My dog's broken toenail is red, meaty, and paw discolored. What to do?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Chico! If the broken part of the nail is still present then the nail needs to be cut back. If the tow is swollen there may be an infection. I recommend an appointment with your Vet to have the nail cut back if needed, an anti-inflammatory and antibiotics. Sometimes we bandage the foot or use and Elizabethan collar (cone) to prevent licking. I hope this helps and I wish Chico a speedy recovery!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely happening because of the nail. This is probably very painful. I recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinarian. They would be able to evaluate the area carefully and probably cut the nail carefully. Pain control medications and medications for inflammation may be used after to help with healing. Best of luck!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While it is hard to say exactly what is going on without seeing a photo, it is possible that Devon somehow broke his nails. The blood you are seeing may be due to the quick, or the small blood vessel that runs through each nail being exposed. This is pretty painful and can be why Devon is constantly licking. I recommend getting him an E-collar or “cone” to prevent him from licking and causing further trauma and having him seen by a vet who may prescribe pain medication. I hope this helps!

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Just like you indicated, this could be due to a foreign body getting stuck in the digit though other things like a deep infection or even a growth cannot be ruled out. It could even be secondary to her licking at it. For this reason, it is important to rule those out. I recommend a visit to your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Good luck and have a great day!

It looks like Dante broke his nail. I recommend getting a bootie to protect it and keeping it clean. Ideally Dante would have antibiotics and pain medication to help him which would come from a veterinarian. I would also recommend an elizabethan collar so Dante does not lick at that paw. If he does he can create an infection. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to an infection or a traumatic injury for example. It is difficult to know without being able to examine her. I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to start antibiotics if needed. Good luck and have a good night!