Stripped toenail...pull/clip or leave?

[ckraham]

Hi, good morning. One of my Salukis has caught and stripped one of her front nails, which are talons (she doesn't let me cut them and with having recently done hospice for another dog, the two long-mail girls did not get to the vet for their nails tp be trimmed). I have to get a dental procedure today so cannot bring her to vet this am. Breeder said that she will take care of it and pull it off. I gave arnica and hypericum last night, and hypericum this am.In your experience, can they safely be left to pull them off? She is an Iranian import that comes from a long line of "self-mending"village dogs and in Iran they would just leave the dog to take care of things, but here if there is an option to have it pulled off, is it better or worse? And how long can I wait (since I have dental procedure for a crown this am and don't know how log it will even take to get non-emergency vet appointment). She is such a sensitive dog who already hates her nails touched so also cannot imagine her loving someone yanking the nail out, but also don't want her in prolonged pain/discomfort etc. I applied colloidal silver gel the the area.

Regardless, I will be making appointment for both girls to get their nails done soon as I can

Thank you
Cassandra

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Cassandra-

if there is an option to have it pulled off, is it better or worse? And how long can I wait (since I have dental procedure for a crown this am and don't know how log it will even take to get non-emergency vet appointment).

Sorry about your pup's nails. If it is shredded (vs. broken) your vet may decide to just leave it.

If the nail isn't actively bleeding then this probably does not require an ER visit, but definitely schedule time for your vet to take a look.

Perhaps also take some pictures of her nails and see if the vet will look at them today or tomorrow (and also feel free to post those pictures in this thread).

How's your pup's BEAM (despite her shredded nails)?

 

[ckraham]

Hi, I ended up taking her in; the nail was badly shredded and they needed a pliers to yank it and light sedation. They said to keep it wrapped three days and gave me a seven day course of slightly under dosed Clavamox-- any ideas about the Clavamox? This is a holistic vet that prescribed it...usually I do homeopathy and colloidal silver or soak, but maybe this is because it has to stay wrapped three days?

 

[GinnyW]

Were it I, I would depend on Hypericum to obviate infection as well as deal with pain, keeping up the 30c dosing once a day or maybe twice....Antibiotics just slow healing IMO.

 

[ckraham]

Any ideas on how long before my dog's toenail will grow back? She has been licking it non stop since stripping it about 10-12 days ago. I have given hypericum and in the beginning I gave arnica, but it shows no sign of growing back and all she does is ick, even overnight. I have been spraying with colloidal silver and today I will soak the foot in salty water. Breeder said to let her take care of it (to lick it), which she is, but I fear she isn't getting enough sleep or able to relax. No limping and appetite and energy are normal, but she seems to have become obsessed with the foot