My dog's nail bent back, exposing the quick. What should I do?

One of our biggest concerns with a broken nail where the quick is exposed is that the dog will infect the area by licking it. In order to prevent that, I will sometimes recommend an e-collar or a having the dog wear a bootie to prevent licking. Some owners decide to bandage the area, but you have to be very careful to keep the bandage clean and dry or it will worsen an infection. If a dog has already licked a quick, I will usually recommend soaking the foot in Epsom Salts (following the instructions on the box for making it up) for 5 minutes then just drying it well. Some dogs are so painful that they will not leave a quick alone and will require pain medications. If at any time the quick is red or has a discharge or odor, then it might be infected and your veterinarian should examine it. The nail should regrow normally and should not need further treatment after that. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Sunny heals quickly. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! If you can remove the nail that is remaining, I would. You can cut the quick, too, if needed. If it bleeds, thickly apply something powdered, like corn starch or flour, to clot the blood. Then place a bandage over the nail for no longer than 24 hours. You MUST take the bandage off in 24 hours and do not place it tightly. If Rex is licking the area, he could cause an infection, so monitor for any swelling, discharge, or redness until the new nail grows. You can also soak the paw in an Epsom salt bath to soothe the area (make sure it is dry before applying the bandage). I cannot stress enough that he cannot wear the bandage longer than 24 hours. Good luck and kisses to Rex!

The red area of the nail that was exposed is known as the quick and can be very sensitive. It typically has new nail growth over it within a few days. I recommend getting your dog a cone (most pet stores have them or “donuts” that go around the neck) to prevent licking or chewing of the bandage. You should have the nail rechecked by your vet to determine if the bandage can be removed completely or needs to be replaced within a few days.

Ouch Poor Max! Since the quick is exposed and raw, then yes I would recommend to have it repair by your vet. Your vet may recommend sedation so they can cut the toenail back and bandage it. They will likely also send home a pain medicine and antibiotics. I would also put a cone collar on him to prevent licking. If left untreated, it can become infected and travel into his bone on that toe. I have actually have to amputate toes in the past if they get bad enough. I hope this helps!

Ouch poor Rayne. It looks like the quick is exposed. I would put a little bit of Neosporin on it, then bandage it. Make sure the bandage isn't too tight, and I'd put a cone on her to keep her from licking the bandage. You can make one at home or buy one at a pet store. Put a sock over the bandage when you take her outside to protect it, and change the bandage daily. Monitor it for signs of infection. If you see redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, then it is infected and she will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it. If she starts limping, it means its painful to her and she will need to see a vet. I hope this helps!

Ouch! Ideally, she should be seen by your veterinarian to remove the nail and address the paw. It will likely be painful, so sedation may be necessary. A bandage may be applied after the area is cleaned. Antibiotics and pain medications may also be indicated. Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent licking until she sees the doctor.

I would recommend doing a light bandage wrap of the area using cast padding and an elastic bandage for now. Then in the morning have a professional take a look at it. They will have to cut the nail pretty much all the way down to where it is bent, this will cause some bleeding and mild-moderate temporary discomfort, which they can then apply the appropriate anti-coagulant, typically Quik-stop, to the area and wrap it for a couple of days until the area is no longer painful.. If there is significant swelling of the nail base then they may prescribe anti-inflammatories.

Ouch, poor Rupert! The quick itself should be left alone, but it appears in the picture that there is a long skinny piece of tissue or retained nail on the inner aspect of the quick. If that's the case, it will need to be trimmed back. If you're comfortable taking care of this yourself, you can trim that part back with a dog nail clippers (make sure you are comfortable with what you're doing and know what should and should not be trimmed - do NOT trim the quick itself as that would be very painfu for Rupert!). You can apply a gob of neosporin over the quick, and it may be helpful to cover that area with a clean sock for a few days, as the quick will be very tender, and will bleed easily. If you're not confident to do this yourself, bring Rupert in to the vet and they'll trim back any remaining nail tissue, and will likely apply medicated ointment and place a soft bandage. Monitor Rupert's nail bed over the coming week or two and make sure it is not getting red, swollen, or having

One of our biggest concerns with a broken nail where the quick is exposed (bleeding) is that the dog will infect the area by licking it. In order to prevent that, I will sometimes recommend an e-collar or a having the dog wear a bootie to prevent licking. Some owners decide to bandage the area, but you have to be very careful to keep the bandage clean and dry or it will worsen an infection. If a dog has already licked a quick, I will usually recommend soaking the foot in Epsom Salts (following the instructions on the box for making it up) for 5 minutes then just drying it well. Some dogs are so painful that they will not leave a broken nail alone and will require pain medications. I do not recommend removing the nail at home because it will be very painful. The nail will fall off on its own if the blood supply has been damaged. If at any time the nail or quick is red or has a discharge or odor, then it might be infected and your veterinarian should examine it. If the nail falls

That one will likely need to be clipped past the split to alleviate the pressure and pain. Because doing that can be painful and typically requires a bandage for the bleeding, your vet needs to do it so they can use sedation to control the pain! If it is not bleeding you can wait until the morning for your vet to open