NAIL FELL OFF!!! PLEASE ADVISE!

[kibog]

Hi All,
I just found my guy Larry outside and his nail on the concrete! It came off his right front leg and there was minimal bleeding. I immediately soaked him in warm water and then put triple antibiotic cream on his fleshy sore were the nail had come off and put some gauze over it. I then lightly wrapped it with coban tape. I gave him his favorite treat, carrots, to eat to see if he would still eat. He did eat some and then went to bed. I am keeping him inside to help keep his wound clean and I will do daily soaks and dressing changes until I feel it is better. I know to look for signs/symptoms infection and to make sure he is eating. Is there ANYTHING else I need to be doing!?! If he is in pain I have oral pain meds for him that the vet gave me from a month ago when he hurt his other leg, but I don't like doing that unless needed, but since tortoises hide pain I don't know what to do! Poor guy, I feel horribly. Please, please let me know what else I need to be doing or if I need to change something. I just really want the best for my guy Larry, he has been through so much already and this is all new to me. I want to be a good mama. =) Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Were you able to figure out what he caught it on?

 

[kibog]

I think it was slowly bending with pressure over time due to his altered gait.....he hurt his front left leg last month and now has limited range of motion in it. We glued sliders under his shell kind of under the 'arm pit' of his bad leg like the vet suggested. He was climbing rocks and getting around well still, but it has caused him to use his right leg, the good leg, at a different angle now. It looked like the nail was turning in a bit, but I never thought it would crack right off. This guy has been through a LOT. This is just the tip of Larry's iceberg, but if we can get him through this he should be okay. It's just heartbreaking this poor guy has dealt with a lot. And it scares me because everything has been a first for the both of us and I just want to do right by him. I will have to re evaluate his sliders, they may need to be higher vertically and make him taller so that his right leg isnt at such a new and weird angle. The vet said it should be okay, but that was before all this happened.

 

[Yvonne G]

What ever happened with the odd swallowing?

 

[kibog]

OH yeah!! Larry had a sort of 'tooth' infection that was hurting him to chew and swallow. It caused part of his jaw to fall off! That scared me BIG TIME!!! But vet said its made up of keratin like our finger nails and would grow back and it has. Larry came to us very sick, though I didn't know it at the time. We adopted him legally and everything, but I would never recommend the site I used. I don't think the torts were treated well, and looking back, they only brought out a few 'select' tortoises... I think they all had 'issues'. But, I feel blessed because I think we have saved Larrys life and that makes me SUPER happy! ❤️❤️

 

[kibog]

Well, day 2....soaking of the poor little foot that lost the nail. I see a sharp pointy part sticking out from where the nail jaggedly broke off.....leave it or trim it, or maybe round it off?

 

[jorg]

I use to have a Leopard who lost all nails from his back feet. The spiny thing is the undernail. Leave it like it is because it's gonna hurt. Does the animal gets calcium?

 

[kibog]

Awwww Ok, I will leave it, poor Larry. Thank you. Yes, Larry does get calcium from a cuttle bone he occasionally chomps on. Poor guy, lost his nail from a gait disturbance.

 

[MPRC]

My Redfoot lost a nail and it only took about a week to heal over. She favored the foot for about a day and then was back to acting normal. It's been about 2 months and there's still no sign of regrowth.
Since the quick of the nail is still visible on Larry his may grow back.
I would give him pain meds for a day or two if he were mine. That exposed nub is probably quite tender.

 

[kibog]

Oh okay! Thank you! I did end up giving him pain meds yesterday when it first happened.....I just didn't want him suffering. Today he did well, he really enjoyed the soak....probably felt good or else he just knew it would help . I keep a pretty close eye on him. So I will continue to soak daily in warm pink salt water his injured foot only, daily dressing changes until i see it heal over (I try to keep it open to air for an hour while he is hanging out with me), I am keeping him inside to prevent infection and to prevent him from climbing rocks and injuring his foot more, and I do have more pain meds if I notice any limb favoring, restlessness, or decreased eating. I hope that will help Larry. I love him like he was my own kid.

 

[kibog]

...also, thank you all for your constant support and patience and help. I know it's weird, my family thinks it is, but my husband and I love Larry so much. As mentioned he has been through so much, we have grown and learned a lot together. I always want to do the right thing for him but I'm no vet, and I just appreciate this amazing forum for being nonjudgmental and very supportive and helpful! I love this forum . ...and Larry says 'Thank you!' too.

 

[Kasia]

...also, thank you all for your constant support and patience and help. I know it's weird, my family thinks it is, but my husband and I love Larry so much. As mentioned he has been through so much, we have grown and learned a lot together. I always want to do the right thing for him but I'm no vet, and I just appreciate this amazing forum for being nonjudgmental and very supportive and helpful! I love this forum . ...and Larry says 'Thank you!' too.

I know what you mean Lots of hugs to Larry and keep up the good job ) With your care he will be ok in no time

 

[kibog]

 

[Kori5]

...also, thank you all for your constant support and patience and help. I know it's weird, my family thinks it is, but my husband and I love Larry so much. As mentioned he has been through so much, we have grown and learned a lot together. I always want to do the right thing for him but I'm no vet, and I just appreciate this amazing forum for being nonjudgmental and very supportive and helpful! I love this forum . ...and Larry says 'Thank you!' too.

Families of all of us think we are completely crazy. Don't worry .