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My dog's nails are too long. What can a vet do for overgrown quicks?

Updated on September 23, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 11 years and 1 month old | 44 lbs

Harvey's nails haven't been clipped in a long time, and I didn't know until recently the importance of regular clipping. Now I'm afraid to have them clipped because I recently learned that the quick grows out along with the nails, and I can't imagine the pain he would experience if a non-medical groomer tried. What can a vet do to help? Is there a procedure that can fix this?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on February 8, 2020

Roger is a cute boy! Pets can get many types of lumps and bumps. Most of these tumors will be benign but some will be malignant and you can't tell by looks. Here is a helpful link discussing the various types of skin masses in general:
https://www.petcoach.co/article/lumps-and-bumps-on-your-pet/

I tend to be cautious so I recommend to have it checked out to be safe. The doctor may recommend to aspirate the mass to examine the cells under a microscope. That is one of the best ways to know what it is and if further action is needed. The procedure is quick and easy. Hopefully it's nothing serious.

This is strictly a guess but from his face, I suspect Jack Russel and maybe some Beagle. I bet he's got other things in there though! If you ever want to know for sure, you may look into one of the genetic tests. I recommend either Wisdom Panel or Embark. I hope this helps.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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