cracked nails

[lizmint]

We have a 3 year old rescue dog which we think is a dutch shepherd. He is extremely active and bouncy, but because of this he keeps getting cracked nails. These sometimes get infected and he has to go on antibiotics, and on one occasion the nail cracked right down to the nail bed, so he had to have a general anaesthetic and the whole nail removed. The vet recommended zinc supplements which he has been having, but it doesn't seem to have solved the problem. We've found that soaking his foot in epsom salts prevents most cracks from becoming infected, but I dread him having to have another operation. We've already stopped throwing balls for him to try and prevent more cracks which seems a shame, because he loved nothing more than tearing after a ball. I think his diet is pretty good - James Wellbeloved, chicken, sardines, sometimes raw egg and occasional doggie treats. Can anyone recommend a solution?

[Raven]

How long are his nails, on average? I assume it isn't the length, though, or the vet simply would have said length was an issue.

I've read a lot of contradictory things regarding the benefit(s) of Epsom salt. Did you start using the Epsom salt after you stopped throwing the ball?

Poor guy...no ball.

[johninny]

i do not know about the nail issue directly, so i will leave that commentary to others. however, dog food ratings in the UK show james wellbeloved as a 3 [ which technically is middle, but in practice is unacceptably low]. the label reads like a nightmare to me: no direct meat, low other meat content as they go for a higher protein % through bad quality ingredients, 26% rice everyday means your dog has arsenic poisoning [ may explain the nails and worse to come ], and really excessive amounts of salt. i don't think this would ever get even a 3 [ 1 to 5 scale, with 5 the best ] rating from services here. SWITCH FOODS IMMEDIATELY AND NEVER LOOK BACK.
i see orijen and acana are available in the UK. my favorite is merrick, but i think that is not sold there. any of these three would be great. good canned food by these companies is always better than equivalent quality kibble if budget allows. also available in UK is Kiwi Peak, an air-dried raw food with spectacular ingredients, which, if cost is no obstacle, is by far the very best food sold anywhere - but it is EXPENSIVE.
if the first 3 brands are also out-of-reach cost wise [ i think you can probably/hopefully find one of them that is cost-competitive with james wellbeloved ], then we can comment on other possibilities.

EDIT: just did some fast and superficial web research out of curiosity and it seems arsenic definitely affects the nails, causing ''ridges'' [ among other other things ] which i would think in a dog's long and vulnerable nail could easily result in splits.
i am somewhat concerned about zinc supplements. your dog should get all the zinc he needs from a good diet [ ??? ] and dogs are very sensitive to even modestly too much zinc. get him on a good diet.

[johninny]

btw, your listing of supplenmental [??] foods i assume is just that. i am a big fan of sardines for dogs; just remember, if you are using canned sardines, to drain the liquids carefully so that Bill and Syd do not get any water or soy oil that most canned sardines come in. if olive oil is the only packing, then is ok to not drain.

with foods, corn/corn products should be avoided at all cost. nothing wrong with a little rice now and then, but should never be in dog's everyday diet. and best for an adult dog to use grain-free food [ rice being no exception] unless intestinal problems suggest otherwise.

[lizmint]

Thanks so much for the replies. I really don't think nail length is the issue. They seem short, and when we asked the vet if we should clip them he said no. I really appreciate all the info you've supplied about nutrition. There's a lot of info there so I will definitely look into all of it, and will change his diet. Thank you so much.

[lizmint]

Yes we did start using the epsom salts after we stopped throwing the ball btw. It's something that seems to help once the nail has actually split, not something we do otherwise.

[lizmint]

Orijen dog food ordered and on its way.

[lizmint]

I wanted to update on this for the benefit of anyone else who's had the same problem. Changing feed seems to have solved the problem. The cracked nails have happened less and less, and have gradually decreased in severity, and we haven't had one at all for over a month now (it used to happen every week). Thanks Johhinny for your recommendation for Orijen - both our dogs are doing really well on it (with a bit of chicken, eggs and sardines to supplement). We also throw a frisbee for him now, rather than a ball, as he doesn't dig his claws in and slide to stop like he did with a ball. Hope the forum keeps going, the info I received was invaluable and made a real difference to Bill, so thanks to the forum administrators too.

[johninny]

you are very welcome.
very good that both dogs are now on a great diet and doing well.
i think it is good that you got the arsenic poisoning under control when you did - seeking out advice from non-vets and then acting on it. i am so glad that is was that simple to solve and that Bill had a really diligent parent.

it is so considerate of you to provide the update; Bill's nails have actually been on my mind! so, thank YOU.

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