Crust on nail, swollen toe

Hello, My 8 yr old shepherd mix has a large crust forming on his nail and his toe is swollen. He is limping slightly on this leg. Any ideas what this may be? Thank you

Hello!  A swelling and pain to a toe could be caused by a number of things, including some that are serious.  Differentials for that description may include bone tumours, infections, skin disease, fractures and arthritis.  Whatever the cause, limping certainly suggests pain so a vet check-up would be an excellent plan.

They would also check the nail (length / condition etc) and potentially ask about general health as there are some systemic diseases that could be tied up with this.   Best of luck and please do let us know how you get on.