I am not an expert but I have had a couple cracked nails on my labs. I would clip a little & make sure there are no ragged edges that could possibly get caught on something & could rip it off. Keep checking it to make sure it doesn't get infected. Your vet could also check it if you are worried.

 

my friend has a lab that use to get cracked nails all the time...like every 2 months. Some condition. Anyway, they started the dog on fish oils and he has not had maybe 1 problem in a years time.

 

I am not an expert but I have had a couple cracked nails on my labs. I would clip a little & make sure there are no ragged edges that could possibly get caught on something & could rip it off. Keep checking it to make sure it doesn't get infected. Your vet could also check it if you are worried.

thanks for the suggestion! i clipped the tip of her nail last night so it won't get hung on anything. but i think i'm more worried about it than she is haha cause it really doesn't seem to hurt her when she walks and she's not really one to chew on her nails so i don't have to worry about her making it worse. i just get overly spazzy when it comes to her lol as stupid as that might sound ;D but i'm gonna keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get infected - since you've had a couple cracked nails on your labs how long did it take for their nails to grow back "normal" after the crack?

 

my friend has a lab that use to get cracked nails all the time...like every 2 months. Some condition. Anyway, they started the dog on fish oils and he has not had maybe 1 problem in a years time.

this is like her first cracked nail so this is the only time it's happened so hopefully i wont have to worry about it being a continuing thing - i have heard a lot about fish oils, do you have any clue where your friend got it at? that is something i'd like to start diva on anyways but i don't really know where to look at for it around here.

 

I don't remember an exact time frame but it was awhile, My labs nails seem to grow fast so I was cutting the tips every few days. It does seem to take care it itself. It sounds like you are doing a fine job. Keeping them short & allowing new nail to grow.

 

We've had our share of cracked/split nails. I use neosporin on a gauze to saturate the crack and wrap it. I try to keep the wrap on for at least an hour, have to watch the dogs since they want to chew it off. I do this twice a day for 2 or 3 days and the nail will usually fall off on its own. It dulls any discomfort and prevents infection. Hope your dog is okay!

 

he uses 3V by DVM. again, he has a chronic problem though...

fish oil, IMO is one of he best all around supplements...skin, coat, nails, inflammation, heart, etc...especially in humans

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-fishoil.html

i started my 1 year old on it, just the other day.

 

My first Lab, my beloved Bess (1967-81), used to get them often.

Our vet (at that time) said it was caused by her digging in our backyard and gave her many shots of penicillin for it.

One evening, some colleague friends of my wife Char and mine, a child psychiatrist and his wife, came to our home for dinner and Bess, as usual "schmoozed" them.

I commented on Bes's spilt nails and Dave lifted up a paw, sniffed it, and told us she had a fungal infection on her toenails.

THAT was the last straw in the great decision to switch to K-State's CollVetMed Tchng Hospl for Bess's vet needs.

WHEN a child psychiatrist could so quickly identify the problem.........

A course of griseofulvin cured Bess's toe nail condition.

 

thanks to everyone that has replied! ;D i'm really going to look into getting Diva started on the fish oil, i always hear good things about it in the forums. also Diva's nail isn't cracked anymore the other night some of her nail was bending even more to the side and i looked at it and the inside of it to see if she had blood coming from her cracked nail and she didn't, so i just ended up cutting off the part that was cracked, luckily it hadn't gotten worse than what it was before i cut it. she was such a baby when i was cutting her nail lol she just doesn't like being made to sit down for more then a couple of minutes she kept wanting to get up and play with her new squeaky toy