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Torn/broken nail

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Jerrybelly

Jerrybelly

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Does anyone have any advice for stopping the bleeding? I can't tell whether it's broken, or torn out completely - there is just blood everywhere! I've dipped it in some flour, but it's still bleeding (it doesn't help that he keeps licking the flour off!)
 
Keep dipping it; hopefully, the bleeding will stop soon. Keep him on your lap and try to distract him from licking with a some grass or veg. Shove the plate or bowl under his chin, so he cannot get at his paw.

If it keeps on bleeding steadily, please see an out-of-hours vet.
 
It always happens out of normal surgery hours!

Unless anyone else more knowledgeable is on line I'd treat it like you would for a human injury. You may have to hold him for a while with a dressing round it. Obviously if you try to put a dressing on & put home back in his cage he'll soon have it off. Maybe dress it & sit with him for 30 to 40 minutes then recheck and start again. That's what I'd do. If you have some Metacam give him the same dose that your vet said last time. It's usually either 4ml a day or 2ml twice a day. Sorry I can't help further but that's what I did when Mousey broke a nail in April. I took her to vets on the Monday as it happened on Sunday.
 
Phew! What a crazy 30 mins!

Sorry about my hurried post, and thanks so much for the replies.

It's Jerry, and I have absolutely no idea how he managed it! Luckily he's downstairs with us, so I was able to spot it straight away. I had been out in the kitchen, and returned to the living room to find blood all through his cage and all over him. Obviously I panicked as I had no idea where it was coming from. I ran over to the cage, at the same time as shouting to the hubby who was in the garden. Jerry was sitting in the corner looking very sorry for himself holding his front, right foot in the air :(

I managed to stop the bleeding a few times, but it kept starting again. I think it's finally stopped now. I've cleaned him up the best I can, but I haven't cleaned up his nail as I'm worried the water will start it bleeding again. As far as I can tell, he hasn't ripped it off completely, but there looks like there is only 1mm or so left.

He's now back in his cage and concerned only with his evening bowl of veggies! I've changed his bedding and can't see any new spots of blood. He's walking on his foot okay, but is holding it up when he's sitting.

Should I try to clean the nail now, or leave it until the morning?
 
Jerrybelly said:
Phew! What a crazy 30 mins!

Sorry about my hurried post, and thanks so much for the replies.

It's Jerry, and I have absolutely no idea how he managed it! Luckily he's downstairs with us, so I was able to spot it straight away. I had been out in the kitchen, and returned to the living room to find blood all through his cage and all over him. Obviously I panicked as I had no idea where it was coming from. I ran over to the cage, at the same time as shouting to the hubby who was in the garden. Jerry was sitting in the corner looking very sorry for himself holding his front, right foot in the air :(

I managed to stop the bleeding a few times, but it kept starting again. I think it's finally stopped now. I've cleaned him up the best I can, but I haven't cleaned up his nail as I'm worried the water will start it bleeding again. As far as I can tell, he hasn't ripped it off completely, but there looks like there is only 1mm or so left.

He's now back in his cage and concerned only with his evening bowl of veggies! I've changed his bedding and can't see any new spots of blood. He's walking on his foot okay, but is holding it up when he's sitting.

Should I try to clean the nail now, or leave it until the morning?
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Broken nails are very sore, so if hes not currently on pain relief for his bladder, I'd give him a dose. The good news is that they quickly become not painful! I'd not bother washing it just yet, he's likely to do that when he's grooming. Just keep a close eye and monitor for signs of infection. Maybe in a few hours or in the morning, when it's definitely stopped bleeding, just stand him/dip his foot in some dilute hibiscrub or similar.
 
A similar thing happened to Mousey when she caught her nail in vetbed & it was bent at an angle. Managed to stop the bleeding & took her to vets next day. The vet wasn't sure if she'd broken her toe or just the nail. Anyway the nail disappeared the next day & she's now just left with a stump where the nail would usually start. Doesn't really affect her in any way.
 
Stewybus said:
4ml a day or 2ml twice a day
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Sorry, I have to point out that this is a massive overdose! It's more than 10x the dose for a 1kg pig of dog metacam.

The dose required depends on not only the weight of the guinea pig, but also whether you have dog or cat metacam.
 
He had his usual, daily Metacam dose this morning - 0.3ml, so he should be okay for pain relief.

He doesn't seem too bothered about it. He's certainly not limping, and was just climbing up the bars. I had a quick peak, and it looks like the end has clotted now. It also likes like it has snapped cleanly, but there does seem to be a small amount of nail left.

He is bedded on vetbed, so I suppose it could have been that. I've been using it for years though, and have never had any problems before. I would also expect it to be a bit more jagged looking, or to be torn out completely if it had caught on his bedding.

He does jump up and down off his plastic house, so I wonder whether it caught it doing that somehow.
 
Jerrybelly said:
He had his usual, daily Metacam dose this morning - 0.3ml, so he should be okay for pain relief.

He doesn't seem too bothered about it. He's certainly not limping, and was just climbing up the bars. I had a quick peak, and it looks like the end has clotted now. It also likes like it has snapped cleanly, but there does seem to be a small amount of nail left.

He is bedded on vetbed, so I suppose it could have been that. I've been using it for years though, and have never had any problems before. I would also expect it to be a bit more jagged looking, or to be torn out completely if it had caught on his bedding.

He does jump up and down off his plastic house, so I wonder whether it caught it doing that somehow.
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We've used vetbed for a long time now but only use it on the 2 side upper levels where it's not practical to have hay or paper bedding. It only happened on this one occassion when I thing Mousey got startled & turned too quick. Her nail I think broke of inside because there was nothing sticking out so there's a good chance Jerry's nail will grow back but it's no great loss if it does't. Think of it as one less to clip!
 
Broken or ripped nails are not all that rare. Good that things have settled down now; it is a nervous time. I have been through it a few times myself!

Thankfully, it won't bother them much after the initial pain has gone. I would wait a bit before disinfecting the wound. The nail may grow a back a bit thicker, but unless the nail bed has been injured badly, it should grow back.
 
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