Bunny nail rip and bathing?

Question
My Bunny ripped his nail completely out. He's bleeding quite a bit. I dipped his paw in flour. Is there anything else I should do?

 Also, Is it okay to give bunnies baths? My bunny runs outside sometimes and gets into the dirt. Also a little bit of the blood from his paw got on his white nose. I never have bathed him, for fear that it's not supposed to be done and that my bunny will get sick or such.

Answer
Dear Julie,

Sorry for the delay.  Our middle school ecology outreach program took over my life for the last ten days, but now I'm back. :)

The nail will likely grow back, but be sure the bed is well disinfected if this ever happens again.  If you see any sign of redness or swelling, get bun to the vet for examination and treatment.

Rabbits should never be bathed, but you can spot-wash problem areas with the instructions here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/buttbath.html

For the spot of blood, a damp washcloth should do the trick.  But your instincts are on target:  rabbits can be extremely stressed by a bath, and have even been known to die afterward.  So I
just wouldn't do it.

Hope this helps.

Dana