HELP! grooming injury

I'm at a loss. I was at the park with my dog and noticed some pink spots in the snow. I checked her paw and saw blood coming from her pad so I got her to the car and drove straight to the Vet. I thought maybe she got something imbedded but when the Vet checked all of her paws....they were all bleeding slightly. It turns out that while at the groomers 2 days before, she cut all four paws between her toes while scooping her pads.*&%!! Has anyone else had grooming injuries or know how this could happen?? I met this groomer when she brought her puppy to my puppy school. She was so gentle and kind during class and really seemed to care about the dogs experience during grooming as much or more that the hair cut....just what I was looking for in a groomer for my fur kids.

I did have a groomer cut one of my dogs pads once and she was very nice and gentle, she apologized profusely and did not want to charge for the visit.
If your dog moves really quick, it is possible to cut them, however, it seems kind of odd that it happened to all four paws. I would talk to the groomer and see what she says.
Also have you been to this groomer before with no problem, or was this the first visit?

Elissa

Yup, I've taken both my large poodle mix (the one injured) and my rough brussels griffon to her at least 8-10 times before. The thing that bothers me the most is that the dog she cut is so stoic and calm that I can't imagine how this happened unless she pressed really hard with the clippers while scooping. It's hard to picture Sophie sitting still while this happened to all 4 of her paws...oooowwch! I did talk to the groomer and she appeard to be quite shocked and very sorry but I feel terrible having put my dog through this. One reason this is so hard is that 2 years ago I lost a dog (Rosey) that was blind and deaf, I thought I'd never get over the loss. To make matters worse, two weeks after she died the groomer who I sent her to many times for grooming was fired for cruelty. Rosey had seizures after grooming on more than one occasion. I, like most on this forum, love my dogs like I gave birth to them myself. I'm sick to think of any one of them hurt, especially during something as routine as grooming. I think I just needed to vent but also to be able to trust my (or any) groomer again. I did ask the groomer not to scoop her pads anymore and I also clip her nails, comb her out, groom her face before she goes anyway.

We had many bad experiences with groomers, so I know how you feel.

The last dog I had, was hit by her first groomer and was terrified of any groomer after that.

The groomer we use now is GREAT! The puppy I have now has only known him and loves him... I wish she was a little more excited to see me when I pick her up...lol

Just know there are good groomers out there... if you think this wasnt a total accident that will never happen again, you may want to look for a new groomer.

Hope everything works out, Good Luck

Elissa

I've never heard of this happening, the only times we cut dogs at work with the clipper is on an area like the armpit where there is thin, loose skin. Never seen it happen when doing pads.

Thanks, I'm confused Are the clippers used for pads easy to graze skin with or would you have to either be in a hurry or press to hard. I was even thinking that maybe they were new clippers, I wish I'd asked her.....I'm stuck between wanting to trust the groomer who I really like, and needing to protect my dogs who I love more than anything..

Pressing too hard doesn't cut the skin -- the only way the blade will cut is if it "grabs" or "pinches" ths skin, which is only possible in areas where skin is easy to pinch. Alot of groomers (like myself) prefer to use scissors on the pads -- could she maybe have done this?

Yes, she said she'd scissors on Soph's pads from now on.

Did she cut the paws with scissors or clippers?
I'm confused, but anyways...

I don't think its very professional for something like this to happen and the groomer not talk to you about it when you pick up your dog. I don't think there's any excuse for that. How could she not know that all four paws were cut? I can imagine having one or two paws cut and then standing pacently for another one to be cut as well.

Were you able to watch this groomer work on your dog or any other? Or just at your puppy class?

On a personal note, I feel bad for groomers because I am very picky and at times judgemental. Sorry [lol]

I really don't think that she knew. I think that the only reason they bled a few days later is because she was running in the snow and it really irritated them. Yes, I've watched her lots of times, she is very sweet and gentle and I've always told her that to me, the haircut is secondary to the experience for my dogs.

I've done this to my own dogs before. I've always groomed them myself.

It is actually very easy to cut your dog's toe pads if their skin is thinner and weaker.

Scissoring is a good idea from now on.

Hmmmm.. I wonder what # blade she was using! I always use a tight, close blade like a #30 or #40 for pads because there is no space for the blades to catch the skin - I've never cut a dog's feet. I know some groomers use a #10 or #15 and nick the skin near the pads quite often, though.

