My dog's claw is upside down. Why is his nail growing oddly?

Sometimes, when the claw is brocken or the quick was exposed the area where the nail regenerates gets damaged and the horn will regrow in a different shape. This is usually not a problem and just a cosmetic matter. However these malformed nails also have to be clipped regularly. Apart from that I see no reddening or swelling that would point to an infection or inflammation.

It sounds like he broke his dewclaw - most of the time the nail will need to be removed so it won't cause chronic irritation or infection. If you're unable to pull it off at home because he is too painful or because it is still attached you will need to see your veterinarian. Sometimes sedation is required if the nail is not completely broken and the nail is clipped very close to the base. If Otis seems comfortable and the nail is not bleeding this is not necessarily an emergency - you could wait until your vet is open and make an appointment. You should keep him from licking the area until then and he may need to wear an e-collar.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! When humans or dogs rip off their nails there is a possibility they can grow back abnormally or when he tore it in may not all of the old nail came off and part of it is still there. I would have your Vet take a look. If there is old nail still present he may need to be sedated to trim that away so the new nail can grow in appropriately. Good luck!

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.

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!

It does appear the dewclaw got caught on something as you said. It is in abnormal position and will likely always be that way. I would not be overly worried about it unless you see a wound or the nail is hanging off - in which case you should get him to the vet. If you just leave it alone it should be fine.

It's difficult to tell from the picture if it's torn at the nail bed, but if you have seen blood and/or it's permanently staying sideways (even when she is on her back), then it is torn. A torn toenail requires removal by a veterinarian to prevent further damage. These are sometimes easy to remove, but other times require anesthesia and more force. The toenails are quite long, so if the toenail is not torn, then this could be alleviated by simply trimming the toenails. Either way, it's best to take Lola to your vet for an exam and further treatment. I hope that helps and Lola gets better soon.