Dog Quick Exposed – How to Provide a Treatment?

Dog Quick Expose how to treat it

Oh no! Your pup hurt himself again and he is coming to you limping.

You inspect the leg and notice the problem.

He broke a nail and got the dog quick exposed.

So, what to do?

 

Remove any dangling piece of nail carefully without affecting the exposed quick. Dab the wound gently with warm water before applying styptic powder (or cornstarch) to the affected area to stop any bleeding. Close the wound to prevent any infection and monitor it for a few days as it heals. 

 

Dogs break their nails when playing, running or scratching at something.

This often happens when the nails are overgrown and become exposed.

 

In many cases, the nail grows back without affecting the dog’s quality of life.

But when the nail breaks exposing the quick, it is a whole different story.

 

What is a dog quick?

parts of dog nails
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A dog’s claw comprises the outer shell and the inner cuticle.

The cuticle holds the nerves and blood capillaries that make up the “quick”.

 

One way to tell if the quick is exposed is when blood comes out of the broken nail.

And as you guessed it, it can be excruciating for your dog.

 

Dog quick exposed – How do you treat it?

The first step is to carefully examine the broken nail.

Do you notice any blood oozing out?

If yes, then the poor pup has split its nail to the quick.

 

1. Examine the paw

Take a clean cloth and gently dab at the nail, for a few minutes, to stop the bleeding.

Slowly raise the paw to examine how badly hurt your pup is.

If the wound is just at the tip of the quick, there will be less bleeding.

 

For this next step, you might want to muzzle or retrain your dog’s head from moving.

Canines don’t like pain and if the slightest touch on the paw is excruciating, they can nip at you to stop.

With the dog restrained, start by checking for dangling nail pieces.

 

2. Cut any dangling nail

Cut any dangling nail without affecting the quick.

This prevents any further pain or bleeding on the paw.

Sterilize the wound with warm water mixed with pet antiseptic.

Be careful not to inflict pain on the poor pup.

 

3. Stop the bleeding

If bleeding continues, you have to stop it.

One way is to use styptic powder which contains Benzocaine and Ferric subsulfate.

 

Benzocaine is synthetic anesthesia that eases pain by numbing the sensory nerves on the quick.

Ferric subsulfate is a coagulant that helps stop the bleeding.

 

 

Caution

Styptic powder stings when applied on any wound. Ensure your dog is well restrained to prevent further harm.

 

 

4. Dress up the wound

Close the wound by gently wrapping a bandage around the paw.

Do not apply pressure while doing it to prevent your dog from yelping in pain.

Also, dressing the wound loosely ensures the bandage does not stick to the wound once it dries up.

 

5. Monitor the paw for a few days

At this point, the wound is successfully sterilized and closed up to prevent any infection.

Continue observing the nail as it heals.

Change the dressing where need be.

If you are lucky, the quick will heal up on its own without the need for involving a vet.

 

But you notice any of the following, you have to rush your dog to the vets;

  • Swelling of the affected paw
  • Puss oozing out of the wound
  • Increasing pain
  • Blood mixed with puss

At this point, the wound is infected and needs to be medically addressed.

Also, if your dog shows any signs of vomiting or diarrhea when the wound is still fresh, rush them to a vet immediately.

 

VIDEO: How to Stop Dog Nail Bleeding

 

 

Dog quick exposed – How to prevent it?

Your dog is bound to break a nail or two at some point in life.

Whenever this happens, carry out the first-aid tips we gave to prevent infection and quicken healing.

 

But is it possible to prevent your dog from breaking a nail and exposing the quick?

Yes, one way to do this is to trim your dog’s nails. Dog nails tend to overgrow if not regularly trimmed.

 

 

Long nails can easily get caught on something and become partially torn off or split. This is very painful for your dog

-Jenna Stregowski, RVT, thesprucepets.com

 

 

Also, dog nails tend to curl inwards when left to overgrow.

This can cause several problems in your dog like;

  • Difficulty walking
  • Painful sores when nails curve and pierce foot pad
  • Unsightly paw nails

As you groom your dog’s coat, get in the habit of trimming its nails too.

You can do this with a sharp nail trimmer bought from a pet store.

Never use a dull trimmer as it shreds the nail leading to breakage.

 

How to trim your dog’s nail

  1. Ensure you are both in a comfortable position
  2. Start with one paw and work your way through each nail
  3. As you cut the nail, ensure you do not cut deep into the quick. In white paw nails, the quick is the area at the base of the nail with a pinkish color
  4. For dogs with black nails, the process is harder. A safe way to trim black nails is to cut the par that is half to an inch from the nail base.
  5. If you nip the quick, do not worry. Apply styptic powder or cornstarch to stop bleeding

Regularly filing your dog’s nails is a great alternative to trimming.

Also, if your dog gets stubborn during nail trimming, let them be.

It is best to take them to a vet to get the nails professionally trimmed.

 

VIDEO: Trimming Your Dogs Nails – DIY Dog Grooming

 

 

Dog Nail Separated from Quick

dog's quick

 

But what if your dog’s quick exposed but not bleeding? What do you do?

 

If your dog nail separated from quick not bleeding, then you are probably looking for a way to treat it. The key is to get clotted blood out of the quick and into the nail bed.

 

A broken dew claw quick exposed means that it prevents new blood from getting into that area and forming a scab, which is what you want in order for this injury to heal properly.

 

If you have your dog nail separated from quick, here is what you should do:

 

1. Apply almost any liquid directly to the exposed quick. For example, blood or liquid antiseptic (such as liquid Neosporin).

 

2. Apply it every few hours for 3 to 4 days.

 

3. The liquid will seep into the nail and separate the area until you can work it back into the nail bed.  

 

Another related issue is with a dog nail cracked quick exposed, which can be potentially dangerous if left untreated. Here’s a quick first aid:

  • Use a black marker to mark the crack of the nail from outside. Mark as much as you can see inside, but don’t push too hard.
  • Make sure your dog is not trying to bite his own paw or scratch it. This would definitely make things worse than they already are. If he does, use an Elizabethan collar (plastic cone).
  • After marking the quick, apply blood or antiseptic liquid on top of the crack for at least 3 days in order to let it seep into the cracking area and separate it*. Repeat this process every few hours for 3-4 days until the speed has separated enough for you to work it back into the nail bed.

In order to avoid possible confusion, it is important that you do not forget which side you started with. If your dog has a lot of hair on his paw, then using fur clippers might help you see the mark better.

 

Conclusion

When your dog breaks a paw and exposes the quick, no need to panic.

Use the first aid tips we gave you to stop the bleeding and dress the wound.

Always keep your dog’s nails short to prevent them from breaking in the future.

 

See Also


Frequently Asked Questions

Hydrogen peroxide can disinfect a wound but it will sting a lot on your pup. It is safer to use pet-approved antiseptics or styptic powder to disinfect pet wounds.

Dogs keep wounds clean by continuously licking them. They do this to stop blood from oozing. Rush your dog to a vet to get the nail treated and patched.

If the nail did not split to the quick, you can safely trim it off. When the dog’s quick is exposed, perform first aid and take your dog to the vet. A vet will have the nail surgically removed.

It takes two to three weeks for a dog’s nail to fully grow back. If the quick is exposed cover it with a bandage to prevent infection as the nail grows back.

Russel

A pet owner who loves to share useful facts and information about a variety of animals.