Nails Falling Out

[Guest luvsql]

Starting in early August, Fred (7.5 year old male) started easily infuring his nails causing them to break/spit/bleed which required removal (2 back nails, 2 front nails). He's also had both dew claws come off.

 

I've been to the vet each time to have a nail cutoff, requiring sedation, meds etc. I've asked 3 different vets what is going on and was scared of cancer of something extremely serious.

 

He's currently being "treated" with medications associated with LUPOID ONYCHODYSTROPHY although he hasn't been officially diagnosed since it requires very invasive surgery to remove an entire toe. Meds are tetracycline, pentoxifylline, Omega 3, Vitamin B and Vitamin with every meal.

 

His nails are literally falling off and look so thin and brittle. He now has no nails on his front left paw. No bleeding happens and it doesn't seem to bother him. The quicks in the front are tiny, thin and white. The back one that came off that I didn't have removed, had a thicker, pinker quick exposed that was quite painful but has now healed. The front ones don't seem to have any nerve endings I'm guessing because it doesn't hurt him.

 

I try and keep socks on his feet at all times, put protection on my couches to prevent him from getting his nails stuck, but don't know what else to do. The sloughing off of nails from the systems of this disease definitely matches what's happening to him.

 

Has anyone else experienced these issues with nails? I can't seem to add attachments so can't send any pics.

 

Y

[KF_in_Georgia]

If you're on Facebook, go here: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=greyhounds%20with%20slo

 

If you're not on Facebook, it's worth joining just to get access to commenting in that group.

[Neighsayer]

That Facebook group has lots of good info. My Mickey had SLO. It gets better and easier to manage with time. He lost all his nails in about six months. Some never grow back and some grow twisted. Sometimes he would go for six months with only losing one or two. I never took him to the vet for removal after the first few. Much less bleeding over time. He hated having his foot wrapped, so I just used a light layer of glaze inside a baby sock for a day or two. The toe would be fine after that. Not life threatening, and not costly to manage. It did end his therapy dog career because he could lose a nail and bleed at any time. Not cool in a group of disabled kids. He was usually not in pain. Some of the meds can be reduced over time, but he continued on fish oil, vitamin E and niacinimide. Check out that group. Good luck. It gets better.

[Hubcitypam]

FWIW-
http://www.greythealth.com/toenails.html

[EllenEveBaz]

My experience was similar to Neighsayer's. After we got it under control with the regimen you listed, Scout would just lose 1 or 2 nails a year; the exposed red quick seemed to bother him just for a day or so after he shed the nail. Worst problem was keeping his nails trimmed because he (understandably) did not like them messed with. I found out by accident that he would let me cut his nails in the bathtub