Toenail Loss...

[Guest lauri]

Miles has a toenail, (left back foot, outside toenail to be exact), that he keeps ripping out. After the first time it grew back pointing outward and he obviously keeps snagging it when he runs or does whatever and rips it out. This is the 4th time this has happened.

 

Today we came home with bloody footprints all through the house and our bed is covered in blood. He nests, so it's in and out of the bed. He's fine though, and we've never taken him to the vet when this happened as he licks it and it heals on it's own. He's not even limping. We've tried in the past to cover it, but as a dog does he licks it clean.

 

So what I need to know:

 

Does anyone know of a way to prevent that dang nail from growing out? Even if it's clipped, it still sticks out in such way that it gets snagged. I'd LOVE to have this not happen again, but as long as that nail grows out all askew, seems it'll happen again.

[NeylasMom]

Bumping as I have much sympathy these days for toe injuries. I seem to remember seeing some posts about this recently so hopefully someone can chime in.

 

Does he tend to only snag it when running? The only thing I can think to do is to wrap that foot (pad with cotton b/w the toes then wrap with vet wrap before letting him run), but I'm sure he'd find that awkward. I do know you can do just a toenail amputation, but it depends on how serious the problem is becoming whether you'd want to consider that. Do you have a track vet in your area? You might have better success with one.

 

Good luck!

[Guest lauri]

No track vet nearby, and as far as running he does it randomly in the back yard. He's a very young 8 year old and plays A LOT so I'm assuming this is when he loses it.

 

I never knew he could have a toenail amputation. Sounds a bit extreme, but if it's going to be an ongoing problem...like I said this is the fourth time and we've had him four years +.

 

Heck! I figured eventually the thing wouldn't grow back again, but it has every time! Actually I won't see a nail for a good 6 months from now - takes that long for it to grow back.

 

Any more ideas on the toenail issue?

 

By the way...Miles the nester had apparently pulled the covers DOWN off the bed and bled all inside the bed as well as on the top. My side of the bed when I fixed the covers looked like a murder scene!

 

But he's fine and happy this morning and has no limp.

[MarcR]

...I do know you can do just a toenail amputation...

 

Would that be similar to what they do to declaw a cat?

[GeorgeofNE]

Have you considered buying him one of those TheraPaw boots to wear?

 

 

[Ragsysmum]

My girl has a front paw claw which grows at an odd angle also....is it called a sprung toe? The nail doesn't touch the ground like the others so tends to grow longer if I don't keep on top of filing it back. She has broken/torn it out a couple of times, licked it clean and it grows back in 5-6 months at the same odd angle again. Personally, although the mess from the bleeding is a nuisance if you don't spot the damage before the hound gets indoors, I would not have any treatment/ surgery to this. If it does not bother the hound, affect his gait, cause pain etc. I would leave well alone. Surgery could possibly result in some other effect on the rest of his foot and you could end up with more damage and pain than your hound has from this periodic claw breaking.

Edited August 14, 2007 by Ragsysmum

[Guest CyndiW]

One of my boys has SLO which cause frequent toenail loss and lots of blood through the house. (He is a nester too so often when he has a bleeding toe and we don't realize it yet, he makes his way into our bed and manages to make quite a mess.) SLO usually eventually affects all the toenails or at least it does Stevie's. As far as keeping it from snagging, I often use a file on the ones that grow out really crooked and it does help keep them under control. I would probably try to avoid surgery. We sometimes take him to the vet to have the toenail "pulled" when he gets one that justs hangs and bleeds but doesn't want to fall off on its own. She does it so fast and he is always relieved to have it off.

[Guest lauri]

My girl has a front paw claw which grows at an odd angle also....is it called a sprung toe? The nail doesn't touch the ground like the others so tends to grow longer if I don't keep on top of filing it back. She has broken/torn it out a couple of times, licked it clean and it grows back in 5-6 months at the same odd angle again. Personally, although the mess from the bleeding is a nuisance if you don't spot the damage before the hound gets indoors, I would not have any treatment/ surgery to this. If it does not bother the hound, affect his gait, cause pain etc. I would leave well alone. Surgery could possibly result in some other effect on the rest of his foot and you could end up with more damage and pain than your hound has from this periodic claw breaking.

 

 

I guess you're right. I really wouldn't want to go to extreme measures as it really seems to not bother him much. At least we have a few good months on that toe.

[Batmom]

As soon as it starts growing back, start dremeling or filing it so it stays 1/8" long. Twice a week would probably be good.

[GreyAcresMom]

As soon as it starts growing back, start dremeling or filing it so it stays 1/8" long. Twice a week would probably be good.

 

Great idea. Batmom, you are 'd bomb!!

[Guest lauri]

As soon as it starts growing back, start dremeling or filing it so it stays 1/8" long. Twice a week would probably be good.

 

Great idea. Batmom, you are 'd bomb!!

 

Yep!!! I guess this'll be the most practical thing to do. Luckily he just snoozes when I do his nails. Usually I just use a big dog toenail clipper and then 'shape' them with a manicurists file that would be used to grind down acrylic nails. He really could care less when I do this!

 

I don't yet have a dremel; but I suppose the results will be the same.

 

Thanks for the ideas!

 

In fact...if your pup screams while using the Dremel tool, myabe this would be an alternative Idea as those files are pretty tough! Just go into a 'Sally's Beauty' and find (or ask) for an acryli nail file.