What To Do If Your Rabbit’s Nail Is Bleeding?

Last Updated on March 18, 2023 by Marjon Ramos

If your rabbit’s nail is bleeding due to damaged toenails or if you accidentally cut their quick, you should immediately stop the bleeding using a styptic powder. If you don’t have any styptic powder, you could use cornstarch or flour as alternatives.

You can then clean their wound using betadine or some other similar skin disinfection method to prevent further infections.

Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain in more detail what to do if your rabbit’s nail is bleeding:

How to stop your rabbit’s nail from bleeding?

To stop your rabbit’s nails from bleeding, you could use styptic powder, cornstarch, or flour. You can dab small amounts of flour or cornstarch on your rabbit’s affected nail until the bleeding stops.

You should also clean the wound to prevent further infections. You can use betadine or some other similar skin disinfectant.

You should also continue to monitor your rabbit’s nails until they are fully healed to make sure they don’t get infected. If your rabbit develops infections, you should immediately take it to a veterinarian.

Would a rabbit’s nail stop bleeding on its own?

Your rabbit’s injured nail could stop bleeding on its own if it’s only minor damage on its quick(flesh part of the nail). If this is the case, just wipe away the blood and apply some betadine to prevent infection.

But, if the damage to your rabbit’s quick is severe, you would need to stop the bleeding using styptic powder, cornstarch, or flour.

In some cases, you might need to take your rabbit to a veterinarian if the above method doesn’t work to stop the bleeding.

It’s extremely unlikely for a rabbit to die from a damaged nail.

Should you cut your rabbit’s nails?

You should definitely cut your rabbit’s nails. Wild rabbits are able to file their nails using the rough rocks they regularly walk on. Pet rabbits need help with their nails because they’re usually walking on soft surfaces in our home.

Your rabbit’s nails should be short enough that they should not be touching the ground while they’re hopping around. As a general rule, you should regularly cut your rabbit’s nails every two weeks.

While cutting your rabbit’s nail, make sure that you only cut the white part and avoid the nerve or quick of your rabbit’s nail. If your rabbits have dark nails, use a flashlight to locate the quick.

How to keep your rabbit’s nails short without cutting them?

You can keep your rabbit’s nails short without cutting them by letting them walk or play on rough surfaces regularly. Doing this would naturally file their nails just like wild rabbits.

Rough surfaces like rocks should be enough to keep your rabbit’s nails trimmed up given that they’re regularly walking on them. Regularly check your rabbit’s nails if you’re planning on going this route.

How to protect your rabbit’s nails from injuries?

You can protect your rabbit’s nails from injuries by regularly cutting them every two weeks. Nail injuries in rabbits are usually caused by nails that are too long.

Long nails are easily torn if they get caught on something while your rabbit is playing or running. Torn toenails are considered minor injuries if they’re treated properly.

But in some cases, if the wound is not cleaned properly, it can develop infections that would require a visit to a veterinarian.

Would ripped toenails grow back?

Ripped toenails would usually grow back in 6 months if the damage is not that severe.

But, if the nail bed is injured severely, scar tissues could form, making it impossible for the toenail to grow back completely. In some cases, a severely damaged toenail would only partially grow back.

Don’t worry though, even if the nail doesn’t grow back, it’s not usually a problem.

Summary

You can stop your rabbit’s nails from bleeding by using styptic powder or cornstarch/flour if you don’t have one available. You can then clean the wound using betadine to prevent further infections.

If your rabbit’s torn toenails become infected, immediately bring them to a veterinarian. Sometimes, ripped toenails would not grow back or would only partially grow back.

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