Dew Claws

[Guest Morgaynn]

I'm currently looking into getting a new Tag Collar for Nike- one of the ones with all her info engraved on one piece...

 

Today Nike rolled over in her bed and got her dewclaw hooked in the ring of her tag collar... My first experience with GSOD. She split the nail pretty good, but no blood and she's fine. It seems like getting that particular nail caught in anything is something that can happen pretty often for any breed. I have had the dewclaw removed on all my other dogs prior to Nike. Rather than her rip the nail out by accident, DH and I have discussed the possibility of having them removed to avoid her ripping it out on a blanket or her crate, or heaven forbid get caught in her collar again. Have any of you done this as well? Its just a thought.

[Guest SoulsMom]

I haven't done it for any of my dogs, but I have to say with Soul's Lupus and the way it affects his nails, I'm glad his dew claws were removed by his racing owner.

[ahicks51]

We've had two fosters without dews; given that another foster who split his (still don't know how), I'd say that depending upon the cost, getting them taken off if they need to go under general anesthesia for another reason isn't a bad idea.

[Sighthounds4me]

We had Naples' dew claws removed this spring. She had torn them slightly on a couple occassions in the past, because when she runs, she means business. Those times, though, the tears were not bad, so we applied EMT gel, and wrapped them for a couple days, and she was fine.

 

But in spring, on a Saturday, she was out running, and came up limping. I suspected a strain or sprain, because this was the first good run of the year. Then I saw her dew claw - it was not just torn, but also dislocated. She did not show a ton of pain at that point, so DH and I took her inside, and I set about bandaging her up.

 

Thank goodness I opted to leave her muzzle on! Poor girl definitely showed pain as I went to wrap her - she did try to bite me! So I called the vet, and scheduled her for a dental and dew claws the following Monday.

 

She came through with flying colors. I am told that dew claw removal is a very painful recovery for adult dogs (told this by a vet friend, who suggested not doing it for human convenience, because of the pain). Naples did not seem to be very painful after a day or two. We were sent home with Rimadyl, but I had asked if we HAD to give it. The tech looked at me, with a knowing look - "Oh, she's one of THOSE, huh?" Yup - within reason, I WANT her to feel pain, so she knows her limits! They said no, if she does not seem too painful, she does not need the pain meds.

 

Good thing! Even though we leash-walked her till a few days after the sutures came out, she kept trying to run! So, though I have been told dew claw removal is painful, and I would certainly think it should be, Naples showed few signs of pain. But then, little stops her...

 

*ETA: Unless there is a different reason for the general anesthesia (like a dental), or an injusry, I would NOT recommend general anesthesia for just this reason. Too risky - combine procedures whenever possible!

Edited October 13, 2008 by Sighthounds4me

[Guest LynnM]

They don't tend to heal as well when removed as adults. The location of the stitches seems to be irresistable to dogs and it's a surprisingly vascular location (in other words, it bleeds. A lot.) I wouldn't have them removed unless absolutely necessary. It's one of those things that looks very straightforward but in reality often isn't.

 

Eventually if they tear them out enough times in the yard or lure coursing, they don't grow back (gee.... ask me how I know this, LOL).

 

Lynn

[Guest ctgreylover]

Tony has ripped his left one twice. It must not have been deep enought because both times, it grew back. I am thinking of having it done the next time he has a dental. Still not sure. great thread

[Guest DebR]

I asked our vet about removing dewclaws and he said it was extremely painful and said it was just like losing a thumb. We decided against it for that reason.

[Guest paulamariez]

My poor Bueller is walking around with a wrapped foot for the past week because he tore his dew claw hopping up our deck in the yard. He broke it right down to his foot, and did he let out the GSOD when we wrapped it! It is still cracked and holding on. Last time it happened we kept it wrapped with antibiotic on it and it healed and the nail dried up and fell off on it's own. It started bleeding a bit again when I rewrapped it last time, but the pain factor is down dramatically. I was going to have Bueller's dews removed the next time he has a dental, but after reading how painful it is for them, I'm not so sure. This is the third time Bueller's had his broken. I keep hoping it won't grow back. Thanks to Domino's trainers for having the sense to remove his when he was a pup!

