My dog's nail broke off, leaving a red nub. How do I treat it?

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.

Gently wash the area with warm water and antiseptic soap. Keep it clean and dry, and monitor for signs of infection. If you do see infection (redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, pus), then have Snuggle seen by a vet.

One of our biggest concerns with a broken nail where the quick is exposed is that the dog will infect the area by licking it. In order to prevent that, I will sometimes recommend an e-collar or a having the dog wear a bootie to prevent licking. Some owners decide to bandage the area, but you have to be very careful to keep the bandage clean and dry or it will worsen an infection. If a dog has already licked a quick, I will usually recommend soaking the foot in Epsom Salts (following the instructions on the box for making it up) for 5 minutes then just drying it well. Some dogs are so painful that they will not leave a quick alone and will require pain medications. If at any time the quick is red or has a discharge or odor, then it might be infected and your veterinarian should examine it. The nail should regrow normally and should not need further treatment after that. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Sunny heals quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Paddt! Sometimes these nails need to be removed behind the break. It's hard to give you the best advice without being able to examined the nail. I recommend to have Paddt examined by the veterinarian. He should also be wearing an elizabethan collar at all times to prevent any licking since this could make the nail infected. The area should be kept clean and dry and the exercise should be severely restricted until the nail is healed (no walks, running or jumping). I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If you can remove the nail that is remaining, I would. You can cut the quick, too, if needed. If it bleeds, thickly apply something powdered, like corn starch or flour, to clot the blood. Then place a bandage over the nail for no longer than 24 hours. You MUST take the bandage off in 24 hours and do not place it tightly. If Rex is licking the area, he could cause an infection, so monitor for any swelling, discharge, or redness until the new nail grows. You can also soak the paw in an Epsom salt bath to soothe the area (make sure it is dry before applying the bandage). I cannot stress enough that he cannot wear the bandage longer than 24 hours. Good luck and kisses to Rex!

Hello. This is such a common injury in dogs. Veterinarians deal with this by cutting the nail at the break & then applying an antibiotic cream mixed with a little lidocaine to stop the pain. The foot stays bandaged for a couple of days until the sensitive tissue starts to heal. From here, the nail will begin to grow out & Jack will be back to his old self. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Max! if you are referring the the "thumb" nail that is the dew claw. If they tear or break that nail, the treatment is to cut it back to the pink vein or quick. If the nail has already been torn off to the pink vein and there isn't any residual nail hanging off then bandaging it for 3-5 days should be enough. Sometimes we do prescribe oral antibiotics and pain medications. The nail will grow back, which is a slow process. If there is still nail hanging on then it should be cut back as that is a constant source of pain. I wish Max the best!