How to Treat a Dog's Ingrown Toenail

An ingrown toenail is very painful for a dog, and it occurs easily when their nails are not clipped regularly. The toenails grow so long that they curve under and begin to grow into the pad of the dog's paw. An ingrown toenail is a problem that should be taken care of immediately to avoid permanent damage to the dog's paw and leg. Read on to learn how to treat a dog's ingrown toenail.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Toenail clippers
• Peroxide
• Triple antibiotic ointment

1. Grasp the dog's paw firmly in your hand.

2. Locate the quick. This is the pink blood vessel that runs down the nail. Tilt the dog's paw if you need to so you can easily find the quick.

3. Cut the nail about two millimeters away from the quick using toenail clippers like humans use.

4. File the edge of the nail, if desired.

5. Allow the ingrown part of the toenail to fall out of the paw pad. If it does not fall out on it's own, grasp it with your fingers and gently but swiftly pull it out.

6. Clean the area with a solution of half peroxide and half water. Put triple antibiotic ointment on the area.

7. Wash the area with soap and water daily for three days to prevent infection. It may be necessary to wash the area more often if your dog's paws get dirty.

Tips & Warnings

• If you accidentally cut the quick and the nail starts to bleed, dip the nail in a shallow dish of corn starch to stop the bleeding. If the bleeding doesn't stop in five minutes, contact your veterinarian.
• Do not give the dog aspirin before you treat an ingrown toenail. Aspirin is a blood thinner and may cause the dog to bleed quickly if the quick is cut or if the paw pad bleeds.
• If you notice signs of infections such as oozing, redness and swelling, fever or a foul smell, immediately contact your veterinarian.