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Quick-Stop Do's and Don'ts

We all hate to do it, but it happens. We quick a nail. No one can avoid it, no matter how hard we try. Dremels HELP to reduce quicking but even a dremel can get into the quick and cause bleeding, and once it happens you have to stop it. There are several options out there for products that make the bleeding stop, but I think that overwhelmingly the most popular product is Quick-Stop.

That is what I want to discuss today. 

I hear all the time that Quick-Stop (QS) makes a mess and gets all over tables, dogs and the floor. I never really understood why there are so many people with problems. There are some simple things you can do to make the process of applying Quick-Stop easy and mess free.

Things to DO include:

• Using small containers of QS not really big ones is a good idea. If the small ones spill you will have less mess to clean up. I use small plastic containers that are designed for travel and transfer the QS into it for use at the tables. This makes the large container last longer as well.

• Use in dry areas. QS when wet, leaves stains and clumps up. It is hard to clean up when it gets wet. I prefer to use it in the grooming room not the bathing room because of its tendency to stain and clump when water is present. If you happen to get QS stains or a clump, the dogs foot may have to be washed off. 

 

• Stop excessive bleeding before applying QS to the nail. I always apply pressure immediately after quicking a nail to minimize the bleeding. To do this, you place two fingers, one on top and one on the bottom, of the pad right behind the nail and press firmly. That will slow blood flow. Then, I use a paper towel to remove any excess and apply my QS. It is easier to do this if you have two people, but if you have to stop and open the QS bottle, then you resume pressure after you get the applicator ready and wipe any blood off before applying. I am pretty good at taking the top off my container with the hand that is holding the nail by holding the top and twisting the bottom. I always have the applicators where I can grab one easily, and a paper towel or washcloth on my table ready in case I need it.

 

• Apply with a Cotton Tipped, First Aid Applicator or Q-Tip moistened and dipped in the QS, not fingers. Yes, it is easier to pinch some QS out of the bottle and apply it, but that is wasteful and messy. Too much QS is less likely to work as well as a small amount on a wet applicator. I usually stick them in my mouth to dampen them and then apply just to the bleeding tip of the nail, then hold for a minute and the bleeding is stopped with no excess present on the hair or gooped on the nail. Bottles of Kwik Stop brand say to apply with a wet Q-Tip and when I tried it one day I realized it works better. Reading directions is always a good thing! Q Tips do not work as well as these applicators do. The cotton in these is wrapped tighter onto the stick, making the process neater and faster.

 

• If possible buy the QS with Benzocaine. It acts as a numbing agent and antiseptic. It will help the pet feel LESS burn from the styptic.

 Things you should NOT do include:

• DO NOT use on wet hair! Water and QS result in a chemical reaction that makes the styptic powder turn brown or black. If the dog is wet, and you use QS on the nails, you are likely to get it all over the hair leaving a nasty brown stain. This is almost impossible to remove. Use only on dry dogs whenever possible. 

 

• NEVER use it on wounds.  I know for a fact it burns on open scratches or cuts. It also will spread to the hair around the injury and make it really hard to remove the excess. if you HAVE to use it, on say an ear nick, the wet applicator will make the mess minimal and it works better.

 

• If spilled, use a dry brush or vacuum, IMMEDIATELY to get up the bulk of the powder. If allowed to get wet with mops or scrub brushes, it will stain floors, walls, tabletops...essentially everything it touches.

There are QS holders that you can pack the powder into and then stick the nail in, but I have never found those to be very effective as the QS dries out or gets sticky when I tried it. The way I am doing it now, I am using less QS and have nothing to clean up afterwards. 

There is a concern from some that the moisture from the applicator will make the QS in the bottle hard or sticky. It doesn't. The tip of the applicator is slightly damp and it doesn't leave water in the bottle, since QS is attracted to the water, and coats the tip really well, leaving dry QS in the bottle. I have been doing this for a long time and never have had a problem with water getting into the bottle this way.

_{You can see how, even on this white dog, there is no QS On the hair, only the tip of the nail}

Faster, easier and less messy! Sounds like a winner to me! Try it! You might like it!

Whats good for the dog....

