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My dog's nail is broken and pulled back. Does she need a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 11 months and 28 days old | 22 lbs

My dog has caught her nail and pulled it back. It looks so painful. It’s not bothering her anymore and has stopped bleeding but what can I do?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on January 28th, 2018

Poor Pearl! You will need to take her to the vet so that they can cut the nail off where it is broken. Otherwise it may be painful for her, become infected or bleed a lot when it does come off. Do not attempt to cut it at home as it will bleed and the vet can stop this. The vet will also likely give her pain relief and maybe an antibiotic. They may bandage the paw.

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    Answered By Claudia Fioravanti

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 15th, 2022

    Hi there, there is no need to have the claw checked over at this present time as the bleeding has stopped and there is no evidence of oozing or infection. I would recommend to keep an eye on the area, to make sure it’s clean and not bleeding and to prevent her from grooming it by using a buster or inflatable collar. Hope this helps ! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach !

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