Cracked toenail. Poor Hudson.
I want to rush him to emergency right now, but know it's not necessary. I do plan to call the vet first thing, and hopefully get him in for an appointment tomorrow. (I can't miss work, and have a meeting after school that is non negotiable, but should be able to take him in tomorrow evening.) My hubby says it will heal on its own and I should get over it. He says it just needs to be watched for infection. Of course that won't stop me from calling the vet. If HE says that, then I'll listen (yet I doubt that's what he'll say). Is there any merit to what my hubby says? Am I overreacting? I know it never hurts to get things looked at, but is this sort of thing something that can heal on its own? (I'll still call, no matter what, because that's who I am, but I am curious what you guys say.) |
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| How's he doing with it now? The concerns I would have would be bleeding(which you said was minimal), a crack/split that goes up the nail and may cause further damage, and any possible injury to the toe itself. It sounds like there is no dangling pieces of toenail - that needs to be trimmed off - and sometimes you need a vet to do that it you can't do it yourself. The nail can be superglued (or use human fake nail glue) together to prevent further splitting and let it grow out. Also potential for infection - from the ground or if he won't leave it alone and gnaws and licks at it - then a little dressing and vetwrap will do the trick. |
| Well I am glad I took him in. The split ran up the length of the nail, and the quick was now on the outside. No way to "repair" it so the nail had to be removed. Yuck. I asked about numbing it, but the vet said that would require jabbing a needle directly into the quick, so he took off the nail with a quick yank. Hudson didn't scream out, but it was obvious it hurt. The quick is basically intact, and he put an antibiotic ointment on it, and carefully wrapped it all up. We return in three days for a check and a dressing change. He said it will take about a month for a full recovery. It would not have healed on its own, and he would have at least permanently lost the nail as the quick was being compressed by the remaining nail. Poor puppy. He also ran the risk of losing a toe from infection...but he's on antibiotics now, so he's expected to be fine. It was a weird way to damage it, and apparently it was potentially a lot worse than the average broken toenail. So, why do I second guess myself? All day long I listened to my hubby's voice in my head telling me to cancel (and some well meaning coworkers too), yet clearly it was the right choice. And Hudson looks mighty handsome in his bright orange footie...he just hates the IV bag we have to put over it when he goes outside, to keep it clean and dry... |
Ouch!  The simplest things can be bad, hope all is on the mend for Hudson! |
| I'm soooo glad you went to the vet. Tiggy caught her toe on something, no idea what, last year and ended up with a nail bed infection. This is my post about treating it. http://forum.oes.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=28484&p=390916&hilit=nail+bed#p390916 It took ages and the foot baths twice a day were very time consuming. Tiggy did learn to get up on a grooming table really well though. Best of luck with Hudson's toe. Tiggy says to give him a friendly "get well" lick, she knows how much it hurts. |
| i should have read this before i posted guess i need to take dream in |
| Owwwwwwwwww!!! |
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