Whippet Nails

[kirs]

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Can anyone tell me what is happening to my healthy,fit, nearly 3 year old Whippet boy please?Over the last few weeks his nails have been splitting down to the nerve and he has had to have them taken off by the vet.He is fed on good food and I don't understand why it keeps happening.The vet has given him a supplement with vitamins in and he is now on steroids and antibiotics as the infected ones have pus in.It seems to be his outer nails but the middle ones look really poor quality.He is walking with a limp.

 

[weathergirls]

try using CANESTON cream (its for thrush) I used it on one of mine who had a nail bed infection and it cleared it up

 

[Debbie b]

try using CANESTON cream (its for thrush) I used it on one of mine who had a nail bed infection and it cleared it up

absolutely, any thrush cream will help, my greyhound nails completely fell off after use thrush cream they grew back healthier and stronger

 

[jayp]

http://www.bloodaxe.com/SLO.html

There is a disease of the nails ...see above link....that causes nail loss and infection...its quite rare but has been known in whippets

 

[kirs]

Thankyou I am going to speak to my vet about this x

 

[kirs]

I have spoken to my vet and she suggested he should be put onto red mills greyhound food? He is currently on Arden Grange,Iams or Burns.

 

[jayp]

Why ? Does your vet think its diet related ? Interested to know the reason she thinks that may help

 

[kirs]

I don't think she had ever heard of the disease and said maybe he would be better off on a food that was breed specific I guess.i don't really want to change him off what he is on though as the protein in the Mills is too high for a pet dog I'm sure!

 

[lurcherman]

too much protien is a bigger problem im sure, the vets do a great job but its always good to go with some facts and understandings of your own, ask him what the problem is?

 

[Seraphina]

If this condition improves with CANESTON that suggests it is a fungal infection, which would most likely develop if the dog has his feet wet. I know of kennel dogs that had problems with their nails in cold weather as the concrete kennel floor was washed 2x a day and had no chance to properly dry.

Does he chew/licks his feet?

I think that change of kibble now and then is a good idea anyway. Just in the case one brand does not have something or has too much of something. I am always looking for new one, and at any time have at least 2 brands at home, plus feed some chicken necks and cook dog stew - although nowadays as often as I used to.

Zinc supplement will turn dry brittle nails into hard talons. It took about 3 months for my nails.

 

[weathergirls]

If this condition improves with CANESTON that suggests it is a fungal infection, which would most likely develop if the dog has his feet wet. I know of kennel dogs that had problems with their nails in cold weather as the concrete kennel floor was washed 2x a day and had no chance to properly dry.
Does he chew/licks his feet?

I think that change of kibble now and then is a good idea anyway. Just in the case one brand does not have something or has too much of something. I am always looking for new one, and at any time have at least 2 brands at home, plus feed some chicken necks and cook dog stew - although nowadays as often as I used to.

Zinc supplement will turn dry brittle nails into hard talons. It took about 3 months for my nails.

when I first tried it on my 11 year old she had developed a problem with her nails splitting and crumbing and falling out at the same time as she developed a hormonal form of diabetes my vet suggested trying CANESTON and it worked on her she wasn't a kennel dog

 

[Seraphina]

when I first tried it on my 11 year old she had developed a problem with her nails splitting and crumbing and falling out at the same time as she developed a hormonal form of diabetes my vet suggested trying CANESTON and it worked on her she wasn't a kennel dog

If it responds to fungal infection treatment then it is fungus. I was not suggesting that only kennel dogs can get fungal infection. Any dog that may have his feet irritated in some way (walking in snow or some irritating vegetation) may lick his feet and create good condition for the fungal infection to develop, as do dogs (like in kennels) that have their feet wet - or it can be dog that spends lot of time outside when it is wet . Or a dog with other underlying health problems may be susceptible to all sorts, including fungal, infections because their immune system is weakened.

 

[eve]

I see from your other post that your vet has diagnosed SLO - Symmetrical Lupoid Onychodystrophy an autoimmune disease

The only 100% accurate way to diagnose this disease is by biopsy. Has this been diagnosed with a biopsy and a fungal infection completely ruled out?

Poor dog, he must be in so much pain

 

[moonlake]

I wouldn't change his diet unless you are going to feed him raw. Why not try the Caneston - it cleared up my athlete's foot (also a fungal infection) very quickly. If it is auto-immune, Red Mills is not going to help and I personally would not take feeding advice from a vet who has so little knowledge of the breed.

Gay

www.moonlake.co.uk