My dog's dew claw regrew wider, not curling. Is it infected or normal?

How very odd! A photo of the said claw may help us to better answer your question. Sometimes toenails if gorwing long can curl all the way around, so if the nails are long it could cause this appearance. If a nail becomes injured and pulls from the nail bed it can turn around but usually this is a very painful incident and would be noticed by the owner. A congenital defect could also possibly cause a strange positioning of the nail, or an injury to the nailbed.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the dew claw has been pulled off from the nail bed, the nail will eventually fall off and a new nail may grow back. Declaws often get caught easily and injuries to decllaws are common so it is recommended they be removed to prevent this from happening. If the claw is not healing well or frequently becomes infected, the declaw can be surgically removed.

The degree of regrowth will depend on how damaged the nail bed is. Most of the time they will grow back, but often they will be abnormal in appearance. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

The new claw is probably the cuticle which is inside the nail. This is quite painful. I would trim the toenail where it’s broken. If it’s at the cuticle it may bleed. Have styptic powder to put on the cuticle to stop the bleeding. The nail will grow fine afterwards. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Pecas.

If the dew claw (hind leg) or the thumb (front leg) is swollen there is clearly a problem. Lex may have gotten caught in something with her claw and pulled on it and injured oit. You will need to see your veterinarian with Lex and the leg needs to be examined. The claw may just be sprained, but your dog will need pain mendicine at the least.

I would be somewhat concerned about this. It is hard to tell from the photos but it looks like the toe is still swollen? If that is the case, this could be just more than a broken nail - some tumors arise from the nail bed. I suggest you have her back to your vet for a follow-up exam.

By your description, your dog may have a partially [broken nail](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/broken-nails/) which can be a bit painful. You can take him to your veterinary office and ask them to cut the nail back to promote normal growth, or you can monitor the toe and see if the nail grows out naturally. Just watch for any signs of infection (redness, swelling, discharge) in the toe. Do not allow your dog to lick or chew at it. An e-collar (cone) can be placed on him until he has healed.