nail injury : (

Poor Miko fell off her cat tree the other day!

This was Friday night.

She landed on her feet and is walking around fine, the only injury seems to be a nail she injured on the tumble down.

She may have already lost part of the nail and the rest of it seems damaged and like it might be loose.  As if it could fall out at any time.

The quick is swollen.

But a normal shade of pink.

No bleeding.

She's been licking it obsessively.

I've mostly left it alone, but today I started to get nervous about infection so I sprayed it with a little antseptic spray and hydrogen peroxide.  Then I was nervous about her ingesting that, so I rinsed it off : (

My instinct is to take her to the vet, but I'm not sure there's anything they'd do for her there.

My husband thinks I'm being neurotic and that she'll be fine with a little more time.

My anxiety level is definitely heightened because I'm 38 weeks pregnant!

So maybe not thinking clearly.

My poor baby...

Why don't you try just calling your Vet and asking them what they think?  But if there was no bleeding, don't know that any antiseptic would be needed...no open wound?  I did manage to find an article on injured nails with a little more info that might help you.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/182801/niko-split-a-claw-in-half

It's not exactly the same thing, but probably similar.  to both YOU and Miko. 

On closer inspection it looks like the bone in that toe is also very swollen, in addition to the quick.  I wonder if it could be broken or fractured or just bruised.  The weird thing is she walks on it just fine!  Even continues to climb the cat tree.  But I can tell it's sensitive if I try and touch it.

I'll call the vet and see what they say.

I may end up taking her in - more to relieve my own anxiety than anything else!  Not sure if there's anything they'd do for a bruised or fractured toe - it may just have to heal on its own....

Update:  Took her in.  Nothing broken and no infection.  But it's very inflamed.  He cut off the rest of the nail that was hanging there (she was NOT happy about that!)  Soaked it in betadine and told me to continue to do so at home.  Also gave her a collar so she won't lick it.  Poor Miko.....

Good news that nothing is broken or infected.  And now you can be less stressed, especially in your condition.  Miko, on the other hand, can be completely stressed, having to wear the collar .  So...what exactly is wrong with her licking it anyway...is it because of the betadine?

One of my cats is very prone to this - no idea why.  He's ripped of his claws 3 or 4 times climbing up things.  It's gotten infected once or twice, so I took him to the vet for antibiotics.  And he eventually pulls the nail off if it's hanging on.  I think it's completely normal for them to lick it - mine did the same thing.  Cats are very good about keeping wounds clean.  I always used an "ouchless cleanser" to disinfect it, but he would still lick it, particularly after using the litter box, which the vet said is fine. The good news is, it heals pretty quickly.  Each time, the nail grew back just fine.

The vet wants me to dip her toe in a bath of betadine for FIVE minutes twice a day.  Ha!  That lasted about 2 seconds.  What cat would let you hold them for FIVE minutes while you dip their sensitive injured paw into a bowl?!  Not mine! 

I may take the collar off soon.

It's just making her miserable.  When she gets stressed, her eyes get all runny and that's happening now so I can tell she's not a happy kitty....

Not sure if it was so she didn't ingest betadine or so she didn't irritate the toe more.  Anyway, I think I've given up on the betadine bath so I guess I might as well take the collar off.

Sorry for the late reply - just saw this.  There is no way I could get my cat's paw dipped in anything for five minutes!  Maybe you could wet a cotton ball and tape it?  That would probably be just as disasterous though (at least it would for my cats).  Is it still infected?

Ritz and Twiddledee hated being in the cat carrier so much they tore claws/paws trying to escape, their nail beds bleed and the nails ragged.  For Ritz, vet number 1 gave Ritz a long-acting shot/pill (forget which).  For Twiddldee, vet number 2 said that antibiotics weren't necessary, they Twiddledee will clean them himself.

Both were fine.

But yeah, like you, if I had any concern, I'd take Ritz/Tdee to the vet.  Vet visit $60; peace of mind priceless.