Question
I have an incredibly active 8 year old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. It's always a challenge to tire her out (she's more active than any 8 puppies I've ever met put together)
Last night while we were playing fetch she wore her nails down to the quick and started bleeding. She didn't seem bothered by the blood and didn't even notice until we were in the dog store buying supplies to fix her up.
Some of her nails are peeling on the outside and though only one bled last night, the tip of the quick is very visible on most of them.
Is there anything I can do to strengthen her nails or make them grow back faster? She eats a fish based dog food, so she has plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids in her diet. Her coat is always shiny and super soft, so I don't think she's lacking in that department. I want to continue to exercise her a lot, but I also don't want her messing up her feet all the time. Suggestions?
Answer
I use nail caps on my cats (Softpaws is the common name brand, but pet stores sometimes sell off brands that work just fine and are cheaper).
You might have to replace the nail caps (or at least a few) before each play session if they get worn out quickly, but it would be better for her to wear out the nail caps than to wear her nails down to the quick again.
I've never used nail caps on a dog, but they do sell them.
Answered By - Zaralynda