When I was a kid, a styptic pencil was the thing one would use to stop bleeding if you cut yourself shaving Note that I said one. I only shaved with an electric razor and gave that up 40 years ago. How does it work? Wikipedia offers a good explanation. As I remember, the one around the house when I was a kid was alum.

A few years ago someone cut themself and my wife said ground coffee could be used. I had never heard that but, whoever it was used it and didn't die.

A few days ago my dog got in a fight He is a pacifist and the way he usually comes out OK is by having so much fur that the other dog cannot do any damage. This dog, however, recognized there was this nice nose to bite. When Ana and Margarita got him back to the house he was pretty bloody. I wasn't looking forward to an after dark trip to the vet about 45 minutes away so it was time for coffee.

Fresh coffee grounds on the outside puncture seemed to stop the bleeding but there was clearly another bleeder inside. I can't say he liked this but I rolled up a bit of cotton, dipped in coffee grounds and inserted Once in there wasn't much he could do about it so it stayed in. And the bleeding stopped.

So, I am not a doctor or even a veterinarian but, if you don't have some alum handy, try coffee. It seems to work.