Why are my pet's nails falling off and causing pain? Should I see a vet?

It looks like your cat’s toenail has been sheared off, probably from an injury, fight or being hit by a car. My best recommendation is to take your car to the vet where they will be able to fully clean the area around the nail, trim the nails if necessary, and give your cat an antibiotic and pain medication if needed. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Ouch, poor Naria. If the nail is completely removed and exposing the nail bed, keep the toe as clean as possible to try to prevent infection. For my patients that have done this, I typically will place them on oral antibiotics and analgesics (pain medication) to prevent infection and keep them comfortable while the nail regrows. Some nails will not regrow normally if the nailbed was also injured. If Naria is limping on the affected paw, or the toe becomes swollen I would recommend having her seen by her veterinarian for appropriate medications to be dispensed.

Sometimes the outter cuticles will shred due to injury, infection or a diet not high enough in fatty acids. I recommend to start Bruce on an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for cats and change his diet to Nutro or Royal Canin. Monitor the nail daily for any signs of reddness around the base of the nail, swelling of the toe, additional injury to the nail or excessive licking of the area. If these signs are seen, have him examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Stitch. The nails can become brittle in older cats and come off more easily. This is especially true if he does a lot of scratching or climbing. There are also diseases such as autoimmune disorders and fungal problems that can affect the nail beds. It is best for him to see his veterinarian to determine the cause of his symptoms. I hope this information helps!

I am sorry to hear about your concern for your kitty! The nail does appear malformed. I would recommend an examination by a veterinarian, as we can see this with nailbed infections at times. The vet can more closely examine this nail and the others and determine what the underlying cause may be and how best to treat the claw.

Poor Crimson! It sounds like her paw is definitely bothering her for some reason. If her toenails are loose, this is very concerning and could indicate a severe bacterial or fungal infection of the nail beds, necrosis of the paw tissue itself, or an autoimmune disorder like lupus. This is something that needs to be checked by a vet as soon as possible to determine what is causing the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment - I would recommend taking her to be seen first thing tomorrow morning, if possible.

I am sorry to hear about Leroy! I would recommend an examination by a veterinarian to try to figure out why Leroy is having pain in his foot. There are many possible causes including trauma, bacterial infection, arthritis, and bumblefoot (pododermatitis). The vet may recommend an x-ray of the foot or may be able to determine what is going on based on the appearance and then recommend appropriate treatment. I wouldn't take a "wait and see" approach to this issue as these problems can worsen and cause long term complications that are more difficult to treat.