Casima Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 My 4 all had their front dew claws when they came to me, I have seen photographic proof many times to see that the dogs use them while turning at speed to grip the ground as well as seeing them worn down when I clip nails, given a choice for an agility dog, or just an active pet I would keep them on, why remove body parts that they use. I reguarly cut one of my parents dogs nails and he had the dews removed as a baby and it is really weird, I go to cut them and they arn't there My GSD has injured both his front dew claws, the first he tore the nail+quick right out and I freaked, but the person I was with had seen it happen before and that it would heal up just fine by itself, which it did but the nail never grew back, he was only sore for a day or so. The second one the nail snapped off but the quick was left and nail grew back normal, took a few days to stop being sore as the quick was still there. This dog is very high drive and tries to throw his body around like my border collie can, but his size and weight means his body can't always cope with what he thinks he can do, he has also snapped off a normal front nail, we needed the vet to clean up that one but didn't cause too much bother either, and a few years later he has this weird little nail bit growing there. My other 2 adult dogs have never injured theirs and they do some pretty crazy things and my puppy actually has a rear dew claw on his right side, its not a floppy one and looks like it may be useful? I plan to leave it there unless it causes problems and it will be interesting to see if it gets worn down at all from use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Casima, have you seen photos of dogs with hairy legs, where the hair covers the dewclaw up?? Schnauzers can have very hairy legs and the few I have seen with dew claws do need to have them cut regularly as they aren't getting used. The claws also seem to be held more loosely then in breeds that traditionally have them left on. As showdog said, schnauzer normally have the dewclaws removed at a day or 2 old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktig Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 There is no reason why dew claws should get caught in carpet any more than the other nails so maybe use one of those dremel things & get them a bit shorter. Just remember to feel where they are before you start brushing his front legs. No point in the agony of removal now. The only reason I do have dew claws removed is because I have seen so many on hairy breeds that have grown into the leg & its horrid. Maybe get rid of that rug, easier than the nails. The rug has already been rehomed! I'm pretty careful with grooming, it was just I'd had a few people tell me maybe they should be removed in a mini that got me thinking and asking questions on here. Glad I did though, lots of helpful advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktig Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Casima, have you seen photos of dogs with hairy legs, where the hair covers the dewclaw up?? Schnauzers can have very hairy legs and the few I have seen with dew claws do need to have them cut regularly as they aren't getting used. The claws also seem to be held more loosely then in breeds that traditionally have them left on. As showdog said, schnauzer normally have the dewclaws removed at a day or 2 old This is what I'd heard, and I do find I have to keep on top of his to keep them a reasonable length cause they just get so sharp! I'm just not sure it's worth putting him through all the recovery postop when there might actually be a benefit for him in agility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy's mum Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Thankyou people! I knew DOL would help me out. I would like them removed, but not at the expense of maybe reducing the stability of his wrists when I plan to do the agility thing with him. I wonder if it would bring on arthritis earlier? I'll probably still have a chat with my lovely vet to get her opinion too, but I think I'll probably leave well enough alone and if I am unlucky enough for him to really do some damage to them down the track, well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. My old JRT cross injured one of hers and it had to be removed. Vet (not my usual vet) eventually persuaded me, against my better judgement to take both off. It was very traumatic for her, long recovery and I bitterly resented the additional pain I'd caused her - all for nothing really in the case of the ok dew claw. Wouldn't do an adult unless a very good reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donski Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Similar stories to some others - my mini bull terrier tore his clear apart 2 or 3 times and was in terrible agony. I decided to get them removed when he was 18 months and it was a hell 2 weeks - bandages and cones and the whole bit. Personally I am now a huge advocate of getting them removed at puppy desexing stage. I don't want to go through all that again (let alone him of course!