There will always be a need for vets. That idea, plus my huge love of animals, has led me down the path of becoming a veterinarian. I have not graduated from my course yet, but the reason behind this blog is to share my learning journey. I intend to write blog posts on subjects like the veterinarian education path, my thoughts on whether to be a general or specialist vet and how I wish to use alternative treatments like acupuncture in my practice. If you too have a love of animals and want to make this your job, then my blog will be interesting to you.
Nail Disorders In Dogs
Just like humans, dogs can get sore feet and can develop health problems with their nails. Nail disorder is a term that encompasses any health problems related to your dog's nails. A nail disorder can make walking painful and pain can radiate from the affected claw to the surrounding soft tissue of your dog's foot. If your dog has a weakened immune system they can be more susceptible to developing a nail disorder, but the problem can also develop due to an infection, trauma or cutting their nails down to the nailbed. Read on to learn about the symptoms and treatment approach for nail disorder in dogs.
Nail Disorder Symptoms
There are a number of signs to be aware of that could indicate your dog has a nail disorder. These signs include mail discolouration, swelling on the pads around the nails and continuous paw licking. Your dog's nails may also turn upwards and appear brittle. These symptoms can leave your dog feeling reluctant to run around and play, and they may become socially withdrawn or irritable if you try to touch their paw.
Diagnosing And Treating Nail Disorders
Your vet will diagnose your dog by examining the affected paw and taking their health history into account. If the vet doesn't think trauma is to blame, they will take blood samples and a skin scraping for analysis to try and determine the cause of your dog's nail disorder. Blood tests can help diagnose bacterial infection, immune system problems and raised inflammatory markers, while a skin scraping can help establish whether your dog has a fungal infection.
Your vet will recommend a treatment approach based on the established cause of your dog's problem. Your dog may benefit from an antimicrobial foot soak, or they may require antibiotics or antifungals. In severe cases, your dog may need to have their affected nails surgically removed. Doing this can enable the tissue around the nail to heal, and having nails removed shouldn't have a negative impact you're your dog. During treatment try to limit your dog's physical activity, as this will support their healing and allow any inflammation to come down. After treatment, your vet may want to carry out a foot exam on your dog to ensure their nails and paw pads are healthy.
If your dog is showing any of the signs associated with a nail disorder, seek prompt treatment for them to prevent unnecessary pain and discomfort. For more information, contact a vet near you.