My dog cracked his nail. Should I treat it at home or see a vet?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Blue! It’s hard to picture what the nail looks like. If he is that lame on the leg the nail should be evaluated. We do cut the nail back if needed. A cracked or torn nail is a constant source of pain. If you want to post a picture I could try to give you a better idea if Blue should go to the Vet. I hope this helps!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. So sorry this happened to Frank. If it is not causing him any issues and it is not bleeding then you don't really need to take him to the vet. If he starts limping or the toe becomes swollen, etc then you will need to get him to a vet at that time. I recommend you get this spray wound gel to apply to it (link below, use as directed). I would not do any vigorous cleaning as you may disrupt any blood clots that will then cause it to bleed. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-antimicrobial-wound-and-skin-hydrogel-for-pets ) Also, if he begins to lick it, you will need to get him a cone collar to wear. If he licks it too much it may get infected. We do not want him to lick the wound gel off either as that will defeat the purpose of using it. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/well-and-good-recovery-cone-collar-large-1225-21-3498991 ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and for posting pictures. Poor Sloane, that looks like it hurt! Torn toenails is not uncommon in dogs. Not every torn toenail will bleed, but you did a great job caring for it at home. Keeping it clean is very important but you can only use peroxide once. From now on, you can use a mild soap to clean it if needed. Only continue to cover the area for 24 hours total. Any longer could delay healing and sometimes bandages can injure healthy tissue. I do recommend taking Sloane to a vet for pain medications. There is nothing safe over the counter that you can give pets for pain. This is not a weight bearing toe so she may not be in pain but anytime she catches the nail on something it’s going to cause some discomfort. They may also prescribe antibiotics however, keeping it clean and keeping Sloane from licking it will do the trick. The nail will grow back on its own, it will just take some time. Keep an eye on it and cut the sharp edges so it catches less. Good luck and kisses to Sloane!

You can use both. A thin layer of iodine ointment will serve to help prevent infection. The Woun’ dres can be applied over it. If Caesar is likely to lick it, I recommend an e-collar. He may chew and eat a bandage if he isn’t wearing an e-collar. Bandages are also tricky because they can trap moisture and can tighten, cutting off circulation to the paw. I would continue applying both three times a day until the nail bed appears completely dry and scabbed over. You can place a toddler sock or a bootie over the paw when you take Caesar outside to pee and poop but I would avoid long walks for the next week. Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the picture! Due to the red fur staining it is evident that Babi is licking the toe. It is also pretty swollen. The first step is to prevent the licking by using an Elizabethan collar (cone) or donut. I do think it would heal faster if you saw a Vet. There is likely a bacterial and or yeast infection of the nail bed. Having oral antibiotics and antifungals and something to stop the desire to lick will speed this process up for you both. I hope this helps and I wish Babi a speedy recovery!

This rarely get infected if disinfected properly, but a check up would be ideal just to cut off the remaining part of the nail. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths (at least twice daily for the next 3-4 days. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tucker. I typically put dogs with broken or lost toe nails on oral antibiotics. The paw is inherently dirty. Licking it will increase the risk of an infection in the nail bed. If the nail bed becomes infected it is very painful for the dog and can be difficult to treat. For this reason, I do recommend that he still sees his veterinarian. At minimum, you need to place an E-collar on him to prevent any further licking. I hope this information helps!