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Nail falling off!

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LittleEskimo

LittleEskimo

Adult Guinea Pig
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Just got back from the vets and cleaned out McMacs cage and put him back in. I was putting his water bottle back in the holder and he was leaning on the side of the litter tray watching me
I noticed that he had a black nail that looked as though it wasn't lined up with his toe and it looked really odd. He wasn't putting much weight on it either. He kept lifting it up and trying to put it back down. I picked him up an had a look at his nail was falling off of his toe! I noticed it was the nail I had clipped a little too far down when I cut his nails last week. It didn't bleed at the time as it wasn't cut far down enough but was enough for me to notice I had cut a little too far :( He didn't yelp or anything so I didn't notice. But now I am worried it might have gotten infected and his nail isn't bleeding or anything. It is just red flesh under his nail that is falling off. I feel like such a horrible owner and am tearing up. First lice and now this. Could it be to do with his diet? He gets veggies and everything but maybe he needs more calcium? Like how if we don't eat much calcium our nails can get weak and brittle can't they?
I feel awful for letting this happen to my little McMac :( How can I make him better?
 
You are not a bad owner, you are taking the best care of him you can, so don't beat yourself up! If the nail has been injured somehow, it may drop off, just like one of our nails can if it is badly bruised, but it will grow back. *If it is hanging by a thread, it may be more comfortable for him if you actually pull it off, then put pressure on it with a piece of tissue or cotton wool until it stops bleeding. *Keep him off loose bedding like shavings until it dries up. *If the nail bed gets infected, the toe will look swollen and red, possibly with a discharge, in which case the vet should see it.
 
Thankyou, it just feels horrible when you try your best to take care of an animal and then something like this happens :(
He is acting normal and doesn't seem bothered by it or in pain. He is walking around and eating and everything. It isn't bleeding and doesn't look infected. It just looks like the nail is dead (black) and is falling off an the flesh underneath is red and normal (but not bleeding). I will wash it with some saline solution to keep it clean. It doesn't look like it is hanging off by a thread and is kept in place at the very root of the nail. I don't want to pull at it unless I have to. Is there any way to numb it incase I do need to pull it off? Like with ice or something?
 
I would only pull it if it's really loose and bothering him, and I would distract with a bit of food and whip it off really fast. I don't know of any means of numbing it that would be less uncomfortable than a quick pull.
 
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