Dew Claws....

[old-mo]

Is it worth having dog`s dew claws removed..?

Or wait until some thing happens and they need removing for some kind of damage...

 

[gus-lopez]

I just keep them cut short using my dew claw cutters

 

[Hollyberry]

Front paws ? Cass and Holly are both 13 and never had a problem with front dew claws. I don’t ever remember having a dog that had any problems.
If Daisy’s seem ok I’d leave them as they are.

 

[pappajohn]

We had the Jack Russell's removed at the same time as his nads.
One anaesthetic is better than two.
Our other Russell, Buffy, still had hers up to her last breath... She tripped and fell out the RV door ripping a front one almost out on the steps.
Bandaged up but during the night she chewed the claw off. Lucky as she was far to old to undergo an anaesthetic to remove it.

 

[Madmag]

Every case is different. Some dogs, my Labrador was one had very pronounced ‘sticking out’ dew claws which he kept catching. Some dogs are never troubled by them some more active dogs can damage their claws and cause nasty scratches to owners. The op is not without problems as removing the front dew claws does mean cutting through bone so can be painful and take time to heal. It is essential that post surgery the dog cannot get to the wounds, bandages and some type of collar needed as the damage caused by licking and biting of the wound can seriously delay healing. Having said all that, if the dew claws are causing problems then their removal is indicated and advised.

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[old-mo]

We had the Jack Russell's removed at the same time as his nads.
One anaesthetic is better than two.

She has already had her parts removed.... so don`t want to put her through anything unnecessary like..

 

[Larrynwin]

She has already had her parts removed.... so don`t want to put her through anything unnecessary like..

You talking about Judy again Mo ??

 

[old-mo]

Having said all that, if the dew claws are causing problems then their removal is indicated and advised.

It was just the episode of her jumping up at Judy and ripping her finger open that made me ask the question...

She is due her 3 monthly MOT..... Pedicure... Ears Cleaned Teeth cleaned nails trimmed and hair trim and shampoo and set on Thursday... so should be OK..

 

[Madmag]

Although the first week post op was a bit difficult there are no regrets having removed them. Poor dog hurt himself several times a week which was difficult for him. He was under 12 months so faced years of problems so no contest. He’s over 13 now and don’t think he’s held it against us!!

 

[TheBig1]

Mo, you have met my three, the two little ones are fine, but Ronnie's claws are naturally long before the quick. If we don't clip his dew claws every 6-8 weeks he gets caught on things and gets hurt

speak to your vet as Daisy may be the same and loosing them would help her

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[TheBig1]

Mo, you have met my three, the two little ones are fine, but Ronnie's claws are naturally long before the quick. If we don't clip his dew claws every 6-8 weeks he gets caught on things and gets hurt

speak to your vet as Daisy may be the same and loosing them would help her

 

[TerryL]

We asked our vet when Jamie (Westie) was a pup, especially as he often lies down licking his front paws and sometimes nibbles on his dew claws. She told us that he was fine and provided they weren't causing any problems to leave them alone.

As Daisy is going to the vet shortly ask then.

 

[Minxy]

We had a dog called Honey who badly damaged one of her dew claws/pads on a front leg, it never went back to normal and was always 'lumpy' so she kept clobbering it, consequently we had it removed and the one on the other front leg too, she suffered quite a lot afterwards so they must have been very painful for her ... she literally 'poured' herself of the sofa and went flat-out on the floor as she daren't put her legs down to stop her, poor thing, but once recovered she was fine.

Our big dog, Romy, has had a few of incidents with her dew claws, the first time she caught one whilst running around on a beach and broke it badly, this was a few hours before we were due to come back from France on the ferry! A local vet was able to see her quickly and cut the broken part off, giving her lots of painkillers and fortunately she didn't have to have anaesthetic, she soon recovered but has caught it a few times since, but nothing like as bad, so we've never bothered to have them removed due to the pain our Honey suffered.

If there's nothing wrong with them and the only issue you've had is a 'scratched' Judy, then don't 'penalise' Daisy, instead get Judy one of these ...

 

[tonyidle]

I put dew claw removal in the same category as tail-docking. They're a natural part of the animal and have a use (head and ear scratching). Just keep them very short.

 

[Val 3 dogs]

In the past I have always had REAR dew claws removed from any pups I have bred before 10 days of age at the same time as tails were docked ( in the bad old days) if this was being done . I am delighted that tails are no longer routinely docked for the sake of fashion, personally though I would (and have recently ) had the rear dew claws removed from a puppy I have acquired.
Her mother, and others of the same breed I have observed locally have very large pendulous double dew claws on their back legs causing the dogs to move in a most ungainly manner. In the past I have seen both working Springer Spaniels and Labradors with badly torn rear legs from dew claws ( sometimes double), becoming entangled in fencing and undergrowth.

My puppy being four weeks of age at the time of the removal required general anesthetic and a few stitches. After a simple and successful operation the stitches were removed a week later.
I judged it better to take the risk of a general anesthetic and small op while the pup was still small than wait to encounter problems once she was fully grown.

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[old-mo]

In the past I have always had REAR dew claws removed from any pups I have bred before 10 days of age

Strange that..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Daisy has not got any rear dew claws....

Would that be because of the breed in her..???

German Shepherd X Malimut...

 

[Val 3 dogs]

Probably, not all breeds, or all dogs have rear dew claws.
I believe it is possibly a throw back to more primitive times (or types).
It cannot be very highly heritable or all dogs would have them.
Personally I have never felt/had the need to remove front dew claws, tho I can appreciate that in some circumstances it may be necessary.
In a neglected Yorkshire terriers I have seen them grown so long they have gone full circle and their tips begun growing back into the pad they have come from!

 

[Val 3 dogs]

PS. I recall having seen rear double dew claws on a German Shepherd (in the days when they were known as Alsations.

 

[tonyidle]

Must admit I've never seen rear dew claws either - to the extent that this is the first I've heard of them.

 

[Val 3 dogs]

I guess that could possibly be looked upon as successful selective breeding.
When I next see my pup's Mum, I will try to remember to take a photograph of hers to post on here.
I don't know (or care ) how the Kennel Club
would view the removal of dew claws in the show ring. I have an idea that they do not allow "cosmetic " operations (tho ' surely I must be wrong about that as they were the leading instigators of docking ).

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[Val 3 dogs]

Just remembered I already have this pic. If you zoom in you can clearly see the double dew claws on her back legs

 

[Val 3 dogs]

The vet was a little reluctant to do the op on my pup (no doubt due to her needing a general anesthetic),saying rear double dew claws were very common in the breed.

 

[Stonemags76]

Our Springer had her tail docked & her dew claws removed before we had her at four months. I think she had been going to be a sniffer/working dog, but has too meek a temperament. We have the official docking certification, so know it was done for a reason. It’s a good job, as the way she hurtles through the undergrowth & woods, she could easily damage both her tail and her dew claws.

 

[Val 3 dogs]

Although I largely disagree with the docking of tails, I became convinced following a debate with a Highland Game keeper, that for some working dogs (spaniels working in dense , heavy cover) it was a humane necessity.
It is a whole, other debate whether or not shooting of "game" birds, should be allowed or banned along with fox hunting,
although I can see that "rough shoots" as differs from "driven "shoots could have quite a lot in their favour.
Back to (tail) docking , there are breeds who have (never) been traditionally docked, who might perhaps have benefited.
We had a Great Dane who frequently damaged his tail and sprayed blood throughout the house by wagging his tail on the corners of furniture and the edges of doors.
I would be surprised if undocked Boxer dogs don't suffer in a similar manner.