What Are the Treatments for a Broken Nail on a Dog's Paw?

Issues with a broken toenail on your dog can range from minor to severe. Dogs' toenails are comprised of the end of the toenail, which can be safely clipped, and the quick. The quick is made up of blood vessels and nerve fibers. When the quick is damaged, such as when a dog breaks a toenail or when the toenails are clipped too far back, bleeding and often pain will result.

  1. Minor Toenail Breaking Issues

    • If you notice that your dog's toenail becomes stuck such as in loose carpet threads, carefully remove the nail from the snag. Immediately inspect the toenail area. If only the end of the toenail was damaged, not the quick, clip or file the toenail to ensure no further snags occur. If the quick was damaged, immediately apply styptic powder (available at your pet supply store) to the area to stop the bleeding. If you don't have any available, corn starch can be used.

    Bleeding While Clipping

    • When clipping your dog's toenails, make sure that you have a set of clippers that you are comfortable with and that you understand dog toenail anatomy. If you do hit the quick and bleeding ensues, apply styptic powder (or corn starch if no styptic powder available) immediately.

    Continuous Bleeding

    • If bleeding does not stop after applying stypic powder, make sure that your dog is kept very quiet and still. Use another person to restrain if necessary. Apply a paper towel to the quick with firm pressure for a minute or two, then apply additional styptic powder. Once bleeding stops, keep your dog still for at least 20 minutes to make sure that the injury seals itself over.

    Major Breaks

    • If the toenail continues to bleed despite your continuous efforts with pressure and styptic powder (or 20 minutes of continuous bleeding), contact your veterinarian. She will need to properly treat and wrap the area. The same is true if your dog breaks its toenail on its own, such as while running outside, and bleeding doesn't stop.