# Nail pulled out while at the groomer



## ploves (Jul 23, 2009)

I took my JRT to the groomer today, we've been there many times. They called to say she was ready and then I went to pick her up. When I got there I paid them and then they handed me a small container of "blood stop" and told me her nail got stuck in the mesh on the cage and her nail got pulled out. He said it bled, they treated it and she would be fine. I didn't say anything, got in the car and drove straight to the vet. They cleaned it, bandaged her paw, gave us some pain pills and put her on antibiotics for two weeks. I'm upset with the groomer, mostly because they should have told me on the phone and warned me. Plus they charged me the full amount and then told me about the nail. 
Any thoughts?


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

They should at least offer to cover the vet cost, or have given you the groom for free. Not very professional.


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## 5 s corral (Dec 31, 2007)

I would be upset to i agree they should cover the vet cost


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## Erin2854 (Feb 23, 2011)

Agree with other posters...they def should have told you first and they should have paid for the vet. Weird too that the cages have mesh bottoms...?? Our groomer doesn't general cage them at all, unless there's several dogs and they are very busy. When we go to pick her up she's usually walking around the grooming room socializing.


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

That's how my groomer does it too, they all just hang out in the grooming salon until they are picked up. There is a babygate that separates it from the rest of the pet store.


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

They should have told you about it over the phone. as for paying the vet bill. well IMO that is for you to pay, it was not a emergency life or death situation, and a vet was more then likley not needed. My dogs have broken numerous nails over the years, some quick clot, a bandage and polysporin fixes it right up.



Erin2854 said:


> Agree with other posters...they def should have told you first and they should have paid for the vet. Weird too that the cages have mesh bottoms...?? Our groomer doesn't general cage them at all, unless there's several dogs and they are very busy. When we go to pick her up she's usually walking around the grooming room socializing.


Mesh bottoms are on most cages, so if a dog deficates while in the cage, it will be less likley to get all over the dog. I put almost all dogs on these grates. We do not let dogs run around our hop, to dangerous for the dogs. I wouldnt take my dogs to any groomer who does that.


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## Spiritwind (Mar 4, 2011)

Tankstar said:


> They should have told you about it over the phone. as for paying the vet bill. well IMO that is for you to pay, it was not a emergency life or death situation, and a vet was more then likley not needed. My dogs have broken numerous nails over the years, some quick clot, a bandage and polysporin fixes it right up.
> 
> 
> 
> Mesh bottoms are on most cages, so if a dog deficates while in the cage, it will be less likley to get all over the dog. I put almost all dogs on these grates. We do not let dogs run around our hop, to dangerous for the dogs. I wouldnt take my dogs to any groomer who does that.



Agreed. The grooming salon I work at, likely would not have paid vet bills because like what was said above it was nothing serious or life threatening, as well it was entirely possible the dog injured its self by digging at the crate bars or grates.

As far as mesh bottoms, all of our cages have these, to help keep the dogs clean in case of an accident. Where the grooming place I work at, there is only a very small grassy area to walk dogs, and owners must do this when they drop off, we are not allowed to take dogs outside (it's off a VERY busy road in a mall-type area)

Also, we are not allowed to let dogs run loose in the grooming area. And if by some chance we do have to leave a dog loose (the phone rings and you have to put the dog down off the table to go look up info on the computer) only 1 dog is allowed loose at a time. If the dog cannot go in a cage (will tear the cage up or hurt itself trying to get out) we make them either our very last appt. or very first appt and work the dog straight through so it is never in a cage... but the owner either has to wait while the dog is groomed or pick up as soon as its done..


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Tankstar said:


> They should have told you about it over the phone. as for paying the vet bill. well IMO that is for you to pay, it was not a emergency life or death situation, and a vet was more then likley not needed. My dogs have broken numerous nails over the years, some quick clot, a bandage and polysporin fixes it right up.
> 
> 
> 
> Mesh bottoms are on most cages, so if a dog deficates while in the cage, it will be less likley to get all over the dog. I put almost all dogs on these grates. We do not let dogs run around our hop, to dangerous for the dogs. I wouldnt take my dogs to any groomer who does that.


Also agree. The "grates" on the bottoms of cages are for cleanliness, because dogs "that NEVER would poo/pee in their crate or at home" do it ALL the time at the groomers, for whatever reason..rainy days are the worst! I also would never take my dog anywhere that let all the dogs run loose..Very unprofessional, unclean (how many dog poo/pee and the other track thru it before the busy groomer sees it?) and fighting can break out in an instant. Even the most mellow dogs can get annoyed at a rowdy one, humping one, etc..and there are many dogs that are much too meek to endure an all out playfest..Unless its a true daycare, with someone's eyes on the dogs and only the dogs the entire time (which I still wouldn't take my dogs to) I would surely be worried. 

Unfortunate about the nail, but it does happen. Its an accident. I would have still charged you full price for the groom..he did get groomed right? The vet visit wasn't necessary, but I understand you wanted to take the precaution, that was up to you. Of course the vet is going to wrap it all up, give you some meds, and charge you for the visit..they aren't going to tell you all will be fine, don't worry about it and send you home free of charge..I say chalk it up to "animals are animals, and accidents happen" like a child at daycare slamming their finger in a cubby door or something..it happens.


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## luv2byte (Oct 21, 2009)

You pull out your nail and tell us if you didn't want pain meds.


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

luv2byte said:


> You pull out your nail and tell us if you didn't want pain meds.


 My dog has never got pain meds for a broken nail. and he survived fine, heck I have never got pain meds for a broken nail I had. or the dog bite I got the other day, grooming a nasty dog.

