Guest nani Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 Rosie just had her 3rd birthday and finished her first year with us. She is the perfect Grey except for those stupid dew claws. I just picked her up from the vet and am getting the major stinkeye for putting her through that. Last evening while running she broke the claw. She wouldn't let me wrap it. We slept through the night pretty well and off to the vet this morning. They had to knock her out and trim it flush with the skin. This is the second time in a year and then there was one she ripped off completely by herself, she just came to me with a bloody paw, never even did the GSOD on that one. Vet suggested removing them sometime when she is having something else done. I have read about dew claw issues here before but has anyone had them removed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remolacha Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 I hate them too! Molly has torn hers three times in two years I am just grateful that Fletcher the klutz had his removed as a puppy! I don't know about taking them when they are older, don't know how much it would hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest d0ggiem0mma Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 I've found they cause little problems if you keep them trimmed short. Several of my dogs have their front dews and we've never had an issue. I trim them almost every weekend and keep them as short as possible w/o clipping the quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenwinniesmom Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 We trim them too, but Lydia has front dew claws that stick out on a flap of skin, and she has ripped one off several times, but it always grew back. Last year, she ripped the same one off at the dog park, and we didn't know till she was getting in the car. We wrapped it up and kept her under observation. She seemed fine, and this time, it didn't grow back! I think if it had grown back and she was being anesthetized for something else, like a dental (she is 10), I would have had both removed. They are a pain in the butt! Quote Nancy, Mom to Evangelina and Kiva Missing Lacey, Patsy, Buster, my heart dog Nick, Winnie, Pollyanna, Tess, my precious Lydia, Calvin Lee, my angel butterfly Laila, and kitties Lily, Sam and Simon My Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Catsburgandhoundtown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FullMetalFrank Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Frank has torn one of his off twice. The first time he ripped it completely out and I took him to the vet; pain meds and antibiotics and a bandage. The second time I treated him at home same as what the vet did. Chelsa has hers, still, also; and she lure courses so I wrap hers before a lure trial. She is fine running around the yard or for straight sprints but when she's really hauling hiney and making those sharp turns, I don't want her to get one caught. My newest girl came with hers removed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoundHeavenAZ Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Hate 'em, hate 'em, HATE 'em!! I asked my vet about removing them when we do a dental and she said that it is just like an amputation once they are an adult. And it would be painful...so I just keep my fingers crossed that no one gets hurt. I would love to know why some dogs have them removed and some don't. Probably a financial consideration?? Quote Jody, Leah & JimmieYou left us much, much too soon Lima & Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TDotGreys Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 We hate them too. All our dogs have them. However, for interest's sake, the dogs DO use them. Ours use them to grip (i.e. bones/chews) and our female can pick guck outta her eye with her dewclaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 While I understand your feelings towards your dog's troublesome dew claw(s), I do not share the sentiment of hating dew claws. Actually I am disturbed that my Staghound came without her dew claws. I wish they had not been removed & worry this will be a problem for her in the future. I had a little spaniel mix dog with 5 dew claws, one paw had two. Also helped with Great Pyrenees rescue where nearly all our fosters came in with 6 dew claws. We had no problems with any of them. That is not to say that some dogs do not get dew claws snagged or injured but my guess is that it happens no more than most other injuries. If you have a dew claw that repeatedly gets injured & amputation seems warranted then that may be the correct thing to do. However, do please consider it amputation not merely removing a claw. For most dogs the dew claw is held on with much more than just skin. In fact, for my male Grey the toes to which the dew claws are attached have tiny little black pads on them. My girl's do not but her's are still toes not just claws. To help explain why I wish my Staghound's dew claws had not been removed, please read these articles by Dr. Chris Zink, Here - Do the Dew(claws)? and Here - With A Flick of the Wrist Hope you can find a way to prevent further injury to your pup. If it means removing the offending digit(s) then you may have to do so. Just consider the whole issue before doing a prophylactic amputation of any other dew claws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 2Brindles Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 My boy Ronan broke his again today - it seems to be broken in the socket, so I am not sure about how/if I should proceed in removing it. His nail his so short to begin with but now it is sticking out sideways. Expert opinions welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DorasMom Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 Hate 'em, hate 'em, HATE 'em!! I asked my vet about removing them when we do a dental and she said that it is just like an amputation once they are an adult. And it would be painful...so I just keep my fingers crossed that no one gets hurt. I would love to know why some dogs have them removed and some don't. Probably a financial consideration?? My vet feels the same way about removing them. When I asked her opinion on removing them she said no way, it would be very painful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest d0ggiem0mma Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Personally, I'm not a fan of cutting off any body part until a problem presents itself. Give it whatever funny name you want- an amputation is an amputation. Many of my dogs have their dewclaws and none have ever been a problem as long as I've kept them clipped short. Of course if I had a dog repeatedly break or tear them, then I would have them removed. IMHO ear cropping, tail docking, and "doing" dew claws as puppies are all ridiculous. It would be kind of like doing appendix removals on all kids at 5 years old because they MIGHT get appendicitis some day. Like I said, just my opinion. kudzu- that you for those articles!!! Agility/Coursing breeders might be surprised to hear removing dewclaws in puppies can cause carpal (wrist) arthritis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ravenchilde Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 My wife just pointed out to me a few months back that our grey doesn't have dew claws. Don't know why not. I'll have to fire her breeder an email, but it doesn't seem to cause her any issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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