Do you finish the groom if you cut a dog?

[Reader]

Last week I cut a cocker spaniel on the throat area with a seven blade. The owner said she understands that accidents happen, but was displeased with how it was handled. I finished the groom, called in my manager, and she said to call the owner. Right then, the owner called us to see if her dog was ready. I told the owner that she was ready but that I cut her. Well, the owner was upset because she didn't get a call. I was about to call her, and I told her the cut had just happened. Well, I heard back from upper management who has been in touch with the client and she says the client pointed out that there had been time for the groom to be finished and bows applied, so the owner should have been called sooner.

So do any of you finish the groom after you cut a dog? Maybe I shouldn't have done that.

[petstylist]

If its not a big cut (as in doesnt need stiches or glueing) then yes I finish the groom before calling the owner. If it needed medical care (thankfully that hasnt happened in years) I would call the owners just to let them know, then finish the groom.
Tammy

[sheilabgroomer]

Like Tammy, I also go by how bad of a cut it is. Also like Tammy I thankfully haven't had one in a while that has needed vet care. The last one was a cat and the tooth of my blade split his old thin skin. It didn't bleed much at all, but it had that gapping look. It did end up needing to be stitched. The owner was extremely understanding and refused to let me pay for the vet bill or even give him a freebie.

[milhasavilla]

Petstylist said it perfectly! Was the cut on the cocker a bad one? If not I wouldn't worry. I had a client once that got annoyed that I nicked her cairin - even when I did call her at work immediately to tell her. So sometimes they can't be pleased regardless. This client still brings in her dog to me to be groomed and we have a good relationship even though she was displeased with that whole incident. She tells me now, she was having a very bad week. So sometimes too, it's not just the groom, there could be other things going on. Good luck with your situation - I think you did the right thing.

[lbboop99]

It also depends on how bad the cut is for me too. If it's not bad, I just finish and tell the client when they pick up, or if they are not picking up soon, then I'll call. Unfortunately, this is a hard one to know what's right and wrong. It depends on the customer too. Are they the "freak out" type, or the calm type? Hard to say...

[diamienono]

If they don't require a visit to the vet, I clean them up and finish.

[Reader]

I didn't think it was a bad cut, about one inch long and a quarter inch wide. I wasn't even sure the vet was going to do anything for it. I think this owner was definitely the freak out type. I'll ask the senior groomer and the manager for futere reference, although I don't want any more incidents like this in the futurem, so I don't know if I should bring it up.

[pugnacious]

Sometimes people are just too weird! What the heck was she going to do if you stopped immediately and called? What possible difference would that have made? Personally, I am a big fan of super glue. I use it constantly on myself for those little finger cuts that seem to happen so frequently during the winter months. It works wonders on little nicks on pets also, especially cats because their skin is so elastic and spreads open. Not to incrimenate myself because I don't nick pets alot but one drop of super glue and even an ugly cat nick looks a thousand times better and heals up more quickly. Anything stitched takes longer to heal and leaves a bigger scar. I tried Nexcare years ago but it's very expensive and the bottle always dried up to quickly. Clean first, then glue -- call later!

[pamperedpups]

Edited.

[misscatahoula]

If a cut is minor, I would rather let them know at p/u time. That way I can show them where it is and talk to them in person. People are usually instantly concerned when you tell them their dog was cut, but most are understanding and don't freak out if they see with their own eyes what it looks like. You phone them in middle of groom they may be worrying & wondering how bad it is, and expecting the worst.

[sheilabgroomer]

Sometimes people are just too weird! What the heck was she going to do if you stopped immediately and called? What possible difference would that have made? Personally, I am a big fan of super glue. I use it constantly on myself for those little finger cuts that seem to happen so frequently during the winter months. It works wonders on little nicks on pets also, especially cats because their skin is so elastic and spreads open. Not to incrimenate myself because I don't nick pets alot but one drop of super glue and even an ugly cat nick looks a thousand times better and heals up more quickly. Anything stitched takes longer to heal and leaves a bigger scar. I tried Nexcare years ago but it's very expensive and the bottle always dried up to quickly. Clean first, then glue -- call later!

I have heard of using super glue, but to be honest I don't think I would ever do it to a clients dog. If it is bad enough to need something like that it needs to go to the vet IMO, if for nothing else than for liability reasons if the wound should get infected. I know that people tend to freak out about a nick on their dog that they wouldn't even think twice about if it were on themselves or their kids. For that reason alone I wouldn't want to glue it. Now my own dogs is another story...lol
Pungnacious, I am not dumping on you at all, just expressing my opinion.

[Reader]

The groomer who trained me used super glue or veterinary adhesive. It would have worked great on this cut. I don't think it's policy at the new place I work, though. I can see where it makes the cut look a lot better, but it might be practicing veterinary medicine without a liscence. If it were allowed, I would use it, though.

[pugnacious]

I have wondered if anyone else uses super glue and appreciate the response. Try it out on your own boo-boos first, by all means. Like I said, especially the little finger cuts -- spread them apart, put a drop of super glue and push back together. No need for a band-aid and they don't keep getting bigger. I have a college degree as a vet technician and have seen vets use glue. Of course, it was always nexcare or medical quality glue but it has become more widely used on people also. I would never glue anything that needed vet attention but the superficial nicks that concern people because the skin spreads apart, respond very well to glueing. Love to hear if anyone else uses this or has good or bad opinions.

[diamienono]

Glue on some owners lips would work. lol

[plushpuppy]

I've only cut one dog. She was a wild little poodle and her mom wanted her pretty much naked NO Hair. so as I was clipping her ear she swung her head and yep you guessed it snipped the corner of her ear I could not stop the bleeding so off we went to the Vet. He used glue to stop it. I was just about sone and her ear was the last spot on her so she looked great with the exception of blood on a white dog