Broken nails are terrible! Just ask anyone who like to keep thiers nice and long and pretty! However, on our pets they can be a bit more of an issue than with our own nails. Dog’s and cat’s nails are made of the same protein, keratin, as our own nails, so they can break in some similar ways. The big difference is that while our nails grow on top of our quicks and have no nerve endings, on our animals the nails grows around the quick and they have a lot of nerve endings under them!
It is very important to remember that if your pet has broken a nail from vigorous activity (or you don’t know how it happened), all the way down to the quick or you see blood coming from your pets nail you should seek care from a veterinarian as soon as possible. A nail that is bleeding is a big risk for infection and your pet may need to be sedated in order to properly fix the nail. If there is a lot of bleeding you can put gentle pressure on the nail with a soft cloth or towel and go immediately to the nearest veterinary hospital.
Less worrisome nail bleeding happens when we are trimming our pets nails at home or they come home from the groomer and the nail is bleeding a very small amount. Small amounts of blood from nail trimming can be stopped by using a styptic powder, this helps stop the blood by forcing the blood vessels to constrict. Other items you can use to help stop small amounts of blood from nail trims include cornstarch and flour, yes baking flour! A bar of soap can work well too. These don’t work as well as styptic powder, but are able to create a barrier to keep blood from seeping out.
Once you have the styptic powder (or other barrier) on their nail it is important to not let your pet lick it off as this will remove any clot that has formed and the bleeding may start all over again.
If you are not sure if your pet has a broken nail behaviors to look for include:
- Favoring a paw by holding it in the air and not wanting to walk on it
- Limping or not putting weight on a paw while walking
- Blood on your pet’s bedding
- Constant licking of the paw
- A visibly swollen paw or toe
- Resistance when you try to look at the paw or toe
While your pet will likely break a nail at some point in their life, you can lessen the severity by making sure to keep your pets nails trimmed nice a short, especially the dew claws (the nails on the side of their feet). Dog and cat nails should be trimmed every 2-3 weeks depending on how fast your pet’s nails grow. You can trim their nails on your own at home or you can ask your groomer or a veterinary professional to complete a nail trim for you!
Be sure to check out all our favorite dog nail and cat nail products!
Author: Cheryl Miller, RVT, CVBL, FFCP (Veterinary), VCC
If you’d like to schedule an appointment or discuss nail-related issues for your pet, please call or text us at (843) 966-3362. You can also schedule an appointment online. You can also schedule a virtual appointment directly with Cheryl here.
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References:
- American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). “Make Foot Health a Regular Part of Your Working Dog Exams!” Highlights the importance of regular nail trims, including managing broken nails, and emphasizes maintaining foot health to prevent injuries. Available at: https://www.aaha.org/newstat/publications/make-foot-health-a-regular-part-of-your-working-dog-exams/.
- DVM360. “Managing Pain in Dogs with Nail Injuries.” Discusses pain management strategies for dogs with broken nails, including the use of sedatives and pain medications during treatment to ensure comfort and proper healing. Available at: https://www.dvm360.com.
- PetMD. “First Aid for Broken Nails on Dogs.” Explains how to handle broken or bleeding nails by cleaning the area, applying pressure to stop bleeding, and determining whether veterinary intervention is needed based on the severity of the injury. Available at: https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/first-aid-broken-nails-dogs.
- AAHA/AAFP Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats (2015). “Pain Management for Nail Injuries.” A comprehensive guide emphasizing the importance of pain control during treatment of injuries like broken nails to ensure optimal recovery outcomes. Available at: http://www.aaha.org/wp-content/uploads/globalassets/02-guidelines/pain-management/painmgmt_booklet.pdf.