Hi Everyone,

This morning our little rabbit tore off it's toe nail. It bleed a little bit, but it stopped. It really tore off short. I cut off the fur around it and looked at it wondering how on earth you give this little thing first aid. My Son and I had our big first aid kit we use for the family, but,... we were afraid if you stick tape or bandaid or what ever, Snuggles would mess with it and make it bleed again. So we didn't do nothing, Snuggles was licking the wound and we eventually got over the pet trauma and left him alone.

I had a Ginney (sp?) pig when I was kid, got a cut on it's foot from an old furnance grate, baby sitter didn't want to deal with it and put it outside in it's cage. My beloved pig died in the night! What do you guys/gals do with this kind of thing on your animals?

Todd O. <>< IA

-- Todd Osborn (Tosborn@cccglobal.com), September 27, 2000

Answers

For the toenail, you can buy some stop-bleeding powders and other products at a pet store. Good thing to have around when you've got small animals. Some of the little cage birds only have a teaspoon or so of blood in their entire bodies-even losing a drop of blood becomes a life-threatening event. In a pinch, pack flour or cornstarch into a bleeding toenail or feather shaft.

The g-pig needed more serious first aid, possibly even a vet.

You can assemble a pet first aid kit-bleed-stoppers (or a small container of flour), some gauze pads and roller bandage, possibly some animal safe wound treatments. Some wounds can be carefully super-glued back together, but that can cause problems too. Once you get the bleeding stopped, quiet and warmth are the most important first steps in caring for an injured animal. Then water and food.

There are lots of first aid books for animals available, many general husbandry books include some first aid info. And it is much like taking care of an injured person-stop the bleeding, treat shock, immoblize broken limbs, etc. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), September 27, 2000.

Since it stopped bleeding, there is probably no problem. Steptic Pencils that men use for shaving work to stop bleeding. Alum powder also works in addition to pet store products. You can put a triple antibiotic on the toe but it probably isn't necessary. Do not bandage. Rabbits heal really fast.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), September 27, 2000.