Oops. I cut Daisy’s dew claw too close. Blood everywhere. She took it like a champ and walked around leaving blood in her trail. 

Her claws are usually pretty easy to maintain. We walk lots and the pavement helps keep them short. Her dew claws are a different story. Some dogs have them removed by their breeder, some dogs have them. It is common on the front paws and less common to find them on on the back. Some breeds even have double dew claws. They are used for speed, stability and traction. When they are running, they do touch the ground. 

My dogs dew claws get long and sharp. They tend to curl and catch things when she paws you. Yes, she is a pawsie girl. I got both front dew claws trimmed and started the back as she moved. I cut it too short and it began to bleed. The fast solution styptic powder. Of course, we didn’t have any. Crushed ice in a clean cloth helped slow the bleeding but it did not ever really stop. Wet tea bags helped but not the solution to stop the blood flowing. Corn starch was the final answer. It was a challenge to keep adding enough and packing it in to the opening of the cut nail until it eventually stopped. It is important to keep your dog off its paws for at least 30 minutes to let the wound settle. 

She is snoring contently next to me now. I am finally relaxing. It was a stressful experience. She took it all like a champ