11/18/2025
SYMMETRICAL LUPOID ONYCHODYSTROPHY
👉 Thank you for all your comments on the irregular broken nails post, especially raising the condition SLO - Symmetrical Lupoid Onychodystrophy - a painful, autoimmune disease in dogs that causes the nails to become brittle, split, and fall off.
👉 This is not taught so awareness is low and it is rare, but as groomers you maybe the person to recognise what is NOT NORMAL and it could be SLO so here's a case study about Monty, a client of Julie's, from several years ago:
👉 Monty had a nail ripped out which wasn’t particularly unusual until two other nails also fell out after becoming dry and brittle. Monty was experiencing pain and a lot of discomfort in his feet. After tests at the vet where they removed a further nail there came a diagnosis of “dog claw disease”. The disease occurs in around 1.3% of adult dogs between 3 and 8 years. It presents itself as a nail deformity where formation is abnormal resulting in dry brittle nails that can split and splinter causing inflammation and trauma to the nail and the nail bed, sometimes leading to bacterial infections. The quick, the nail’s blood supply can also become exposed causing pain and great discomfort. The development of SLO is thought to be connected with the development of an autoimmune problem within the dog . Thankfully once properly diagnosed there is medication and supplements to reduce inflammation and support the immune system available.
(Photo credit: Autumn Madden, DVM).
