Bad nail

[squizzel]

Hi all
We have just come back from our holidays, and our neighbours have been looking after our 2 rabbits and 3 guinea pigs. All seems well except for one of the young boars (Cookie) who has a bad nail on his rear foot. The center nail is black and very soft, and while i was looking at it today i touched it and it started bleeding. Its not the first time he has had a problem with a nail but the last time he completely tore a nail out on his front paw. But i have never seen one like this before. Does anyone know what it is and what i can do about it ?.
Here is a couple of photos of the nail.
Thanks all
Mark

 

[aalur]

Hi Mark, that looks quite sore, maybe an infection or he has got something in it. ?
One of my boys tore a nail out too, and i agree, it doesn't look like that. personally, i would get him to the vets.
someone else will be along soon with more advice.
Laura

 

[Shellza]

I don't really know anything about this sort of thing, but could it be fungal?
It looks very sore, bless him. Hope it heals up soon.

 

[doglovinpiggylover]

owch....vets maybe? awww hope its better soon

 

[MrPiggle]

i would advise keepin it on the cleanest bedding possible and you can buy a powder that will prevent the bleeding altho I'm not sure what its called, but i think cornflour does the same as it helps clot, but if problem persists i would say a vet trip.

 

[Bailey]

Cornflour would work, I used it when I accidentally caught the quick.

 

[squizzel]

Thanks for the replys, I will contact the vets in the morning as they wernt open today but i was after something to help untill then. i have some corn flower in the cupboard if it starts bleeding again.
Hopefully the vets can fit us in tomorrow so i will let you know how we get on.
Thanks all
Mark

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Hi Mark, did you manage to get in to see the vets?

I have not seen a nail like this before, it really does help to see what ou're talking about so thanks for adding the pics. I have had a pig with a fungal infection in the nail, a pig who tore his nail off, and a pig who bit some of his own nails off (very, very long story); none looked anything like this.

From your photos, I would suspect infection. I also second the suggestion to keep him on clean bedding, ideally a fabric bedding like Vetbed or fleece, at least until his toe has healed and is free from infection.

 

[squizzel]

Sorry for it being so long for me to update you, but my internet went down and the engineers only came out to fix it this morning.
Anyway i got cookie to the vets Tuesday morning and what he has done is he`s pulled the nail shell off and the black is the vein that is usually seen in the nail. The bed of the nail is infected but the vet is confident that it has been caught in time and the infection hasnt spread. He was given a shot of antibiotics and a 5 day course.
So with that problem sorted since coming back from holidays the 3 of them have done nothing but fight, and have brought blood on several occasions so i have them seperated at the moment.
Thanks for all your comments.
Mark

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Oh no, sorry to hear you're having trouble with all 3 of them fighting, not what you wanted to come back to. I hope you're able to get things calmed down and at least have them living alongside each other again!

The pig I mentioned that chewed his nails off (Charlie) left himself with just the vein of the nail too, I did take a pic and still have it, it was very clean and didn't get infected but still not a pretty sight. Now you mention what the vet felt, I can see it now, imagining what was left of Charlie's nail but black.