My dog's matted fur bled. How to stop it and what to do next?

Question

hi there. I have a standard poodle who has developed some mats/dreads in his hair. I was bathing him and pulled on apart and the top of his head started bleeding. what can I do to stop it from bleeding? are there any other health concerns I should be worried about from doing this? Pet's info: Dog | Poodle | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 1 month old | 65 lbs

Jessica Keay, DVM · Accepted Answer

I am very sorry to hear about Pablo. I would be concerned that he has a wound of the skin on his head. If the area is matted then it is hard to really tell and he likely needs to visit to vet to have the matted area shaved off so that we can see what is going on with the skin. It is also possible there was a scab/crust under the matted fur that was loosened during bathing and that is where the bleeding is coming from, but we will need to see the area to tell for certain. For this reason, I would recommend a vet visit ASAP. In the meantime, you can apply pressure to the head as well as an ice pack (wrapped in a thin towel) to try to get the blood vessels to constrict and the pressure will help stop the blood flow and aid in clotting. If the area will not stop actively bleeding (more than just minor oozing) then a trip to the veterinary ER may be needed. There are some health conditions (such as adrenal gland disease) that can result in the skin being thin and easily traumatized, so the vet may want to evaluate him for this as well.

My dog's matted fur bled. How to stop it and what to do next?

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