dew claws

[guster girl]

How important is it to have them removed?

[aly]

Its not important to have them removed unless they are loose and get caught on things a lot. If they aren't causing any problems, the vet usually doesn't recommend removing them.

[CathyBogart]

Not at all unless they cause problems. :)

[clara4457]

Although it is not necessary to have them removed, it is important that you keep a close eye on the nails that grow on the dew claws. You want to keep the nails nice and trimmed, because if they are too long, they can curl and grow back into the foot. My vet recommended I have Penny's removed because they were so long when I got her that he felt they could easily catch on something and tear off. Her's also were attached only by skin and not bone, so could have easily been ripped by just running in the yard.

My RB dog Buster had his attached his entire life and never had any problems with them, but I had to constantly clip the nails to keep them short.

[lv4dogs]

If the dew claws stick out quite a bit (especially in the rear claws, the front ones rarely pose any danger) and you excesize your dog often, especially in tall grass & wooded terrain etc... I would reccomend having them removed.
All it takes is for a weed or something to slice it the right way & will cut that part. They bleed a lot just like a nail does. When I worked in the vets office I have seen quite a few dogs come in bleeding cause they got cut & then had to have them removed.
If you are having anything done to your dog under anesthesia (spay/neuter/dental etc..) I would reccomend having them removed at the same time. It is cheaper that way.
But if your dog is mainly an indoor dog & the dew claws do not stick out too much I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[SizzleDog]

Like the other posters said - it's not a big deal unless the dewclaws stick out and are prone to catch on things. My manager's Chesapeake Bay Retriever tore one of his dewclaws at a field trial - it was one of the bloodiest injuries I've ever seen.

I'll always have the dewclaws on my dogs removed - simply because my dogs will be working dogs, and I'd be paranoid that they'd tear them on something.

[guster girl]

Originally posted by lv4dogs
If the dew claws stick out quite a bit (especially in the rear claws, the front ones rarely pose any danger)

I'm sorry, what do you mean, rear claws? Finn has dew claws on his front legs, but, none in the back....do they usually have them on the back, too? Sorry if that's a dumb question.

[Desert Arabian]

Guster

Yes, they have them on their back legs. Finns were removed when he was a little puppy, that is why he doesn't have any.

[lv4dogs]

Yes they have dew claws on both front & back legs (not all dogs though) and they may have been removed when he was a tiny pup. The rear ones are the ones that ussually cuause the most trouble as they ussually protrude further out than the front ones. But the front ones can also cause problems, although again it is not as common.

[guster girl]

that's what I assumed! :) I cut Finn's nails weekly, so, they won't be a problem right now. But, I will talk to my vet. I'm planning on getting involved with several outdoors activities with him, and, it might be better if he doesn't have them. For now, he gets a lot of exercise, but, nothing too strenuous, because he's still so young.

[Amber]

Elvis had his removed when he was still at the breeders.

Katie has hers, but all you have to do is keep the trim, and they should be fine. :)

[wolf_Q]

Originally posted by YellowLabLover
Guster

Yes, they have them on their back legs. Finns were removed when he was a little puppy, that is why he doesn't have any.

Not all dogs are born with back dewclaws. I'm not sure if all dogs are born with front dewclaws.

When I got Nebo the breeder said she hadn't removed any dewclaws. He has the front ones only. He goes camping/hiking and other outdoor activities and hasn't had a problem. Of course I keep the nails *very* short.

I wouldn't get front ones removed but I would most definitely get back dewclaws removed. Especially those ones that are just attached by skin.

[Dogz]

I think everyone has answered your question well. :)

I keep the pup's dew claws, but Otis seems to have problems with them. About every other month, he seems to be chewing on them.

Do you know why he does this? :confused:

[DogLover9501]

Jasper had his dew claws removed at the breeders also, because dogs can bleed to death from the dew claw(kind of like a main artery(sp) like our thumb).

And Emma, I dont know why Otis would chew on his dew claws, they could be bothering him?

But I also heard that some dogs chew on their claws and it becomes a habit, like nail biting.

[My Peanuts]

Sylvia's were removed before we got her. Harley has his. Either way doesn't make any difference. Sylvia is the first dog I've ever had that had them removed. Most of the time it's unnecessary.

[heinz57_79]

From what I can gather, dew claws are like our appendix and wisdom teeth: They don't really serve any purpose, but we've got 'em anyway. :) Arthur has both his front ones, and one little back one, which I plan on having removed just cuz I don't want to take the chance on him getting them caught on something. Just like an appendix or wisdom teeth, they're useless, but if something happens to them it can be fatal. Stupid evolution! Supposed to take care of things like that. hehehe

Guster, did you know there are breeds like the Great Pyrenees that have DOUBLE dew claws, even in the back? Those can be funky.

[Miranda_Rae]

Heidi had hers removed when she was a puppy. Its VERY important that hers were removed as she is a hunting dog, and she would rip them VERY easily. Its a lot safer for her, and I feel better knowing that she can't bleed to death. :) She had all four of hers removed, well at least I think all four, I can only see 2 scars on her front ones, so I don't know if she had back ones. I guess I will have to look. :)

[Glacier]

We do dew claw removals all the time at the shelter. It's easiest on the dog if it's done when they are a few days old, but we often have them removed when the dog is neutered. Chum had his removed as an adult. They weren't connected at all. He just needed a local anasethetic and someone with treats to distract him from what the vet was doing!

They are almost always removed on sled dogs as the claws can get ripped off in deep snow. yuk!

[Giselle]

What? So are you saying ALL dogs have dew claws in the front AND back?

Lucky came from a byb and he sure as heck never went under anesthesia or vaccinations. *I* paid for his neuter and vaccs and we never did a dew claw removal. He only has front dews, though.

[Glacier]

Originally posted by Giselle
What? So are you saying ALL dogs have dew claws in the front AND back?



Nope, only certain breeds have both front and back and even then not every dog will get them both.

[4 Dog Mother]

Pippi is the only one of my dogs that came with back dew claws. We had them removed last week when she was spayed at a low cost spay/neuter clinic. They was no bone and being a Jack Russell she jumps alot and I was afraid she would catch them in something and rip them off. She did chew the one open - I guess the stitches itched. It was like a big open sore but the vet said just let it heal - keeping triple antibotic ointment on it.

She was in to see my vet this week and I was told that not all dogs have back dew claws - what he said was very few breeds have them. He mentioned Samoyds but not any other. I know Pippi does not have Samoyd in her so I guess other breeds have them too. He told me it was a good thing I had them removed when she was spayed because they do often catch on things.

Some of the reading I have done recommend that you don't remove front dew claws because when dogs run very fast and especially in making turns those claws do touch ground and they need them for those turns and heavy running. I guess it probably comes down to what you have your dog for - fun or work (hunting, etc.)