If your pet were to get cut or suffered an injury that left them bleeding, what would you do? You might first think to reach for bandages or gauze, which are both good ideas. However, there's one product you may have never even heard of that can potentially save a pet's life if they're bleeding. Read on to learn more about this item and how you can use it.

Styptic Powder

Styptic powder is an antihemorrhagic, or literally a product that stops bleeding. When applied to a bleeding wound, styptic powder makes the surrounding tissues slightly swell, helping to seal the wound shut. This achieves a similar effect to holding pressure down on a wound, but it can perform the same action without you needing to keep a hand on your pet. Since a pet with an open wound may be anxious or frantic, styptic powder is something you can use to quickly slow or stop the bleeding without upsetting them further. It's also great to have so you can apply it before you drive to an animal hospital to have your pet tended to by a veterinarian.

Where To Get It

Styptic powder comes in a few different forms, but it's generally sold at most major pet stores and at veterinarian offices. You can buy it as a loose powder, in the form of a stick, as a gel, or even on pre-soaked pads that you can apply directly to your pet's wound.

How To Use It

Before you apply styptic powder, you should try and cleanse the wound as much as you can. Remove any loose debris and wash any obvious dirt away from the area. If your pet's fur is in the way, either brush it back or clip it with scissors so it doesn't get in the way of the wound.

After that, all you need to do is to apply the styptic powder directly to the wound. The package it comes in will have specific directions that explain how much you need, depending on which type of styptic powder, gel, or liquid you purchase.

After you've applied the styptic powder, feel free to continue applying pressure to the wound with a bandage or gauze, especially if it's a deep cut.

Once you've applied the styptic powder, make sure to get to an animal hospital immediately. Bleeding wounds can fester and become infected, or your pet can potentially become anemic from bleeding too much. Styptic powder isn't a replacement for proper veterinary care, but it can help to reduce the pain and suffering your pet experiences while you get them to the animal hospital.