Hanging Toe Nail

[Norskgra]

Tyra is in season so she slept in her crate last night. I let her out this morning and she seemed fine but a little while later, she was limping.

I checked her foot and one of her toe nails is just hanging by a thread. I have put her back in the crate.

What should I do to treat it? Should I try to remove it?

[becks]

best to cut the hanging part off before she catches it and pulls it off. You may want to muzzle her if it is likely to be painful for it to be trimmed or get the vet/vetnurse to do it for you.

[sheree_e4]

Pull it off if possible , my boy did the same with his dew claw,get someone to help you to hold her and use a pair of pliers to get a good grip of it make sure you pull hard and fast as she will only let you do it once :rolleyes: ,otherwise take her to the vet for sedation and get them to do it.

[Norskgra]

best to cut the hanging part off before she catches it and pulls it off. You may want to muzzle her if it is likely to be painful for it to be trimmed or get the vet/vetnurse to do it for you.

Thanks Becks and Sheree. I am still waiting for my daughter to get home after NY celebrations. I will get her to hold Tyra when she gets home and I will cut it off. I a pretty sure she won't try to bite but will have something ready just in case.

Should I bandage her foot and pad her toe as well?

Edited December 31, 2007 by Norskgra

[Cockerlover]

not much sleep last nite! so not real brite this morning !but if it were me id try to remove it because if se tries herself shell probally make it worse but i would bath it & wrap it or put a sock on it to keep it clean so infection dosnt set in; have you not got an emergency vet you can call for further advise?why does every thing happen on a public holiday??? hava a tailwaging new year & :rolleyes: good luck with the toe nail ;ps if it bleeds apply preasure & vasaline

[becks]

depends how bad it is and if she would leave it alone. being crated she may be more inclined to chew off a bandage and then get at the foot? Hard to say when you can't see the dog or know what they are like!

[Norskgra]

not much sleep last nite! so not real brite this morning !but if it were me id try to remove it because if se tries herself shell probally make it worse but i would bath it & wrap it or put a sock on it to keep it clean so infection dosnt set in; have you not got an emergency vet you can call for further advise?why does every thing happen on a public holiday??? hava a tailwaging new year & good luck with the toe nail ;ps if it bleeds apply preasure & vasaline

Thanks CL. Yes, we have a great vet who has a vet nurse on call 24 /7. I didn't want to wake them too early. :rolleyes: I also have some styptic powder if it bleeds.

She is quite happy in her crate and it doesn't seem to be bothering her at all. It just bothers me.

ETA - I couldn't get a good look because she kept trying to pull her paw away but it looks like it could be her whole nail. I do have some ACP which should calm her down while we preform the surgery.

Edited December 31, 2007 by Norskgra

[Cavandra]

I had this happen recently too, caught it in a wire crate. The whole nail came out. Just remove it, and smother it in Betadine, some say to seal it with liquid bandaids or similar, but I find they heal with air getting to it, just keep dunk it in antiseptic wash & use Betadine or an antiseptic powder or what ever you have on had, and stop her licking it off til it dries at least. I wouldnt bandage it as it will keep bugs in there, try to keep it dry. She will likely limp for a few days.

[shmoo]

remove it with nail clippers FAST

had a similar thing happen with my girl. Her dew claw broke right at the top near the flesh.

she screamed and it bled alot, but she was up and walking straight after i stopped the bleeding.

Edited December 31, 2007 by shmoo

[persephone]

yep..side cutters or pliers..a quick yank, a scream and yell and it's over. Ours do it all the time. We pour betadine on..or the pink spray..and let it be. No bandage necessary. The styptic powder is a good idea!

[Norskgra]

Thanks everyone. This is the first time we have ever had it happened. Tyra has a habit of 'wiping her feet' after she has been to the toilet. I think she may have got her nail caught after she wiped her feet.

Tyra has now had her 'surgery'. We started with my daughter holding her and me trying to remove the nail. Tyra kept squirming and crying. We swaped and I nursed her and patted her and told her what a good girl she was and my daughter cut the nail off. The nail had come off completely at one side but there is still a bit of nail on the top of her toe.

We bathed her foot with saline and then put Betadine on it. She didn't scream or try to bite either of us. She just laid there as if she knew we were trying to help her.