rotten nail on my Jack Russell

[thsorens]

Hi Doc
I have a 7 year old Jack Rusell.  This winter, when it was 0 or maybe even colder, I was playing ball outside with her and noticed some blood on one of her paws.  Never was a huge issue, but she kept chewing on it for a month or more until the fur was rubbed raw on one toe.  She occasionally limped on it, but not often.  This week, we took her running with us on our bikes, and the next morning she was not walking at all on that paw. I looked very close at the toe that bothers her, and right where the nail goes into the flesh, it is black and decayed, rotten basically.  Looks like a rotten tooth or something. Will this eventually grow out or do I need to have the vet pull or cut the nail?  How do you stop the bleeding once a nail is cut that far back?  Are antibiotics required?
Thanks
Tom

[Jaybay]

What does your vet say is causing the problem?  Bear in mind it never hurts to have a second opinion.  Sometimes a different pair of eyeballs can make a big difference.  :-)

[mishay22]

I also have a Jack Russell, who is 2 years old, and she had a bad noe nail in Dec.  So I took her to the vet and they ulled it, since then she has had 6 nails that tooked the way you described.  I have spent $250.00 and I don't know what to do from here.  Any answers?
thanks,
mishay

[thsorens]

I can see why you thought it was the toe after rereading my original email.   It was actually the nail itself that was black, not the toe.  Thanks for the concern though, it was peace of mind for me to get her on antibiotics and know that it wasn't too serious.
Thanks again.

[Jaybay]

Whew!  Glad to hear it!  I thought it sounded like the toe itself was blackened and rotting, which is why I mentioned amputation.  Great news that it was just the nail.  :-)

[thsorens]

whoa, easy there.  I did get a couple other people telling me about infection, so I took her in today.  They did NOT pull the nail (let alone the toe or the foot, jeez) but just trimmed it back a ways, and told me to keep trimming it till the black decayed part grew out.  They did also put her on antibiotics.
Thanks

[Jaybay]

Yes, antibiotics are required, and it sounds like you have let this infection go so long that the toe will need to be amputated.  If the infection has spread further than the toe, the entire foot may need come off.  Please do not wait any longer and get your dog in to a veterinarian.