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Nails
Nails are frequently broken. This is mostly the result of not keeping the nails short. If a dog does not walk on a hard surface regularly, the nails may not wear down enough, and they should be clipped on a regular base. The most commonly affected nails are those on the dew claws (or ‘thumbs’) of a dog, as these nails do not touch the ground when walking. Broken nails are painful and will often lead to licking and gnawing at the affected toe or paw. It can also lead to local infections, which may show as redness and swelling. Your vet can treat broken nails if necessary and clip the nails on a regular base to prevent nails breaking. You can also learn how to clip your dog’s nails yourself.
Brittle nails can be the result of fungal infections, certain types of mange, nutritional disorders and some auto-immune disorders. If your dog regularly breaks nails without any obvious reason or the nails being too long, it is advisable to have your dog examined by your vet. He or she may want to do several tests, like for instance blood tests, to find out if there is an underlying disease.
Nits
Nits are the eggs of lice. These are small parasites which can live on the skin of your dog. The lice can be seen with the bare eye as brownish creatures. The nits are the very small eggs which are attached to the hairs. It shows as small whitish spots on part of the body or throughout the coat. It is a condition which can easily be treated with a good anti-parasitic drug. Ask your vet which is the safest and best treatment in your dog’s case.
Nose - Discharge
Discharge from the nose can be watery, mucous, purulent (pussy), bloody or a mixture of these. Bloody discharge is discussed in ‘nose bleeds’. Watery, mucusy and purulent discharge is often the result of inflammations and infections in the nasal cavity. These can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi, but they can also be the result of foreign bodies (like for instance grass seeds) or trauma (damage due to an accident for instance).
Nasal discharge can be unilateral (through one nostril only) or bilateral (through both nostrils). It often leads to sneezing, sometimes coughing or retching as well. In some dogs it will affect their appetite.
Most cases can be treated, often simply with a course of tablets, but sometimes nasal discharge is chronic and hard to treat. Your vet will be able to do tests to find out what the cause is in your dog’s case and treat it accordingly.