Treatments for a Dog's Split Nail

Much like humans, it's not uncommon for dogs to accidentally break or split nails. Whether the dog had an accident on its own or its claws were clipped too short, take the necessary steps to treat this painful occurrence.

  1. Symptoms

    • Before treating your dog, ensure that a split nail is really the problem. In most cases, a dog will yelp, vocalizing when the injury occurs, and limping may follow depending on the severity. You may notice bleeding or a visibly crooked nail. Often, a dog will lick the hurt nail; there may be swelling in the affected paw.

    Treatment

    • Depending on the severity of the injury, bleeding may occur at the site of the split; try to clean off the blood. Your dog may resist you handling its paw. Because a split nail is painful for your dog, see your veterinarian regardless of how badly the nail is split. Veterinarians typically remove the damaged piece of nail, requiring local anesthesia and often prescription medications to assist the dog with post-surgical pain.

    Post-Surgical Follow-Up

    • During the first day after treatment, it is common for mild bleeding to occur at the site of the dog's injury and there may be swelling in the toe. The swelling and pain will cease in the next 48 hours, though it may take weeks for the nail to grow back. In the event that post-surgical symptoms continue longer than the expected two days, contact your veterinarian for further assistance.

    Prevention

    • Though you can't fully prevent your dog from having accidents that cause split nails, you can take precautions against the additional risk factors. Overgrown nails in need of grooming are much more susceptible to splitting than the nails of a dog that is groomed regularly. Additionally, dogs with weak nails and glandular conditions are more susceptible to splitting nails. In rare cases, a tumor growing in the dog's toe is another reason for more easily split nails.