My dog bit off part of his nail, no bleeding. What should I do next?

Please don't give any over-the-counter pain medications; they can be toxic to dogs at even low doses and giving them will confound your vet's ability to treat the pain with appropriate medications. The reality is that most of these nail injuries end up getting infected, and even if there's no infection they are exquisitely painful. You can compare it to losing your fingernail completely, but then having to walk on the uncovered cuticle. Patch likely needs to have the area numbed and the remaining nail pulled, then have a very soft/cushioning bandage placed, followed by antibiotics and pain medication. Please take him in to see his vet as soon as you can for this.

I would keep an eye on the area for now given that Hercules is not showing any signs of discomfort when walking and there is only a bit of bleeding. It may be there was a bit of trauma to the nail when he fell but not serious enough to require a vet visit. Should he start limping on that leg, licking that paw a lot, the paw continues to bleed, the paw becomes swollen, red, and/or warm to the touch, the nail becomes cracked in half, he becomes lethargic, or has a loss of appetite, then he will need to see a vet. I hope this helps!

Hello, I'd recommend taking Cali to her veterinarian. Limping is a sign of pain, as well as excessive chewing. They will likely want to x-ray her leg and look for signs of infection, a tumor, or another cause for her to be in pain. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I think it would be best if you take him to the vet for a wound clean-up, and exam whether there is more than just a stripped nail. Your veterinarian will likely want to bandage the paw and give your dog pain medicine and an antibiotic so that the bacteria in that area cannot cause an infection.

That definitely sounds pretty painful for Brutis. If you are saying that his entire nail came off, this should probably be assessed. It will be important to make sure that there are no shards left so that it can grow back in properly. Additionally, the veterinarian will be able to provide you with some pain medication and anti inflammatory medication to provide him. Depending on his lifestyle, an antibiotic to prevent secondary infection could also be indicated. If the area is pretty clean right now and it is unlikely to become very dirty, you can try covering it or wrapping the area to prevent it from becoming soiled. At the vet it might also be useful to take an x-ray of the foot to make sure no bones were broken during the event. Hope this helps!

Poor Chia - yes she has pulled the hard part of her nail off and the photos show she must be painful as she is holding her foot off the ground. I expect she'll try to lick the area which can make things worse so try to prevent her doing this by putting a sock over her foot, using an e-collar or cone if you have one. For first aid you can apply/ clean the toe by soaking it in a bowl of warm water with a couple of teaspoons of salt in - which is antiseptic. You can cover her foot with a dog shoe or boot which are sold at pet stores. For pain I recommend taking her to see her vet tomorrow. Please do not give her any human pain medicines which can be toxic to dogs. The nail will grow back slowly but the red area will be sensitive and sore for a few days until it dries up.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Devon. Poor boy! Limping means he is in pain, and the fact that he bites you when you try to touch it means he's really hurt. I would take him into a vet now. The vet can sedate him, and can remove the rest of the nail safely. He will also need pain medications and antibiotics, which the vet can prescribe. I recommend taking him into a vet immediately. I hope this helps!