Clipped nail too short!!!

[jayjay5531]

I usually consider myself a nail-clipping pro, because I've been clipping rabbits' nails at the pet shop that I work at for years and never cut a nail too short. Sometimes people bring in a rabbit for a nail trim where one of its toes is all weird and yellow and short, and I wonder if it was cut too short and got infected.

Anyways, I was clipping my own rabbit's nails today at home and my hand slipped and I cut too short (about a milimeter down from the beginning of the blood supply) EEEP! I had stypic powder handy, but it took a lot to stop the bleeding Now the blood is all matted around the nail but luckily the bleeding is stopped.

What do I do? How do I prevent it from getting infected and what not? I don't want her to end up with one of those stubby deformed toe thingies! I also don't want her to get some kind of systemic infection.

By the way she's a 1-year-old 6 pound Mini Lop, if that matters.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

The stubby nail tends to be more from if the nail got ripped out somehow and is growing back. Some grow back better than others. Clipping the nail too short should not result in a nail looking like that.

I would not worry too much. Clean out the cage if you need to to help prevent infection and keep it clean. Your rabbit should clean the blood off the foot. I would avoid trying to wipe any blood off for a little while to make sure the nail has totally stopped bleeding and has clotted well or you could make it bleed more.
Most nails should heal without a problem. Keep an eye on it and go to the vet if it looks infected. Most heal up without an issue. Write down which nail it was so you can remember to not clip that one as short next time and to be careful with that nail as it will be shorter than the rest.

 

[tonyshuman]

She'll probably clean it all up. I'd let her be for a bit, let her clean up the area, and then make sure it didn't start bleeding again. Somehow my bunnies have never managed to get a styptic-stopped nail to start bleeding again, even if I used gobs of styptic and they groomed that all off. Just keep an eye out as Korr and Sophie said.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Been there, done it too. Never had any problem, just cleaned up with unscented baby wipes once the bleeding has stopped.