Why are my dog's nails injured and getting worse? Is it an infection?

Question

Lately I've noticed that my dogs nails seem to be getting worse, although I'm not sure what the problem may be. He had a problem with his "hang nails" and the vet extracted them, but following this, it's been a few months and I've noticed that three other nails seem to be injured. I can't figure out why and whether this is an infection or not, but he used to constantly lick them (now he'll only do it about once a day). Sorry that it's hard to tell from photos but some of the nails are pointed. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | unneutered | 7 years and 6 months old | 18 lbs

Silvia De Cecco, DVM, MRCVS · Accepted Answer

Considering the pictures you uploaded, the main differentials to be considered are infective (bacterial or fungal) and immune-mediated diseases. A nail sample should be ideally taken for analysis and a treatment trial (based on antibiotics to start with) should be prescribed by your local veterinarian. A buster collar would be ideal to avoid further licking/chewing. Do not hesitate to post again on the forum or request a consultation if you would like to discuss it any further.

Why are my dog's nails injured and getting worse? Is it an infection?

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