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 As a breeder I feel guilty either way, but usually leave them on. The front dew claws are essentially thumbs. Dogs use them when they chew up a bone, and occasionally when scratching. I hate to watch dewclaw removal (on the newborn pup) and couldn't do it myself. My dogs have pretty compact feet and the dew claws don't stick out much. I've never had a dog pull one, and never had a puppy buyer report a problem with one tearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 (edited) accidental dual post, sorry Edited November 16, 2011 by sandgrubber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenGirl85 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 There is some pretty good evidence to suggest the wrist is more stable in agility if the dew claws are left on Interesting, I haven't heard that before. I've had some with and some without. TBH at that age I'd be inclined to just leave them on - especially after learning the above info. Someone posted a link on here around 12 months ago (I think) about some studies done on wrist injuries in agility and how the dew claw helps to stop the wrist over twisting as they land. Very interesting stuff but I didn't keep a copy because I have never even considered removing front dew claws. I think that was in a thread of mine, let me see if I can find it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 From personal experience, I've had a mini half pull off a dew claw, he was in pain with it for a week (and had to wear a bucket collar to stop him chewing at it). All mine have them removed at birth, but this one was an import, so I had no say in them being left on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Over many years and many dogs ... I have only ever seen the occasional torn nail on a dewclaw- never an injury to the actual 'toe' . Our dogs are bush dogs .. and when working , are thru fences, bushes, on rocks . on sheep's backs in wool .. on & off motorbikes etc .. so the potential for injury is there , certainly. I feel it's just a matter of clipping them very short always ..so that curved point is not there . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui835 Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 As a breeder I feel guilty either way, but usually leave them on. The front dew claws are essentially thumbs. Dogs use them when they chew up a bone, and occasionally when scratching. I hate to watch dewclaw removal (on the newborn pup) and couldn't do it myself. My dogs have pretty compact feet and the dew claws don't stick out much. I've never had a dog pull one, and never had a puppy buyer report a problem with one tearing. My dog uses his like thumbs. When he climbs he sprawls his paws and the dew claw helps him grip (we go rock and mountain climbing). He also uses them to eat - we feed him whole chickens etc a couple of days a week. As such I have to trim them maybe every 6+ months, not often at all. The rest of his nails never need trimming. And I don't know that I even need to trim his dew claws, it's not that they get long, it's that they are amazing weapons. I have some crazy bruises on my legs and arms right now from swimming at the beach with my dog - he does this cute thing where he stands on his hind legs when in water and walks/bounds along like a kangaroo. If standing still, he likes to put his paws on your arms (well if you offer them), and if you're playing with a ball at the same time or something, well he can get a little careless... If you hold his paw he will try to wrap his "digits" around your hand/fingers and he can move his thumbs too so I like him having them. It's entirely our fault though that we get injured, both my partner and I enjoy playing physically with our large male doberman so I'm sure if we were more sensible and mature I'm sure we wouldn't be covered in such an impressive array of bruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everythings Shiny Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 If they aren't firmly attached to the bone, then I'd get them removed, if they are rock solid, I'd leave them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I would have had them removed as a puppy, but would not be doing it as an adult unless needed Atlas took over 2 months to recover from his removal of them (about 4 years ago) it was horrible and he was in so much pain, but he had ripped one out so bad it had to be removed. worse weeks of my life with him. I felt so bad for him We also have had this experience. The injury was horrific on an over-adventurous 9-10 month old male and the post surgery pain went on for 3 days after he had been kept at the clinic for observation for the first 2 nights after surgery. Once the pup is mature the vets have to cut into the bone to remove badly ripped dewclaws and it is not a minor op at all. Some rip the tendon up the inside of the leg, just to make a proper mess of things. That experience made me swear that any pups that I breed have dewclaws removed soon after birth. No accidents, no ripped tendons, no post operative pain. A quick snip and a little ouch, then back to mum to suckle as a newborn. Beats years of dewclaw accidents and post operative trauma. Souff Its not much fun at all This is the reason At is terrified of getting his nails cut to the point i cant hold him down to have it done, he goes to the vets for it. The vets that operated did a shit job and were also terrified of At and wouldnt touch or look at him, he was muzzled but they still rather not have gone near him Saying all that, Kaos has never had a problem with hers... but i would prefer they get removed 'just in case' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AussieDog Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I had my Lab X's back ones removed about six months ago. They hung, were really long and while i had no incidants they were a pain to cut. So i opted to get them removed. He is 5 y/o. My other dog, a Heeler X has back dew claws but they are small and fully attached and cause no problems. She doesn't have front ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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