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- Sep 12, 2011
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I was clipping Bailey's nails tonight and got to one of his dew claws and the nail bed was black and pussing. I feel horrible that I have not noticed it before and have not clipped his nails in a long time, it's been several weeks. He has been eating, drinking, playing normal. I just couldn't see it until I was clipping his nails. I took him strait to the vet, and have him on clindamycin and am going to soak his foot in epsom salt to try to draw the infection out. I cant afford what the vet really wants to do which is completely remove the dew claw. I am very anti-declaw, but she thinks the nail and bone could also be infected and she doesn't want it to spread to the rest of his system. If I do have to remove the claw is it a little better that it will just be the dew claw, not one that bears weight? I am going to give the antibiotics a few days and then we will re-evaluate to see if it is improving and go from there. I really feel horrible for not noticing it when it first started, because it is obvious this is not a new infection.