My dog's nail quick is exposed and drying. Will it heal okay?

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.

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!

Ouch, poor Rupert! The quick itself should be left alone, but it appears in the picture that there is a long skinny piece of tissue or retained nail on the inner aspect of the quick. If that's the case, it will need to be trimmed back. If you're comfortable taking care of this yourself, you can trim that part back with a dog nail clippers (make sure you are comfortable with what you're doing and know what should and should not be trimmed - do NOT trim the quick itself as that would be very painfu for Rupert!). You can apply a gob of neosporin over the quick, and it may be helpful to cover that area with a clean sock for a few days, as the quick will be very tender, and will bleed easily. If you're not confident to do this yourself, bring Rupert in to the vet and they'll trim back any remaining nail tissue, and will likely apply medicated ointment and place a soft bandage. Monitor Rupert's nail bed over the coming week or two and make sure it is not getting red, swollen, or having discharge, which would indicate a nail bed infection requiring a vet visit and antibiotics. Hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi, The most important thing is that it clotted and the bleeding stopped. He should be fine and the nail will GROW. Just monitor the area so it clean and no signs of infection such as pus, swelling, redness and prevent the dog from licking/biting or bothered with the toe in case he start doing it

Ouch Poor Max! Since the quick is exposed and raw, then yes I would recommend to have it repair by your vet. Your vet may recommend sedation so they can cut the toenail back and bandage it. They will likely also send home a pain medicine and antibiotics. I would also put a cone collar on him to prevent licking. If left untreated, it can become infected and travel into his bone on that toe. I have actually have to amputate toes in the past if they get bad enough. I hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Jack! Accidents happen and nail trims can be hard especially on pugs. They are the hardest breeds for nail trims, even at the Vet. If he is very squirmy and dislikes nail trims consider having it done at your Vet office and consider sedation. It may cost more but maybe we can avoid cutting the quick. Plus stressing out a pug is not a good idea. With that being said, If Jack is not limping, isn't excessively licking the nail and it isn't bleeding just keep the nail clean. If any of the above is happening then I would take him to the Vet for antibiotics, a bandage and pain medications. It should heal with out any complications for continued growth of the nail. I hope this helps and I wish Jack the best!

Poor Beebe! Exposed quicks can be very painful and typically require bandaging for a week or so until the tissue begins to heal and a new nail begins to grow. This will happen without a bandage, but bandaging will help prevent infections. Your vet can also prescribe pain medications and antibiotics. Light sedation may be necessary to place the bandage and clean the area. I hope this helps and that Beebe gets well soon!