Toe Nail Growing

[tornadosgirl]

Finn had what we thought was a bad left shoulder muscle pull a few weeks ago. He had xrays so we could make sure he had no breaks or arthritis. Xrays looked great.

 

This morning I noticed that his left toe is growing at an odd angle to his foot. He had lost this toe nail about a year ago- we don't know exactly how or when, it was just missing one day.

 

We'll be taking him to the vet for a look at it, but I was wondering if anyone else had ever seen toe nails at an odd angle or know if anything can or should be done about it. I'm also wondering if it wasn't his shoulder after all, but pain from this toe nail angle.

 

I'm pasting photos of his left toe nail (the odd one) and the right toe nail (good one) for comparison.

 

 

Edited October 8, 2010 by tornadosgirl

[JAJ2010]

I wonder if he could have a dislocated toe?

[tornadosgirl]

I never even thought of that. Thanks. I'll have to ask them that, when we see them.

[Guest Gert]

Looks just like Flower's did.

 

She ripped her toenail out one night, running in the yard. When it grew back, it looked exactly like that.

 

Word of caution, with it growing at that angle and sticking out, it's likely to get broken off again (if your guy is really active). Flower is currently nailess on that toe, as she ripped it off again, running with her brother.

 

If her grows back in crooked again, I plan to try to dremel it on one side to force it to go straight (we'll see if that works).

[KF_in_Georgia]

I'm a dog groomer and I occasionally see "eccentric" toenails on clients.

 

Keep an eye on the nail. It probably won't wear down properly when he walks, so it may need more maintenance than Finn's other nails.

 

Other than that issue, I haven't known the eccentric nails to be a problem for their owners.

[Saharasmom]

Coltrane lost a nail & it grew back sticking out sideways. I just cut it really short so it doesn't bump into anything. The quick is shorter than on any of his other nails so he doesn't care how much I cut off it. He's had the sideways nail for about a year with no ill effects.

[tornadosgirl]

We took Finn to the vet this a.m. There is no dislocation of the toe and no issues with the toenail. The vet trimmed the nail back quite a bit and suggested we just watch it.