I have seborrhea, and while most of the time it doesn't bother me very much, today it was driving me crazy looking at all of the scaly, itchy skin, and the constant digging at it trying to get some relief from the itching.

I had lotion but as I was looking for it, I had a thought. If it works on dogs.....and I pulled out my sugar and scrubbed my arms for a minute, rinsed and man I am HAPPY! No more itching and the scaling is gone.

I am embarrassed at the way the before photos of my arm look to be honest with you. It has been very dry here and cold, and we are running heaters day in and out. I had to bathe a few dogs this afternoon and it played heck with my skin. I also had been scratching at it big time, and I ran out of my normal body scrub I used and had to use regular soap last night when I showered. All of those things made my arms look like I had some type of skin disease this evening!

I despise lotion, especially when I am working due to the way it attracts hair and causes irritation, so I don't use it often enough. I think the pictures make it look worse than it appeared in person. I hope so anyway! Lotion would not have helped do anything but mask the symptoms, and tomorrow the flakes would be back, looking for more lotion.

Before:

After:

So even though I looked awful beforehand, just a spoonful of sugar helped the skin flakes go away! No loofa, no shower pouf, just a bit of sugar on wet skin, scrub, rinse and viola! Smooth skin that even feels as smooth as it looks!

So while some say what's good for the goose....well I say what's good for the dogs is good for me too! At least in this case!

Another Poodle Topknot video clip

I had the opportunity to do Suzie, a little silver toy I have done forever (I think she's about 12) and she had not been done in almost 4 months because her mom has been ill. My son helped me shoot this video clip so you can see from all angles what I did, start to finish. I did spend another 2 or 3 mi nutes on the head after the camera was done shooting, but you can definately see the technique in this 3 minute video clip.

Here ya go!

 

Sugar Scrub and Yogurt Soaks

I have found that sugar scrubs and yogurt soaks, either after shampooing or while shampoo is still on the dog, work fabulously to remove yeasty crusty skin and dander buildup as well. Hot Spots? Sure thing! Any type of skin condition that has a scabby scaly type of thing going on. This is a way to help it heal and remove the crust that prevents a good groom from being done, safely, without compromising the dogs skin health. I have also found that ears covered in grease, discharge or yeast on the EAR FLAP are greatly helped by using this technique to clean that area. 

Sugar also has chemicals in it that help skin heal and act as moisturizers to help skin heal. I do not know exactly HOW th is works, I just know that we are having fantastic results.

I use Raw Sugar and Natural, non-flavored Yogurt with active cultures. 

The raw sugar is not crystallized like white sugar is, so it gives more scrubbing ability before dissolving.

Here is a video clip of my using it on Lil Man, who did not really need it, but it gave me the chance to show you how to do it. 

 

I start off with a regular bath, then if we are using a medicated shampoo we follow up with that. Then I apply the sugar and work it into the skin until dissolved. Then, over the sugar, I apply the plain yogurt and let it sit for a few minutes (no more than ten minutes, depending on the intensity of the condition). Rinse and dry the dog as usual.

You will find that the crusty skin is gone, and underneath it, there is fresh skin, ready to grow in. We use a flea comb to remove all traces of skin that are loose and stuck in the hair away from the skin, but be careful not to irritate the skin. That will only open you up to more problems in the long run.

Yeast is NOT KILLED 100% with this technique. It only treats the top layers of skin, removes the extra yeast and dead skin, allowing a fresh layer of skin to be exposed. To remove this problem completely, this can be done two times a week, and treat from INSIDE with low carb food and if needed anti-fungals from the vet. 

I have found that on the very few cockers I groom that have this problem, this has removed the  vast majority of their issues within two baths. Their skin tends to grow in clearer and with less problems. I think that sometimes the yeast on the surface feeds on itself and just multiplies. If you can remove it safely without hurting the skin, you can help it go away permanently. 

Chris Sertzel has a different technique she uses and has documented on her blog at http://groomwise.typepad.com/smartstyling/2011/05/canine-soak-sugar-scrub-videos.html

I have never tried her way, but she says it works. We are in this to make dogs more comfortable after all, but not to diagnose. So treat topically to make the pet feel better. 

You never know, it may make your work better as well without all the dander or scales in the hair.