Guinea caught his nail and is bleeding!

[magicroundabout]

Hi please help!

When I feed my guinea pigs their breakfast vegetables they stand up at the front of the cage with their front paws holding the bars. Today one of my guineas must have caught his nail because he was shaking his paw off the bars in a slight panic and then as he ran to his vegetables I noticed that it was slightly bleeding. It wasn’t gushing with blood there was blood on the nail and one or two more drops came out and then stopped. As he was eating his vegetables he shook his paw occasionally as if it hurt to lean on it. So I immediately picked him up to have a look (which he let me do) and it looked as if the blood was coming from the base on the nail. Also it looked as though the nail was twisted (pointing left towards the other nail) but it is hard to tell because he doesn’t have the best nails anyway, they have never been straight and he clenches them when I pick him up. He seems ok in himself! He is still eating his vegetables as normal.

I don’t know what to do from here. Should I just keep an eye on it? I have a funny feeling that it is broken and might fall off. Could this happen? Is it ok if it does?

I hope that all makes sense, sorry if it doesn’t I’m in a bit of a panic.

[MCR_Rox]

It is important to stop the bleeding if it hasn't already stopped. To do this, you can use a styptic pencil and touch the nail with the tip of it. I've heard that warm water works, too. If his nail were to fall off, I'd probably take him to the vet.

I need to cut my own pig's nails later. I need to go to bed now, though.

[magicroundabout]

The bleeding has stopped and in a way it barely started. I checked in on him and a saw him licking it. Now the nail just looks dark red as if it bled on the inside aswell, like a bruise. My instinct is telling me to just keep an eye on it and see how it goes.
Guineas are so difficult, you can never tell if things are hurting them. Thinking about it now I think he just pulled it and made the base of it bleed rather than braking the nail part.

(lol, I’m in the UK it’s the afternoon here.)

[magicroundabout]

Update: The nail hasn't bled anymore and it looks nice and clean (no dry blood) He can still run on it, but when he stops he has to lift it off the ground as if it is hurts. He is a bit of a lazy piggie anyway so he is just lying down most of the time (nothing unusual there, lol).

What do you think? Has anyone had the same problem?

[MCR_Rox]

Maybe you should call up your vet and ask if they could do anything about it just in case.

[magicroundabout]

Update: It all seems to be healing well, most of the blood inside the nail seems to have gone and he seems to have forgotten all about it. He can put his weight on it again. It still looks like there is a buise on the toe but that should heal quickly. Thanks! Panic over, lol!

[PIGGYMAMMA495]

The same thing happened to my rescue piggy sisters. Their nails were never to great, but anyways Maime had a totally dark blueish/black toe on her front right paw. So we always cleaned it out well and carefully cut it. Then one day during her bath she squeeled very loudly and the whole nail came off. Now she simply has like a little tiny tiny splinter looking part of the nail comming out of her toe stump. The vet said it looked like it was injured a long long time ago and just got dead inside it. And hopefully he said it will grow back. Her toe was swollen aroun the tip whre nailbed is. But it still looks pretty bad and sore. So I know yours isnt that bad, but I hope it gets better for you.

[magicroundabout]

Thanks PIGGYMAMMA495! Its nice to know that someone else has experienced the same thing (not nice for the piggies though)!

I think it just one of those things that heal on their own. I keep putting myself in his shoes, if I pulled my nail it would bruise and maybe fall off but there is not much to do, just let it heal. I know it sounds strange, me being so calm about it now, but I was in such a panic at the time expecially when there is blood envoled!

I hope your guineas nail grows back ok!