Please remember that I am not a vet, you’ll want to contact your vet to ensure that you can handle this at home to avoid future infections! This is how we handle our beloved pet’s ingrown toenail, but it’s important that you seek the proper advice about your situation from your dog’s vet first.
I woke up and Jenny the pug was waving her little paw at me. I knew that she’d been favoring that leg, but I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with it. That was until this particular morning. Jenny the pug had blood all over the floor like you could see paw prints of little blood marks. It was obviously quite concerning.
I looked over at my sweet 12-year-old pug to see that she was waving that little back paw at me with a face that looked so concerned. I went over and noticed that Jenny the pug had an ingrown toenail. It was gross looking and I instantly teared up.
I called our local vet that Jenny the pug has been seeing for her entire life, but they don’t accept payment plans, which meant I had to figure out how to afford to help my sweet pug. I decided to use good ole Google Search, found a solution, and ran to Rite Aid to pick up the supplies.
I then volunteered my teenager to assist me in getting our sweet Jenny the Pug feeling better. She was given treats during the process as we both spoke sweetly to her to keep her calm as we clipped her ingrown toenail. Luckily, the ingrown toenail was very fresh in the pad of her paw, so clearly it was a new “injury”.
Since I know many dog owners out there and many who live paycheck to paycheck, I wanted to share how to treat an ingrown toenail on your dog so that you can save yourself from a vet visit. Obviously, if your dog has a seriously ingrown toenail or infection, seek a veterinarian’s advice before following what I did. We were able to do this to Jenny the pug because her nail was freshly ingrown, it wasn’t super far into her paw pad yet.
How to Treat Ingrown Toenail on Your Beloved Dog
Grab your dog’s paw firmly, if possible have a second person holding their body and petting their head to keep them calm during this process.
Locate the quick. The quick of a dog is the pink blood vessel that runs down the nail. Be sure to cut only about two millimeters away from your dog’s quick. If you cut the quick it will hurt your doggy and create a lot of blood. You can use regular fingernail clippers for humans or dog nail cutters, it really depends how far the ingrown toenail is into your dog’s paw pad.
If you want to file your dog’s nail down, feel free to use a nail file. This part is not necessary but may be completed if your dog’s nail simply looks too rough.
You’ll need the following supplies to finish this procedure:
- Half peroxide and half water
- Triple Antibiotic ointment
- Bandage to Wrap the Foot and leg
- Gauze {optional}
Supplies for Treating Ingrown Toenail on Dog
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- Hydrogen Peroxide Antiseptic Solution
- Maximum Strength Triple Antibiotic Ointment
- Houseables Self Adhesive Bandage Wrap
- Tru-Absorb Gauze Sponges
- Purina Beggin’ Strips Made in USA Facilities Dog Training Treats
- BOSHEL Dog Nail Clippers and Trimmer
Use half water and half peroxide to clean the infected area, after you’ve clipped the ingrown nail. Put some triple antibiotic ointment on the area to keep the paw from getting infected. Wrap the paw up so that your doggy isn’t going outside getting dirt and other debris in the wound. Let the wound be unbandaged for the nighttime hours when your doggy is done going out for potty overnight.
Be sure to wash the area with soap and water daily for three days, so that infection is prevented. Be sure to wash the area with soap and water as often as necessary to ensure the wound stays clean and infection free while healing.
Jenny the Pug was a Brave little girl and did fine. This process involved a lot of treats, and the little 12-year-old pug took quite a nap after the whole process was complete, but she is no longer in pain. When all is said and done, consider giving your little doggy a special treat such as this adorable large yellow duck dog toy. Don’t forget about CBD dog treats to help calm your dog before and after this situation, your pooch will be so thankful that you put their health and wellbeing first.
How do you fix an ingrown toenail on a dog?
Clean the ingrown area with warm water and use an antiseptic soap. You can also use watered down rubbing alcohol or peroxide to clean the area. You can use Neosporin or another antibiotic ointment on the infected area to keep it free of infection.
What happens if you ignore an ingrown toenail?
If you ignore your dog's ingrown toenail it could grow into their pad creating further issues such as bone issues and ulcers. It's best to seek a veterinarian's assistance or use our guide to help our dog with their ingrown toenail before it gets really bad.
How do I treat my dogs infected toe?
Always ask a vet before proceeding to follow any instructions on the internet to treat a dog's infected toe. You can use watered down rubbing alcohol or peroxide and treat the area to see if the ointment and cleaning help your dog's infected toe before visiting a vet.