My dog's nail is bleeding and won't stop, what do I do?

Wrap a clean cloth or gauze around the nail tip and squeeze firmly, holding it in place rather than lifting to check every few seconds, which disturbs the clot forming underneath. Cornstarch or plain flour pressed directly onto the tip works as a reasonable substitute if you do not have styptic powder on hand.

Sit with your dog somewhere quiet, holding the paw gently but firmly, and speak in a calm, low voice. A racing heart from excitement or fear pushes more blood to the area and can undo a minute of progress, so this is as much about managing your dog's state as it is about the physical pressure.

Most nicks stop within 2 to 5 minutes of steady pressure. Bleeding that continues past 10 minutes despite firm, unbroken pressure, or that soaks through several cloths, is beyond what home first aid should be handling on its own.

Many owners who trim nails regularly keep a small container of commercial styptic powder specifically because it works faster than cornstarch alone, often stopping bleeding within 30 to 60 seconds rather than the 2 to 5 minutes cornstarch typically takes. Keeping it within arm's reach before starting, rather than searching for it after a nick occurs, saves valuable time in the moment.

After a nick has fully healed, which typically takes 3 to 5 days, going back to trimming that specific nail a little more conservatively than the others for the next couple of sessions gives the area time to fully toughen up again before resuming a normal schedule.