[Trevor]

Hi all,

First, I am new to this forum. Thank you all in advance for your help.

My dog is Max, a 9 year-old Carolina Dog, also called a North American Dingo.

Today at the run he started bleeding from his paw -- I got him home and saw that he had ripped his toenail laterally, up the length of it. It stopped bleeding about 10 minutes after it happened, but it's obviously very painful for him when it's touched. When it's just left alone, he seems fine.

Any recommendations for treatment? It's Sunday today and I can't get him in to the vet til tomorrow, unless I go to the Animal Medical Center as an Emergency, but it doesn't seem to be an emergency -- basically, Max seems okay, as I mentioned, unless it's touched.

Thanks for any help you can give me and Max!

 

[spotted nikes]

He definitely needs to go to the vet tomorrow. Those are VERY painful. Every step causes the nail to move and more pain. Keep him quiet tonight, and see vet tomorrow am. They'll probably cut nail all the way back to the break, so there won't be movement, and give you pain meds, and maybe antibiotics. They may wrap it to keep clean.

You might try to flush with a weak Betadine/warm water mixture (dilute Betadine so it is tea colored). Apply Neosporin w/pain reliever (Neosporin plus) then wrap with cotton sheets, and cover with Vet wrap, not wrapped really tightly, as you don't want to reduce circulation to the foot. That'll help keep it clean and prevent some movement until the vet can see him. Note-Flex foot in the position it would be in with the paw on the ground when wrapping, so movement will be reduced when dog walks.

 

[Trevor]

Thank you nikes for your reply. I appreciate your advice. I will take him in tomorrow as early as I can. I cleaned his nail, sprayed it with Bactine, and wrapped it. I will update here. For the moment he seems okay.

Will the vet have to put him under general anesthesia? Or local to the paw?

 

[sassafras]

Most of the time something like that can be done with a bit of sedation + local, your dog most likely won't need general anesthesia.

 

[Trevor]

Thank you for your reply sassafras.

 

[spotted nikes]

How's Max doing?

 

[Trevor]

Funny you should ask, I was just about to update you all here.

We went to our vet at noon today and Max was nervous as usual -- he's a rescue who had been terribly abused and neglected, and never got used to visiting a vet before we found him, so he's always scared. But he stuck it out, got a mild sedative and a local anesthesia, and had his toenail removed entirely. He'll be on a painkiller treat for five days, then get regular warm-water washes as the toe heals. His bandage comes off tonight at midnight (12 hours).

I am told to expect a scab, and not to worry about it.

Thanks for all your help here.

Finally I just want to say, thank god for great vets. I have a terrific doctor here who always has time for my questions and is very good with animals.

 

[spotted nikes]

Glad to hear he is on the road to recovery.

 

[Trevor]

I forgot to ask my vet one very basic question I was thinking maybe you guys could help me with:

How long will it take for the nail to grow back?

This eve I took off the bandage per the vet's instructions (what a painful ordeal!) and it revealed a blood-red stub that I guess is a bone, or something? When will that turn into a nail?

Thank you for any more help.

 

[ThoseWordsAtBest]

Aw, his little bandage. It should take a couple months for the nail to grow back. Years ago one of my girls ripped off three of her toenails completely and I believe about 3 months later she had a nub of a nail going again.