My puppy has something weird on his nail. Is it dirt or an infection?

It could be infected. Also check and make sure the nail is not broken way up high. You could try soaking that paw in Epsom salts to see if that will help soothe it. If it doesn’t improve then have it looked at more closely.

It looks to me like Jax's toenail might be infected. Dogs can develop a bacterial or fungal infection at the base of the nail, or occasionally deomdex mites can be in this area as well. It's also possible that he sustained some trauma to his nail, although if it has been present for weeks that is a little less likely. I'd recommend having your vet take a look.

This presentation could be due to a trauma (foreign body lesion/abscess) or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/scratching. This is not an emergency but needs to be seen as soon as your vet is open during normal hours. 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.

Swelling, pain/discomfort and itch, redness, discharge of the area involved are all possible signs. From what you described it may be possible that the nail bed is infected or there may even be a comminute fracture of the last phalanx. A check up is unfortunately needed to confirm this clinical suspicion and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. 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. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

It is very difficult to tell from these photos, it is possible that your dog's toe nail became slightly torn/detached from the underlying nail bed and you are seeing the separation here. We can, however, occasionally see nail bed tumors. I would recommend a visit with your vet to better examine the area. If it is a loose toenail they may need to trim it back to make it more comfortable until it grows back in normally. This can be very tough to do at home because often these guys are painful so trimming the nail back can be really difficult without skilled help!

Aw, I bet that stings for sure! If the nails were pulled completely and cleanly, they aren't likely to become heavily infected. If there are remnants left behind, they rest needs to be dealt with by a veterinarian so they can grown back in properly. As for the chunk of tissue missing, this has a much higher likelihood for complications from infection. Since I can not see it, I can't say whether or not it needs to be assessed, closed, sutured, stapled etc. You may want to have someone take a look at it. If not, make sure to flush the area with some chlorhexidine solution, keep it clean as possible, make sure that Teddy can't lick the area (use an e-collar), and possibly apply topical antimicrobial ointment. Teddy would likely benefit from some pain medication and antibiotics, but a vet visit would definitely be required to obtain those. Hope this is helpful!

He could have allergies and/or a nail infection. He should be examined by a vet to diagnose and treat the problem. Your vet can prescribe an antibiotic, anti-histamine, and/or a corticosteroid to treat. You could also soak his paws in a warm Epsom salt solution and see if that helps.