[Guest owenkennels]

Puppies dew claws are removed at the age of 2-7 days. We used to do it and I wish we still did. they really serve no purpose and are just an extra nail to trim. I agree with having it done along with another needed procedure instead of just doing that one.

[rascalsmom]

Rascal and Ruby came to me with NO dewclaws, thankfully. Buddy has one, and it is a bit "weird"...not your typical dewclaw. He has ripped it off more times than I can remember. The vet told me that they probably tried to remove them when he was a puppy (no kidding, he's only got one), but they "botched" that one up somehow. Once, when he was going for a dental, I asked the vet to remove the dewclaw, too...she "forgot". Just one more reason why I no longer go to her....

 

Thanks, Lynn, for the information. I will forget about pursuing removal of the lone dewclaw, not that I'd put him through that at his age (11.5 and counting!) anyway.

Edited October 16, 2008 by rascalsmom

[Burpdog]

I've done (had vet remove) dew claws on my Dobe puppies at 3 days and it's easy and clean. No way I'd do it on an adult. By the time they are an adult, it's complicated and very painful.

[Guest Ohiogreymom]

Lily, Brandy broke her dew toe and the vet took it off, and she had no problems at all. That happened last year.

[Guest Hannah]

I had holly's removed when she went in to be speyed, she did run at the 4 day mark and popped a stitch the vet (after laughing) decided against restitching as it was only one that had gone and so long as she remained calm she would be fine. calm was a challenge and I suspect she popped a second stitch, I will always be able to identify her blindfolded by the odd feel on one leg where she popped those stitches. its hard to describe but there is a sort of flat patch where you wouldnt expect to feel one.

she was 5.5 months old at the time and, like most puppies, totally oblivious to pain My reason for having them removed was they were catching on things and she had got caught fast once or twice and I didnt want her to injur herself when I wasnt around.

[Guest Morgaynn]

Thanks for the greyt replies. Ill definately consider having it done when she goes for a dental...

 

She just split the nail, no blood.. so I'm not goin to rush her in right this minute to have it taken care. It was just kind of a thought after the fact... I don't like having her nekkid on the off chance she escapes the house. (so far shes shown no interest in darting out the door when we come in or out, but its always that ONE time you aren't lookin) I was just kind of curious if/when/why folks had it done. The dew claw just seems like its asking for trouble....

 

I really appreciate the insights.

[ahicks51]

I was just kind of curious if/when/why folks had it done. The dew claw just seems like its asking for trouble....

 

*groans* It can be. We had a foster who we had to take in when he split his, and it bled; he would lick it to pieces, and I did my best to bandage it but it was too serious to regrow on its own. The vet took care of it; I don't think he actually removed it, come to think of it. I'm pretty sure he just knocked Dash out and cut it way back. I do remember it was pretty painful for Dash at the time.

[kronckew]

Blue never had dewclaws, a congenital absence per the vet, they weren't removed, just never developed outside the skin. he's got little moveable boney lumps where they should have been.

 

millie still has hers, had a nail infection in one a few years back, vet had to remove the nail (he pulled it off, was hanging by a thread, blood all over the floor in the exam room), it grew back & she's had no problems with them since.

 

[Guest grey_dreams]

As far as I know, all the dogs who come from Scooby have their dew claws removed during their castration/spay surgery. At least, I haven't noticed any of the dogs who still have their dew claws. So I think the dogs must be ok with that surgery and not have problems because of it, or else Scooby wouldn't routinely do it.

[NevadasMom]

Nevada had hers & I wish that I had them removed during her spay. She was always getting them caught in things.

[Guest Pipi5]

Some of mine have them, some of them don't. You can still have them removed. Brogan had one removed during a dental & he didn't even notice, he's was 10.