Ingrown nail?

[belvak]

Can cats get ingrown toenails? We have been seeing little splotches of blood on the floor the last week or so. Nothing big, just little drops. Kept an eye on both girls, and didn't see anything obvious. Were worried that Maddie was starting to have bladder stone problems again, but it didn't look like that. Then, we thought maybe they had caught some kind of prey and were playing with it.

Anyway, we looked really good at their paws today, and Ally has what looks like an ingrown toenail. I'm calling the vet in the morning to make an appointment, but just wondered if anyone else had encountered something like this. It sort of looks like she has two nails trying to grow in one space. It isn't freely bleeding, but she must be gnawning at it and irritating it every so often. Anybody else ever had this happen before? Our biggest concern is infection. Oh, and she isn't limping. TIA

 

[belvak]

Update:

Took her to the vet Wednesday and it's not an ingrown toenail. Two possibilities. First, nail split and got infected resulting in some swelling (skin trying to push out under the nail bed). Second, nail bed tumor which is almost always cancerous. Doc was initially inclined to amputate the toe right away, but decided to try antibiotics for two weeks. If it's not completely healed then, Ally will have a toe-ectomy.

On the up side, she needs to have her teeth cleaned, so if they do have to do it, we can kill two birds with one anesthesia. Anyone else ever been through this? Keep your fingers (toes) crossed for Ally!!

 

[Nanny Pam]

Update:

Took her to the vet Wednesday and it's not an ingrown toenail. Two possibilities. First, nail split and got infected resulting in some swelling (skin trying to push out under the nail bed). Second, nail bed tumor which is almost always cancerous. Doc was initially inclined to amputate the toe right away, but decided to try antibiotics for two weeks. If it's not completely healed then, Ally will have a toe-ectomy.

On the up side, she needs to have her teeth cleaned, so if they do have to do it, we can kill two birds with one anesthesia. Anyone else ever been through this? Keep your fingers (toes) crossed for Ally!!

Awww.....she got her nails did!

Feel better soon, Ally.

 

[Cowgirl]

My old cat Marmalade escaped once and was lost for about a week. When she came back, one of her toenails had been injured somehow. It also looked like two nails growing out of one toe. It would always grow faster than the others, and if I didn't keep it clipped it would grow under and into the pad. I just made sure to keep it clipped and she was fine. Died at 16 of kidney failure.

 

[belvak]

Thanks guys!! Nanny, that was back when Daughter used to stay home enough to help me "did her nails"!! She doesn't like them "did" anymore!! She was a rescue, so we don't know exactly how old she is. Vet guessed around 4 or 5 when we got her. We've had her for about 5 years, so she has to be close to 10. Cowgirl, looking at it closely, it really looks like the nail split. It doesn't grow or curl under into the pad. Anyway, thanks again for the good wishes!!

:thinkinggoodthoughts: