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Post by katt on Dec 18, 2010 12:13:07 GMT -5
I don't know when it happened, but I went to clip the boys' nails before bed last night and I noticed that Kenai has a very bad cracked nail. I worry about it because he LOVES to dig! Like even more than Koda! Anyways, I clipped it as short as he would let me - the last little piece I clipped didn't bleed, but he cried. I felt bad (granted he does cry all of the time haha) so I snuggled him and praised him and he gave me kisses on my chin (which he rarely does!) as if to tell me he forgave me. It wasn't very new as the blood was all dried, and I was able to clip it much shorter than his other nails without it bleeding so it seems the quick is already receding. I leave tonight, pretty much right after work. I will have time for a quick shower and to finish packing some last minute things and that is about it. So I don't have time for a vet trip. Any ideas? The nail is split it looks like almost to the toe - which worries me. I am afraid that if I clip it to the bottom of the split, I will not be able to stop it bleeding very well because it is so low on the nail. I do have septic powder, but I am not 100% sure where it went. I remember hearing baking soda or baking powder would work well in case I can't find it - but which one? My roommate knows how to clip nails, so I could ask her to clip it a little shorter each day until she gets to the base of the crack. Would that be okay?
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Post by shilohismygirl on Dec 18, 2010 12:17:37 GMT -5
I have heard that you can use a bar of ivory soap to stop bleeding-just take affected nail, and stick it in softened soap until the bleeding stops. I haven't tried this though, so do some research if in doubt.
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Post by mustelidmusk on Dec 18, 2010 12:34:50 GMT -5
One thing that may help (if you get help doing this) is to file a notch perpendicular to the split behind the ending point of the split. If the nail gets stressed again, the notch may prevent the split from going beyond the notch. the stress may then place lateral pressure on the front part of the nail, It's better lose a chunk of nail from the front part of the nail than to have the nail split all the way to the toe (or worse yet, inside the toe.)
You may be able to help prevent nail issues with the following measures: clip nails more often, check bedding, etc. for strings/snags, and/or feed more cartilage/velvet antlers/gelatin.
If you clip the antlers into tiny bits (easy to do with a small pair of wire cutters), you can mix them right into the ground meats.
jennifer
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Post by katt on Dec 18, 2010 13:23:39 GMT -5
One thing that may help (if you get help doing this) is to file a notch perpendicular to the split behind the ending point of the split. If the nail gets stressed again, the notch may prevent the split from going beyond the notch. the stress may then place lateral pressure on the front part of the nail, It's better lose a chunk of nail from the front part of the nail than to have the nail split all the way to the toe (or worse yet, inside the toe.) You may be able to help prevent nail issues with the following measures: clip nails more often, check bedding, etc. for strings/snags, and/or feed more cartilage/velvet antlers/gelatin. If you clip the antlers into tiny bits (easy to do with a small pair of wire cutters), you can mix them right into the ground meats. jennifer Well Koda still refuses to eat the antler. I was going to give Kenai some today when I get home - hopefully he will like it being a kit and all. I can blend some up in the blender and ask my roommate to sprinkle it on their food every few days too. I will definitely start adding some into the food more often when I get back. I found some in town too! I don't know if I can use it bc it is in long, thick strips, so I'm not sure how easy it would be to cut. I have the strips you sent me though, so I can use those until they are gone and order some online if the ones from here in town won't work. I am not sure what the best way to file a groove would be. I am not a nail-person myself, so I don't really have any nail files necessarily. Or wood files. Esp not one narrow enough to file a groove behind the split as close as it is to his toe...there's only a few millimeters between the end of the split and his toe. And I am pretty sure he must have split it digging up my carpet. The prospect of getting my security deposit back is looking more and more bleak!
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Post by mustelidmusk on Dec 18, 2010 16:40:54 GMT -5
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Post by sunnyberra on Dec 18, 2010 16:43:42 GMT -5
You can also use corn starch, that what we do for those kind of things
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Post by katt on Dec 18, 2010 17:39:02 GMT -5
I have gorilla Glue (fast dry) and clear nail polish. What if I coated the nail in either of those? Corn starch was what I was thinking of! Thank you! I asked my roommate to grab some septic powder from the store though. lol If I find the other one I'll have 2. Always good to have around when you ahve as many clawed critters as I do - one in particular who is very very difficult to hold still for clippings. (Tito... lmao)
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Post by sherrylynne on Dec 18, 2010 20:05:08 GMT -5
Are you sure you don't mean "styptic" powder
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