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My dog's broken nail is swollen and into the quick. What to do? Cost?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Pomeranian | Female | spayed | 12 lbs

My dog had broken her toenail somehow, it isn’t bleeding but you can tell it is broken way down into the quick of her nail bed and it is swollen. What should I do at this point? How much would something like this cost to get treatment?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on March 15th, 2019

The only thing that can relieve this is to have the nail cut at the level of the break, this needs to be done by your vet. the cutting itself should not cost more than 20$ but in some cases it needs to be done under sedation which could cost 50-70$.

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    Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 28th, 2020

    Hello. Unfortunately, the only way to get this to start to heal is to clip the nail where it has broken. It will hurt, but once it is gone, your pup will actually feel much more comfortable. In my office, we clip really fast & then bandage the foot with an antibiotic cream that contains lidocaine. This numbs the nerve & allows things to heal quite nicely. While this is technically not an emergency, it is also a situation that you do not want to ignore, either. Most veterinary clinics are open to some degree. They may not allow pet parents into the hospital, but will meet you in the parking lot to take your pet inside for treatment. I would start calling around to see who is available to help with this. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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