Dog's toenails

by Jamie
(Martinez,Ca)

Our dog had a bloody toenail after a walk last night. And we noticed today all our dog's toenails look a bit bloody close to paw. What could this be?

Gale's Reply:

Hi Jamie

Normally, I would say it's one of two things: either your dog's nails were cut too short--beyond the quick. Or her nails are too long and she is catching and tearing them on carpeting, furniture, etc.

Sometimes a dog will have an irregular gait. This can be caused by toenails that are too long, a foot or pad problem or even a neurological problem.

It seems kind of mysterious that ALL her toenails are bloody. I would take her to the vet to be sure. Or you might like to try ask a veterinarian online service. Either way, I would encourage you to get a professional opinion on this one.

Feel free to post back here and let us know what you find out about your dog's condition.

Comments for Dog's toenails

Click here to add your own comments

May 18, 2011

Bleeding nails
by: Helena

I agree, it is very odd that all the toenails are bleeding, and think the dog should definately see a vet, and suggest that before taking the dog, rack your brain and go over the last few days and write down anything that may have been unusual, ie fresh pavement on your walk, change in diet those sort of things, it will help the vet make a proper diagnosis. Good Luck

May 18, 2011

Could be a number of things.
by: Diana

Like the previous posts it could be that the dogs nails were cut too short. However, I have a dog with white nails and no matter where we take him for a walk his toenails always look "bloody" in color. I freaked the first time and eventually found out that they were not "bleeding" but simply caked with dirt and other debri.. I would certainly clean them out and maybe keep a close eye on them and of course consult your vet.

May 18, 2011

maybe not blood?
by: Maria

I had thought my dog had something wrong because most of her toenails are reddish where they meet the paw. Looks like blood under the nail's surface. The Dr said it's because she's a foot licker and apparently the saliva reacts to the sun and turns the nails that color. Now to get her to stop licking her feet. She has the worst allergies and I can't keep her inside so no matter where we go she's walking on some kind of material she's allergic to making her feet itch.

May 18, 2011

Dog's Toenails
by: Miss M

I can only speak from my own experiences but when I adopted my second rescue I started taking her on our regular walks right away...these walks are about 1-2 hours long and mostly on city streets (with a stop at their fav park of course!)By the time we returned home from her first walk with us, all of her nails were worn down to the quick and were all bleeding. Upon inspection of her feet, it seemed that wherever she was before, she was not walked - ever. The pads of her feet were as smooth as a baby's bum and obviously her nails were somewhat soft and not used to pounding the pavement for that long...so we started taking her on shorter walks and built her up to the long walks...If this dog is new to you or you have changed lengths of walks and/or where you have been walking, that could be the problem.

May 19, 2011

Dog's Toenails
by: Terri

My dog has never had a bloody taenail, but when he was little he had ringworm on his paw and thats when my vet pointed out the red on his nails where it meets the paw. He told me it was a like a fungus. He's had this for 2 years now. My vet told me it would take a long time for it to go away, under meds. When you take your dog to the vet, I would love to know what they say.

Mar 24, 2017

Maybe not blood NEW
by: MT

My dog also has bad allergies. Didn't know about the saliva reaction with the sun. Makes me feel better.
Thanks Maria.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to pit bull community.

Are you enjoying this site? Finding it useful?
Your donation in any amount can help us reach out to more people
who want to know the truth about pit bulls.

Thank You for Your Support!

Return to Pit Bull Homepage

Share Your
Pit Bull Pride!