What To Do When Your Dog Breaks A Nail Mostly Through But Doednt Seem To Bug Him

Dog on woman's lap

Dr. Phil Zeltzman is a traveling, board-certified surgeon in Allentown, PA. His website is www.DrPhilZeltzman.com. He is the co-author of "Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound" (www.amazon.com).

Zee Mahmood, a veterinary technician in Reading, PA, contributed to this article.

When your canis familiaris has a swollen toe, it is piece of cake to underestimate the potential seriousness of this condition. Canis familiaris owners can sometimes write it off as a bug bite or something their dog has stepped on. However, the bloated toe can be a sign of something much more than serious. Cancerous tumors may initially present themselves as a swollen toe and should be diagnosed and treated as early on as possible for a positive issue.

Swollen toe ruddy flags
A swollen toe can cause limping or reluctance to walk due to pain. Normally, only one toe is affected. [Editor'south Note: If you lot see your domestic dog limping for any reason, visit the veterinarian.]

Cancerous tumors tin exist tricky as they may disguise themselves as a broken toenail. The tumor weakens the toenail and causes the smash to snap off without major trauma. Large-breed dogs (Labradors, Standard Poodles) and black-colored dogs are more likely to be affected past such tumors. Tumors of the toe are nigh commonly (but not ever) seen in dogs older than ten years.

How do veterinarians detect the cause of a swollen toe?
After performing a thorough test and blood work, your family veterinarian may recommend taking a sample of the swelling to check for the presence of malignant cells. The about important step in the diagnosis of a broken blast is 10-rays of the foot, which may reveal bone destruction in the toe. Further 10-rays tin show if cancer has spread to other body parts, such as the lungs.

How can a swollen toe plough fatal?
All of these diagnostic procedures volition help your veterinary pinpoint what may have caused your dog'south swollen toe. A cleaved toenail may simply be a broken toenail, or it may be a sign of something much worse beneath the surface:

Your dog'south swollen toe may be caused by an infection or a foreign body in the toe, such as a splinter, or more than rarely an insect bite or sting.
There may exist a fracture in the bone of the toe.
Nigh cancerous tumors, such as melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma, occur at the junction betwixt the toenail and the toe.
A minor lump may just be a wart or blister, only a like appearing nodule could very well be squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma is the about common type of tumor to affect a canis familiaris'southward toe. There is no known cause.
Melanoma is the same affliction known every bit skin cancer in humans, most often a result of excessive sun exposure. Although information technology is non known what causes this disease in dogs, it is cancerous and spreads quickly to other parts of the body including the lungs.
Less mutual cancers occur in the bone (osteosarcoma) or the cartilage (chondrosarcoma) of the toe.
Any of these conditions may present itself as a swollen toe, making it even more important to see your veterinarian early so that an advisable treatment plan can follow.

How is a swollen toe treated?
The handling plan recommended volition depend on the cause of the swollen toe. A simple infection will exist treated with antibiotics. Pain is treated with pain medications.

Aggressive tumors however crave a much more ambitious treatment. If the tumor is bars to the toe, the most successful treatment by far is surgical removal of the affected toe. Although this may sound farthermost to some, it is the all-time way to end the cancer from spreading. Fortunately, dogs recover well after toe amputation, especially if it is a "not-weight-bearing" toe. This term refers to the two outermost toes (similar to our pinky and alphabetize fingers), whereas the weight-bearing toes are the eye two (similar to our band and middle fingers).
Again, early detection is of utmost importance and then that surgical removal need not go further than the affected toe.

If the tumor has spread further than the toe itself, your veterinarian may besides recommend chemotherapy along with surgery, taking into account factors such as overall health, age, and quality of life. You lot may be referred to a veterinary surgeon for the surgery and a veterinary oncologist (a.k.a. cancer specialist) who can tailor a treatment plan specifically to your dog's needs.

What exercise I do after surgery for a swollen toe?
After surgery, your family unit veterinarian or your surgeon volition accept specific instructions for the mail service-op intendance of your dog. This volition include limited activity and very close observation, along with specific medications to aid in recovery. Limping or reluctance to walk is normal initially, and is before long overcome through slowly easing into normal activeness. Some veterinarians apply a splint or a bandage to protect and support the foot afterward surgery. In such cases, regular bandage changes volition be required.

What is the outcome of handling for a swollen toe?
The effect depends on the cause of the problem. A broken smash or an infection should resolve in a matter of days to weeks. A malignant tumor withal is typically aggressive, which is the reason why early diagnosis is then important.

So please don't fail a swollen toe in your domestic dog. Remember than early on diagnosis is critical.

Questions to ask your veterinarian:

Why is my dog's toe bloated?
How practice we treat it?
What will the outcome exist?

If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or phone call your veterinarian -- they are your best resources to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.

Reviewed on:

Wednesday, February xi, 2015