# Epsom salts and bleeding



## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

Wow - this actually WORKED!

Dog cut tongue badly about two years ago necessitating a trip to the doggie ER [she almost bled out - she was tired for a week afterwards] for emergency surgery.

Today dog cut tongue again [similar drip rate - blood everywhere] -

After the last incident an old country vet told us to keep a bottle of a solution of saturated Epsom salts [water on it until no more salt would dissove] on hand and flood her mouth next time this happens. We held her mouth open so she could not swallow any, flooded it, and the bleeding stopped IMMEDIATELY. It has held good for about an hour and a half so far. You can see the split on the tip of her tongue. The mouth is one place you cannot apply pressure to stop the bleeding.

I was so blown away I thought I would share. I imagine she may have swallowed a little bit regardless so making sure she has plenty of water and asssuming we may have some loose stools as a result.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Hey that is a good to know trick!
Tongues and ears are always so hard to get the bleeding to stop on - messy


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Wow!


I've seen recommendations for poultices for bruises, etc., but I had never read that one. 

(I'd say that the "prevent swallowing" part is very important with a concentration like that.)

You must've been so relieved!


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

good info! between ears/tongues/tails seems like if they're cut, well they bleed! and i always have epsom salts anyway, so we'll make some up this weekend. 

my Mom wished she knew about this a "few" years back when i tried to bite my own tongue off---ACCIDENTLY, ok? if we'd all known then what we know now, well, the trip to the hospital might've taken a bit longer......

but lucky for you guys, they got me right there, stitched up, etc., etc.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

She has made it through supper and drinking water. I think we are in good shape - not even any oooozing.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Nancy Jocoy said:


> She has made it through supper and drinking water. I think we are in good shape - not even any oooozing.


Again, wow. I'm glad you posted that!


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

My disc dog bit his tongue a lot. Instead of saying to my (ex) hubby "I'm going out to training the dog" I'd say something like "Let the blood-letting begin!"

Anyway, a drink of COLD water always stopped it fast. Just something else to keep in mind for mouth injuries.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

That is another good one to know. I am still looking for why the Epsom salts worked maybe it is similar to afrin for a nosebleed.

But now that I think about it - an ice cold wet rag is good for that.

{Thank you Grim, I really appreciated having your head smack me in the nose like that} 

That Afrin stuff though for a nosebleed is amazing. [I don't normally have them but I had a bad one the night after the doctor shoved a tube up my nose to look down my throat and it would not stop]


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Great info to catalog!! Gonna definately repeat this at club. bleeding tongues aren't all that uncommon in bite training. 
And I always thought that stuff was just for old men to soak in the tub after a hard day working in the garden.


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