Dear Laura: >At about 5:30 this morning one of our ferrets climbed on top of his cage >and as he was backing down got his nail caught in something and it was >pulled out. To stop the bleeding we held him and applied alittle ice and >now he is sleeping and his paw is dry. My question: do we have to worry >about infection? Is it possible for the injury to again open and bleeding >start again? Is there anything more to do? Calw injuries usually do very well. Just keep it clean daily with soap and water. Without knowing the damage - they can range from a cracked nail to the loss of the entire nail (like taking off a glove), there is probably some reisk that it could be caught again and bleed. You can use a styptic pencil to stop bleeding from a claw - these are available at any drug store, or many pet stores carry a similar product for nails that get clipped too short. Infection is probably not a problem if you keep the area clean and the litter box very tidy for a couple of days.. With kindest regards, Bruce Williams, DVM [Posted in FML issue 3228]