There are many different ways that a dog can actually break or crack its toenail. I have seen some dogs do this when they are out for their walk, but it does not happen that often. In some cases, it could just get clipped the wrong way. If you notice that your dog has a broken or cracked toenail you will need to take care of it right away.
The first thing that you will want to do is trim up the nail so that it is completely even. Sometimes a broken toenail could be fixed just by clipping the unbroken part. Or it could be that the nail is broken too far down, which can cause it to start bleeding. In order to stop the bleeding of the nail and ease your dog’s pain, you can try using a teabag. I have used this several times and it has worked just fine. Holding the tea bag on the broken nail until the bleeding stops helps your dog to feel better. Prior to trimming the nail or putting the tea bag on it, you will notice that your dog is a bit irritated. Don’t be surprised if they start fighting you and don’t want to be touched.
If they are a large dog you may need someone to help you hold them down while you stop the bleeding of the nail. Once you have stopped the bleeding you will want to make an appointment with the veterinarian. This is not something that you will want to wait on. A would like this will become infected if not treated properly. I would not recommend that you treat the broken nail entirely by yourself. Even if you don’t notice an infection in the nail area, it would be a good idea to take them to the veterinarian’s office anyway.
When transporting your dog to the veterinarian’s office you will want to help prevent infection in the broken nail by wrapping it with a little bit of gauze. This will help to keep any dirt from getting into the area. Remember that your dog will still probably be in a bit of pain and feel irritated. You may need to muzzle your dog so that they do not end up biting the veterinarian as they are trying to fix the broken fingernail. Remember that caring for a dog takes a lot of patience and work on the part of the owner.