Hamster bleeding nail

[Vierville]

Hi everyone.

Nanuk, my winter white hybrid, has had a very long standing weepy eye as a result of a chronic bone infection as some of you might already know. He ia a wonderful hamster and is full of life and character and despite the condition he has he still lives a very normal hamster life.

He's on metacam permanently to reduce the irritation and inflammation but despite this he sometimes seems to scratch around his eye and behind his ear, leaving it pink and inflamed. Oddly this seems to be the case at night mostly even though he takes the metacam twice a day.

He goes for regular checkups to the vet and about six weeks ago he had his nails trimmed by the vet.

This evening his eye and ear areas were looking like he'd been scratching so I checked his nails and they were very long indeed. I was surprised that they had grown so much so quickly so decided to give them a quick trim which I don't usually do myself.

He's very squirmy and I didn't want to overly stress him so I took my time and just took the very tip off each nail so it basically wasn't sharp or curved but as I was doing the last nail he somehow moved and I took a bit more off the nail than intended, resulting in a little bit of blood.

I feel absolutely terrible about this as I know that their nails are very sensitive and it is very painful if they are overtrimmed.

He did clearly feel it as he licked that paw straight away and was protecting it for a few minutes afterwards. Not wanting any infection, I dabbed a bit of saline solution onto the paw and gently put him back. The blood stopped very quickly and within ten minutes he was running on his wheel but I just wanted to ask if anyone has any advice of anything I can do in the next few days to check that it is healing and keep possible infection at bay?

I feel so terrible about hurting him, he's such a precious little boy and has been through so much so bravely.

[cypher]

Try not to feel bad about it, you were being as careful as you could & it isn't easy trimming nails single handed so it does happen sometimes.
You most likely don't need to do anything & he should be fine. Keep an eye on it just in case, bathing with saline is the best thing if you do think it needs bathing but I doubt it will tbh.

[Ithuviel]

I remember i accidentally over trimmed one of my syrians nails in 2003. At that time, no vet was going to help anyway. That is when i actually learn what is that dark stuff under the nails of my hamster. He was ok after that i didn't even use the saline because i didn't know about it.

[Vierville]

Thanks Cypher and Ithuviel. I got up a few times in the night and he was running on his wheel so I'll check his paw this evening and hopefully it is fine.

[Littlephodopusmom]

Oh poor little Nanuk, I didn't know he has a bone infection. I was glad to read it's treatable and he has his metacam. Is his nail doing alright now it seems? I know what you mean about feeling bad for ever doing even the slightest little thing to upset them but I know he will forgive you