipping thewaddle fat under my arms , ""!!!!!!YEOUCH!!!!!! let me tell yathat surely stings . Every timeI have clipped her nails back (weekly because of length ) she managesto get me no matter where Iplace her .

 

[Stephanie]

Every day gets a little easier, Carolyn. Butthank you very much for keeping me in your prayers. It was a toughmonth, last month. Can you believe I turned 30 in the middle of all ofthat??

And Valuran did forgive us eventually. Ok ok, a little parsley and craisins helped with that!

Jim, that's a good idea with the Q-tips. I'll have to do that next time- just in case. I was worried that his foot would be a bit sore, butfrom the way he was tearing around, I wasn't worried for long.

 

[Carolyn]

Buck wouldn't even start clipping the nails without having the styptic powder open and q-tips ready.

-Carolyn

 

[Stephanie]

That's what I get for being unprepared, right? If I have everything on hand, nothing would have happened!

I thought of Buck while I was clipping though. I remember that picture of him with Cali as he was doing her nails. *sigh*

 

[Carolyn]

This is what Buck said: "In any case,I always have styptic powder, a Q-Tip, and water on hand to dampen thecotton on the Q-Tip, to staunch any blood flow that may accidentallyoccur. Flour, talc, corn starch, are viable alternatives. Most bunsforgive the indignity in a short while, should you accidentally cut tooclose to the quick, so while not exactly painless, it is not a majorinjury. Those of us who cut our buns' nails have all done it at onetime or another."

 

[Stephanie]

That's my plan for next time.

We're actually going to them again on Sunday. Like I said, their clawsgot out of control recently due to our neglect with everything elsethat had gone on. My plan is do trim a bit down so the quick recedesand get them back to normal.

Chompers I've never been able to get fully normal. His back claws curlto the side. He was severely neglected before I rescued him and I'vebeen too afraid to clip his back, so I do a bit at a time, but it stilldoesn't seem to be doing anything.

 

[Carolyn]

I love Chompers! I was just looking at his picture this weekend. How's the little mon doing?

-Carolyn

 

[Stephanie]

He is doing great. Such a chill rabbit. He'llrun around shaking his bunny butt, then go flop down in the cage. Heand Valuran have been looking extra adorable lately, the way they'vebeen snuggling up together.