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My dog's nail is torn and bent at 90 degrees. What should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 10 months old | 64 lbs

My dog has torn his nail and it's bent to a 90 degree angle, it's not loose enough for me to pull off nor do I think it will fall off. There's no bleeding at the moment.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Rebecca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 10th, 2017

I would suggest a vet visit for Rev. These broken nails can be extremely painful. The vet office may sedate him and/or give pain meds then cut the nail flush to the paw pad. Many of these need a few days of pain medication as well. Be sure not give otc pain medications to dogs.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Stephanie Echols, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I'm sorry about Rev! The nail needs to be clipped off at the bend to prevent it from getting stuck on things. If it bleeds, anything powdered like corn starch or flour will stop the bleeding. You can then bandage it for 24 hours. If it's a toe that touches the ground he may need antibiotics to prevent infection. Good luck and kisses to Rev!

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    Answered By Dr. Davis

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    This can be painful. You can cut the nail shorter being careful not to cut the quick so the nail doesn't get caught on things until it gets lose enough to remove. Otherwise I recommend you take Rev to your veterinarian so they can trim it, or remove it and they may place it in a light bandage to protect the quick until it heals. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Rev.

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    Answered By Dr. Kristin DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 15th, 2018

    When we see this sort of injury the question is whether it is the nail that is broken, or the toe. If it is just the nail, the loose part can be trimmed off. Sometimes if it is still firmly attached this is done under sedation, as it will be painful and it will bleed. There are times we will wait for the nail to grow out some, and trim it off as it grows. If the toe itself is broken (this can be seen on an x-ray), then the toe can be straightened and bandaged. Most of the time we don't treat broken toes, but if it is crooked, it can lead to long-term issues and it will more easily be injured again in the future. Hopefully, this is only a nail, and not a big deal for Scrappy. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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