Why are my cat's nails dark, black, or look like dried blood?

Question

My cat has the basis of several nails dark, black, as if they were dirty or with brown blood. Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 5 years and 4 months old | 11.7 lbs

Sara Farmer, DVM · Accepted Answer

This can be a sign of a fungal infection of the nail base. If the nails do not appear normal it could also be a sign of certain autoimmune nail diseases. I would recommend seeing a veterinarian - ringworm is one type of fungus that could cause an infection and the treatment is very different from a yeast fungal infection so your veterinarian may want to run some tests. If there are changes to the nail or paw pads your veterinarian may want to take a sample for biopsy to rule out immune diseases like pemphigus.

Why are my cat's nails dark, black, or look like dried blood?

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