If she can't use clippers properly I would not DARE let her close to your dog's feet with scissors. Clippers are so very simple, that if she cuts your dog's feet up using them, she may butcher them if she uses scissors.

Thanks for all the posts I've decided to do her paws entirely myself, and her face, and her girly bits, and her ears......I just won't chance another mishap, however it happened. I don't know how this happened but the groomer has always gone above and beyond as far as booking times for my dogs. She lets me bring one in, go for a walk with the other, then switch the dogs to minimize their time spent there. Its just her in a nice bright studio with big front windows so people can see in while she's working on the dogs so I really think it's as good as it gets. I've seen her interact with them in such a positive way and both my dogs really do love her so I think I'll just eliminate the risk. I tried to groom them myself but the poor things looked like Edward Scissor Hands had gotten a hold of them.....while he was drunk!! At least only 2 of my 5 dogs need grooming....whew!
You've all been very helpful!

LOL!

That's awful...those stories about dogs being mistreated. How dare someone treat someone's dog like that, especially a customers?! That makes me so angry. Well, at least this one does it in front of a window so anyone can see. She sounds really nice.

I'm just curious because I've never taken a dog to a groomers in my life, why do the pads need something done? What exactly is being done? Trimming rough stuff off or what? My dogs just run around outside and they're kind of scaly and rough, but not split or anything. They seem tough. They run over gravel and everything else. So, I was just curious about that.

I hope your baby is heeling up OK. Ouch!

Is it really hard to clip a Poodle yourself? I am kind of curious and fond of the breed and thought maybe one day I might like one, but it would be nice to trim them at home. I suppose you need really good clippers.

But that's the only thing that might deter me about a Poodle. I've been spoiled in the grooming area by having always short haired dogs. I had a Himilayan cat once....that was a pain in the neck keeping the tangles out.

Breeds that have alot of hair need their hair inbetween their toe pads trimmed. If you don't the hair gets REALLY long, and can matt even. It also reduces the dogs ability to grip and hold on if the hair is long enough.

Doberluv, it isn't the pads themselves that are trimmed. The fur in between the pads is "scooped" out with the clippers, but a lot of groomers just call it "trimming the pads".

I don't own a poodle but I've groomed dozens and if you just keep them in a short kennel clip (like a #5 or #7 shave) with a small topknot, they are one of the easiest dogs to groom, especially for a beginner. Poodles have such wavy hair, even when blown out, that if you make small mistakes in grooming them, it won't be very evident. I learned to groom on Lhasas, Shih Tzus and Yorkies, and oh boy was I ever amazed at how much better my Poodles looked after grooming compared to the dogs with fine/straight hair. I wanted a black standard for a while just because I enjoy grooming and would love maintaining that coat.

Do you work at a groomers? I do groom, but they are just pet grooms. Normally I just shave down, with leavinghair in certain spots to make the dogs look less bald. Most of my experience is with Shih Tzus. And honestly, I don't know jack about blades. I think I have a #10 though

I have to say I've seen this happen at my work, The dog came in with matted solid paws (Not saying you dont groom your dog! ) and the skin was just so raw underneath it, We told the owners about it and they said we made the best choice

Sophie, my pooch with the sore paws is actually a Labradoodle (F1B) Labradoodle to Poodle and her coat is a nightmare. She looks beautiful (I think ) but that's only because I spend so much time grooming (brushing/combing) her. I have a thang about knots and matts so she's never had either but it takes so much time to keep her coat in the shape it's in. She gets a lot of icing between her toes in the winter (without boots) because she is such a fur ball in between the toes so I try to keep the pads clipped short. I will be doing them myself from now on though, I'll just have to learn how do it as good as Jody did (before the mishap).

I'm sorry that happened! I've not done a ton of grooming myself, I'm just now learning how to scoop my own dog's pads and yeah, the right blade makes a huge difference!

Also, one thing I want to mention: dogs do act much differently with strangers than their own family. I cannot for the life of me blow out Sawyer without him going postal on me. The groomer I used to work with never had a problem; he would just sit and whine. So it is possible (unlikely, but possible) that Sophie was being a little twitchy that day. I really don't know I'm just guessing. But I'm also pointing this out for others; accidents do happen in grooming and many times it's because the dogs move at just the wrong moment. Even the best groomers have oopses.