The point was, why should the groomer pay for the vet, for something that could hapen any where. if the dogs nails are so long, that they catch that easy, well then the owner needs to start trimming them MUCH more oten.


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## Erin2854 (Feb 23, 2011)

Tankstar said:


> My dog has never got pain meds for a broken nail. and he survived fine, heck I have never got pain meds for a broken nail I had. or the dog bite I got the other day, grooming a nasty dog.
> 
> The point was, why should the groomer pay for the vet, for something that could hapen any where. if the dogs nails are so long, that they catch that easy, well then the owner needs to start trimming them MUCH more oten.


I'd have to disagree...she said that the nail got pulled out, not just broken. I'd imagine that would be very painful! She didn't say if it happened before or after the grooming..if it was after than the nails had already been trimmed by the groomer. I would have expected something from the groomer..either a free visit or some kind of voucher where the next groom would be free or at the least, half off. It's good business. I would not go back to the groomer if they did not offer some kind of compensation. It's stressfull enough for both dog and owner to leave them with a stranger for hours on end, you expect them to be taken extra special care of and be pampered and to have a pleasant experience.


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

Erin2854 said:


> I'd have to disagree...she said that the nail got pulled out, not just broken. I'd imagine that would be very painful! She didn't say if it happened before or after the grooming..if it was after than the nails had already been trimmed by the groomer. I would have expected something from the groomer..either a free visit or some kind of voucher where the next groom would be free or at the least, half off. It's good business. I would not go back to the groomer if they did not offer some kind of compensation. It's stressfull enough for both dog and owner to leave them with a stranger for hours on end, you expect them to be taken extra special care of and be pampered and to have a pleasant experience.


Even freashly cut nails on Id say 85% of dogs are way to long and talon like. you can only cut so far. I cut a rotties today, so long, and the quicks were massive, his poor nails still touched the floor.
This wasnt negligence from the groomer. It was a accident. and for all any one knows, this dog could have been digging in the cage and ripped it off due freaking out.
Groomers do (or should) take great care of the animals in their care. I can speak for myself to say I am very careful and pleasent with my dogs I groom. You dont want them to have a bad experience, or they will remember and its just harder for your self in the end. But this was a accident. And not due to the grooomer at all, in any way.


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## Graco22 (Jul 16, 2007)

Tankstar said:


> My dog has never got pain meds for a broken nail. and he survived fine, heck I have never got pain meds for a broken nail I had. or the dog bite I got the other day, grooming a nasty dog.
> 
> The point was, why should the groomer pay for the vet, for something that could hapen any where. if the dogs nails are so long, that they catch that easy, well then the owner needs to start trimming them MUCH more oten.


I agree..Pain meds weren't necessary, and if the dog was in so much pain, limping, etc. that something was needed (which I highly doubt, from the OP's post, as they didn't mention the dog limping, etc.) whatever they gave the dog did little..If I get a nail ripped off, and yes, I have had it happen, I don't go to the Dr. for pain meds...and lets face it, aspirin and the like isn't going to have any effect on something like this. 

I agree that the nails were probably way long, which is why they caught in the grate, but thats a moot point. Yes, the groomer should have told the owner, no, the groomer wasn't responsible for the vet bill. If your dog was at "doggie daycare" and tore its nail off/out on play equipment, would you ask the daycare to pay a vet bill if you took the dog to the vet for pain meds?? C'mon. Accidents happen. If your kid slams its finger in the locker at school, and you take them to the Dr. for pain meds, should the school pay for it? Really people. Not everything that happens is someone's FAULT. Poop happens, and these are animals. No matter how safe the environment is, stuff can still happen. It wasn't negligence, it was an accident. And IMO a vet visit was not necessary, however the owner felt it was, and that is on the owner. Find a different groomer. I am sure the groomer will be happy to refer you elsewhere.


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## XelaTheChi (Nov 3, 2010)

The groomer should of either a) put a towel down, b) taken out the grate or c) clipped the nails before the dog was put into the kennel. Also, not to notify you?! I'm shocked. I would be furious if my dog was handed to me and I found out it had been injured. IMO They should of called you the moment it happened(once the bleeding stopped) and paid for a vet visit.


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

XelaTheChi said:


> The groomer should of either a) put a towel down, b) taken out the grate or c) clipped the nails before the dog was put into the kennel. Also, not to notify you?! I'm shocked. I would be furious if my dog was handed to me and I found out it had been injured. IMO They should of called you the moment it happened(once the bleeding stopped) and paid for a vet visit.


 And what if the dog pees and/or poos in the cage??? thus the need for grates. as stated above, if a dogs nails are not clipped frequently, they stay long, even if cut.

Why pay for a un needed vet visit? its a broken nail, it will heal and the dog will survive.

I had a dog today, tons of "toe nail warts" on its body, I ripped of about half a dozen brushing him/clipping him. Should I pay for a vet visit, even though one was not needed? yup he bled, alot. I cleaned him up best as possible, and notified the owner when I called, and when he showed up. just to show him where they were missing and bleeding.


Again how do we know the dog was not acting like a fool in the cage? Id say 95% of dogs in the cages poo, and/or pee and dig at the cages trying to escape. I see lots of broken nails due to this, and have even seen broken teeth due to chewing the bars. we try to stop them as much as possible, but its not always feasable. Cant sit and baby sit a dog all day in a cage. Should we pay for vet visis for that? if so maybe we should make owners buy us new cages too, which are not cheap at all, due to the damage the dogs do to them.


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