Man I feel terrible

[Backward_Cinderella]

I had a dog on my table today, he was totally great, a minature poodle. The perfect dog for grooming, sat very still let me hold his paws and touch his face and tail, absolutely great.
Well, I was working on his chest area and all of a sudden I notice he's bleeding, so I take a closer look and it was a HUGE gash. He hadn't even yelped or anything. I fainted right there. Luckily someone paged me a few seconds after and when I didn't respond she came out and found me. The dog was still sitting on the table (Again lucky, I would NEVER leave a dog unsupervised on a table, stupidest thing you can do when grooming, IMO). He had to have three stitches and oh my god I feel like the WORST person on the planet. The worst I've ever done is to quick a dog, and I'm not even sure how it happened, it was just plain, whole skin one second and the next it was bleeding. I don't know if I went over a mole or if there was skin in one of the mats or what, but I feel like one of those sleezy groomers.

I paid for his stitches and anesthesia before we even called his owners, and came up and explained to them what happened and told them I was sorry. The lady tipped me (I was shocked) and then made another appointment with me (EVEN MORE SHOCKED.) and then thanked me for being honest. I feel SO bad for the poor dog and I hope I didn't scar him for life.

Do any more experienced groomers have any idea what could have happened to cause him to get cut? Like I said he wasn't jumping around and I didn't put down any more pressure on that area than I did on the rest... I really don't want to make this mistake again.
Help???

[bubbatd]

So sorry this happened to you !!!! Sounds like you handled it well . Do you know what you did ?? How can clippers gash enough to cause 3 stitches . Sorry , I've never had clipping .

[Backward_Cinderella]

Its ok, I have obsolutely NO clue what I did, that's why i'm thinking maybe it was there before and I just reopened it, but I'd think the owners would have noticed, wouldn't you?
I was just working on him like I've worked on every other dog I've ever done, it wasn't even like I had to work harder to get through the place where the cut was.
:(

[Sweet72947]

((hugs)) don't stress over it too much, stuff happens. I'm glad the owner was the understanding type, she probably appreciated your honesty and that you took care of everything. I worked at a grooming place as a receptionist, and once there was a student groomer who cut a dog's tongue with the scissors because the dog (toy poodle) kept licking and licking and licking and licking while she was trying to trim his face. Boy were those owners mad...they got a free groom that day and the place paid for the vet bill (it wouldn't stop bleeding).

[Backward_Cinderella]

Tongues are SO hard to get to stop bleeding. My old boss cut a dog's tongue once with the same results, and it was HORRIBLE. I fainted then too... (can you tell I don't do well with blood?)
I was relieved that they were understanding. I was afraid she was going to scream at me and I was preparing for the absolute worst.

[Zoom]

How matted was the dog? Sometimes skin can get twisted up into a mat and when you cut that, you get the skin as well without meaning to. Even a little mat can cause problems.

[borzoimom]

Honey.. hold up here.. I am sure you did not mean to hurt the dog..

[Angelika2]

Try not to beat yourself up over it, I am sure the owner knows you did not intend to hurt her dog or she wouldn't have made another appointment.
You did one of the most important things that many groomers would not have done and that was to be honest and inform the owner...Rule #1! The owner knows you WILL always be honest with her now and in retrospect she can trust you even more now.
I also think you handled yourself in a very professional manner amidst all your fears!
Poodles have sensitve skin and if he is white even more so, you are probably right in that perhaps he did have a mole or maybe a scab you couldn't see.

Take care
Angelika

[drmom777]

I think you handled it in a very mature and straightforward manner.

One time my daughter was using a mat comb on Raffi, our cat, and somehow managed to cut a huge hole in the skin on his belly. The skin can be very thin and quite fragile in places. Raffi was fine, he was way less upset than Rachel. He got stitches and forgot about the whole thing- wasn't even phased by the rest of his dematting.

It sounds like that was the case here too- probably way harder on you than the poodle.

[Kayota]

How matted was the dog? Sometimes skin can get twisted up into a mat and when you cut that, you get the skin as well without meaning to. Even a little mat can cause problems.

Yes... I was actually cutting some sticky crud matted in my cat's fur once and ended up cutting him. He's a kitten and the mat was tiny. I wouldn't beat yourself up over it, accidents do happen.

[Backward_Cinderella]

He ws extremely matted, like ridiculously so. If I hadn't cut the dog there would have been a lecture on brushing, but I was too embarassed after that. I just sent a pamphlet home on how to brush your dog instead.

[Saintgirl]

Don't beat yourself up! These things can happen and you did the right thing by taking responsibility and owning up to the owner. You acted in the most professional way. What number blade were you using, and was it a skip tooth? Skip tooth blades slide easier under the mats, but they also have room for the skin to slide in. If the dog hadn't been neglected in the grooming category by the owner this would not have happened. I don't understand how owners can let a dog become covered in mats like this, and I am not talking abouta few mats, but the kind of matting that the fur being shaved off has to be peeled off like a peice of felt.

Again, don't beat yourself up!!!

[Backward_Cinderella]

Nope not a skip tooth. It was a 7FC andis ceramic. I don't have any skip tooth blades, but maybe I should get some...

[Beanie]

It could have been that the wound was already there... my sister doesn't brush her shelties, and once, Kota got a big gaping wound under his fur because of all the dead undercoat that matted up... and then it got infected... It may not have been something you did at all! You got that dog the care he needed to get his wound taken care of, one way or another. =>

But, gosh - are you okay?? Did you hit your head on the floor or anything when you fainted?

[Backward_Cinderella]

I smacked it on the table that holds all my equipment. I've got a big knot, but my new doctor says I'm OK. No bleeding or anything. My boss made me go to the doctor. :)