My Dog Split a Nail: Vet-Approved Signs, Treatment, Prevention & FAQ

If your dog breaks a toenail, it can be a pretty traumatic event for both of you. Sometimes there may be a large amount of bleeding that can be difficult to stop, and other times the nail will be pointing in the wrong direction or hanging by a thread. This situation can be very painful for your pup.

There are a lot of ways your dog can split their nail, from getting it caught in crevices to digging in the mud. Whatever the cause, you need to know the steps you should take if this happens to your dog. No matter what, don’t forget to consult your vet for their expertise!

Signs of a Broken or Split Toenail

There are a few telltale signs that your dog has succumbed to a nail injury. These signs will help you determine the severity, which nail(s) are affected, and whether home remedies or veterinary assistance are necessary.

What To Do If Your Dog Has A Split Nail

1. Restrain Your Dog

A split toenail can be extremely painful for your dog, so before you do anything, you need to get your dog safely restrained and give it some comfort if it will allow you.  If your dog is becoming aggressive due to the pain, a muzzle is a good option for keeping you safe while managing your dog’s split nail. If you have someone else around, they can help you restrain the dog so you can get a good look at the nail. If your dog is in too much pain and you fear that they may bite you or hurt themselves further, then you should take them to the vet as soon as possible.

2. Control Any Bleeding

Dogs have an area in the center of the nail known as the quick.  This area contains the blood vessel and the nerve that supplies this part of the claw.  Because of this, broken toenails that damage the quick can lead to bleeding that can be difficult to stop. You need to first get the bleeding under control so you can get a good look at the broken nail.

Styptic powder is available at pet stores and can be applied directly to the bleeding area to help slow or stop the bleeding. If you don’t have any, flour or cornstarch can be applied.

You may need to hold pressure on the bleeding area, with some recommendations being to hold pressure for 10 minutes without removing pressure.

3. Evaluate the Nail

Once the bleeding is under control, you need to thoroughly evaluate the split nail. Note where the nail is broken, how connected or not connected the nail still is, and any other noteworthy things, like swelling, redness, or the presence of pus.

4. Call Your Vet

After thoroughly assessing your dog’s broken nail, you should contact your vet before you do anything else. In most cases, the broken nail will need to be removed. Some people opt to do this at home if there is no bleeding i.e the split in the nail hasn’t involved the quick.  However,  this process can be painful and may cause more bleeding to occur if done incorrectly.  The safest and overall best option is to have your vet do the procedure in their office. They can not only manage the pain but can dress the wound if needed and provide any necessary medications to take home.

5. Prevent Infection

Because the quick is an open blood vessel that may have been damaged when a nail is split, there is a risk of infection. The nail bed connects directly to the bone in your dog’s foot, and any infection that isn’t caught early can risk infecting the bone or getting into your dog’s bloodstream.

Don’t apply antibiotic ointments at home without consulting your vet first, but it is important that you keep the exposed quick clean and safe while it heals. In some cases, your dog may need their foot to be bandaged for a few days. It can be extremely easy to apply a dressing to the foot too tightly or in a way that will constrict proper blood flow, so you should consult your vet before doing this at home, or have them do it in their office.

Make sure to talk to your vet about their recommendations for dressing changes. Leaving a dressing on too long can also increase the risk of infection.

Keep the foot clean and dry during the healing process, and don’t let your dog lick or chew at the tender area. They may need to wear a cone for a few days to protect their wound.

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6. Reduce Pain

Never give pain medications at home without your veterinarian’s guidance. There are many over-the-counter and prescription medications that can be dangerous and deadly for dogs, so you should never give any medications at home without talking to your vet first. Your vet may prescribe a dog-safe pain medication for them to take for a few days, but there are other things you can do to help manage pain at home.

Avoid activities that might irritate the damaged nail, like running, jumping, or hiking. Provide your dog with lots of rest, and if your dog is extremely active, they may need to be under crate rest for a couple of days.

Prevention

The best thing you can do to keep your dog from breaking their toenails is to keep their nails properly trimmed. Excessively long toenails are at the highest risk of breaking. If you can’t trim your dog’s nails at home or you’re afraid that you’ll cut them too short, then you should have a groomer or your veterinary nurse trim the nails for you.

Some dogs may break their nails during physical activity, like running or hiking. This is often unavoidable if the nails are short. If you have a working dog, you should check their feet daily to ensure they haven’t broken any nails during their workday.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Split Toenail an Emergency?

If your dog splits their toenail during the weekend or on a holiday, should you consider this an emergency that should be seen immediately? The good news is that this is not considered a true emergency, but it is an urgent issue that should be addressed as soon as possible since it is painful and has a risk of infection.

If you’ll be able to get your dog to a vet within about 24 hours, then you will be ok to keep an eye on the nail for the time being. You should clean your dog's foot with a saltwater solution and ensure you keep the foot clean.  Don’t walk your dog on grass in order to avoid mud and moisture, and prevent your dog from licking its paw.  If you can’t get the bleeding to stop, you see signs of infection, or your dog seems extremely painful, then you need to have them seen urgently.

Keep in mind that while your dog likely just got their nail caught or stepped on it wrong, there are several nail disorders that could be the cause of brittle nails. Your vet will be able to determine if any of these are the cause.

Will the Removed Toenail Grow Back?

Yes, a broken toenail that has been removed will grow back, even if it’s removed from the nail bed. There are rare occasions in which the nail bed is too damaged to allow new nail growth, but this is usually not the case.

You can expect your dog’s toenail to be grown back enough to cover the quick again within a few weeks. It will take weeks, sometimes even months, for the nail to return to its full length, though.

In Conclusion

Sometimes, a broken nail is inevitable, but you can reduce the risk of your dog breaking any of their toenails significantly by keeping their nails trimmed to an appropriate length. Long nails are the most commonly broken nails. Split toenails can be extremely painful and can risk infection for your dog, so do everything you can to prevent them. If your dog does manage to break a nail, try to respond promptly, and reach out to your vet for guidance. See also:

• Do Dogs’ Toenails Fall Off? Vet-Verified Causes & Prevention Tips

• How to Treat a Broken Dog Nail in 8 Steps

Featured Image Credit: ulisesbeviglia, Unsplash