Lioness Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 What is the official word on dew claw removal? When Molly had her first clipping the dog groomer suggested that I ask the vet to take them off when she is under general anaesthetic getting desexed. She goes in for her op next week and I'm still not sure whether I should ask to get this done. What are the general thoughts about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 It's not against the law. I'm not really sure why it is done but was advised to by my vet when my dog had a pup. He was three days old though, it could be a bigger issue with an older dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DREMEN Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 I was also advised this by a groomer for my beagle. Her dew claws get caught all the time I would love to hear the pro's and con's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadia Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Personally I take the dewclaws off. I left them on a rescue litter I had here, and gave one of the pups to my son, his pups has torn both his badly and they are now to be removed by the Vet. In long haired breeds, I see many dogs with problems caused by the dew claws growing into the leg, because the owners are sometimes unaware that they are there and need regular trimming. We see a lot of dewclaw injuries at work, some quite nasty, and very painful. I prefer to remove them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rappie Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 I would usually suggest taking rear dew claws off as they mostly have no bony attachment to the foot and often grow at strange angles. I have no specific issue with removing front ones but I would usually prefer to leave them on - its all up to you though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitKat Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Perhaps i'm just not 'getting it' but Lioness...is it the front dew claws or the rear ones that you were recommended to take off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricey Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 Hi all Hobbes, my 25kg 'pit bull type dog' is lying at my feet as I type. He is back from the vet's this evening after having both his front dew claws surgically removed. He first ripped his front right dew claw off in September 2004 ; $320 of vet bills later, it grew back but it stuck out at a bit of an angle. Yesterday, he almost tore it off again, and it was hanging off at a 90 degree angle and bleeding a lot. After talking with my favourite vet, we agreed that he would just continue to re-injure his right dew claw and so I decided to have them both removed. Hobbes does (did ) use his dew claws a bit to manipulate bones when he was chewing, but I think that he will be better off without them. This was not a decision I took lightly; I think I love my Hobbes more than I love me. I think it was the right decision. The pros: he will never injure his dew claws again The cons: he will never be able to climb trees (which he never did anyway ). I think he will still be able to chew bones Peter D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted June 15, 2005 Share Posted June 15, 2005 My breeds traditionally have them removed, some breeds are meant to have them. If the claws lie flat to the leg and are regularly cut they don't normally cause a problem. Personally I have the claws taken off my pups when the tails get docked, though I have seen sewveral adults have it done and be fine. Pro - the dog can never injure the leg again by ripping off the claw or have it grow into the leg Con - it'll have stitches in the leg for a few weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 I kind of see both sides of the issue here as I have a breed which has dewclaws - including double dewclaws on the hind legs - and in this breed it is considered a real no-no to remove them. I am very fond of their dew claws and with proper maintenance they are rarely any trouble. BUT, as a groomer, particularly on small fluffy dogs, I totally agree with having them removed. It makes clipping so much easier, there is less chance of damage (both generally and during the grooming process if the groomer doesnt know or forgets they are there), and less chance they will miss notice and not be trimmed. I can't count the number of times I have had small fluffies come to me for grooming with badly overgrown dew claws including some which had grown around and into the leg. Very painful for the dog. Of course if you are vigilant in maintaining them, the groomer should be able to groom ok even with them on - they just have to take extra care. Personally however, it would be my choice to remove them on these types of breeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracey* Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 Thanks for the thread everyone, i had no idea about the cons of dew claws -- I'll have to speak to my vet when my little girl gets desexed next week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pixel Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 My pup hasn't had a problem with hers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 I like to have them removed at 3 days with my terriers, as pet people often don't notice them under all that hair, and neglected dewclaws are incredibly painful. With my large dogs, it is traditional to have them removed for showing, and as they frequently put their paws on my shoulders - kinda painful for me if left on.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 Dew claw removal has played on my mind for many years. So far none of my dogs or pups have had them removed and they work in very difficult terrain. I keep my dogs dew claws short and they are indeed close to the dogs legs. From time to time my dogs have slightly injured their dew claws (hidden tin being one example). When the dogs have suffered an injury I wonder if the dog did not have their dew claws, would the tin have caused a more serious cutting injury? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ish Posted June 16, 2005 Share Posted June 16, 2005 I am of the opinion that some dew claws are attached to the bone, and some are not and just kind of floppy. I thought the floppy ones were taken off as they weren't held on by enough and the ones that are properly attached stayed on? My GSDs have front dew claws and had no probs (touch wood) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystiqview Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 (edited) I have previously when I had my dogs desexed taken off their front dew claws. (Never had a dog with rears). The puppies today went to the vet to have their front ones taken off at day three. I know I had a problem with finding a vet willing to do it at three days, especially for a working breed. Mind you at three days.. 5 puppies, it only took the vet 15 minutes to remove, stitch and disenfect..the puppies are no worse for ware for their 'ordeal' getting the front dew claws off. The front dew claws are attached to the bone and are more involved to remove. The back dew claws are only attached so to speak by skin and are easier to remove and get caught and rip. I don't think it is illegal yet, although there is a movement against the practice. To take the dew claws off at three days is a far less operation than having them taken off at 6 months (or whenever the dog is speyed). I know my previous dogs had 5-6 stitches and bandages on their front legs for days.. well the bandages never lasted too long, and neither would the stitches if not for an elizabethan collar. Since they're off. For me, its two less nails to clip, some people do not trim their own dogs claws in favour of the vet/groomer. As the dew claws do not touch hard surfaces, they do not grind down like normal claws, so I have seen them grown (especially if forgotten) into the leg. I know some short haired breeders especially like the fronts off for showing as it does give a better line down the front legs. For me, its a safety thing. They don't get caught in fences and rotton tree branches when mine go down the dam/creek. Edited June 17, 2005 by Skyes Dalimit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystiqview Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 (edited) ooh. Tracey. It is certainly cheaper to get the dew claws off while they are being desexed. Last time (about 2 years ago) I had Jemma speyed, it cost $80 extra. To have them removed while not getting speyed, I think the last quote I got was around $300 cause as an adult, they need to go under anesthetic Edited June 17, 2005 by Skyes Dalimit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 I have had several breeds that have had them removed. The Dobe's were done at 12-24 hours old along with the tails and the Pug's are also done early in life. I know that many dogs live with them but there are also many out there that have had painfull injuries. I would have them removed at the time of desexing, there will never be the issue of injury later in life. It is up to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 I've never had a problem with them (only had dogs with front dew claws, not hind). Hind dew claws do seem to pose more of a problem, I know people whose dog has gotten it caught, and ended up having it off when desexed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mersonmalinois Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 We remove all declaws from our puppies when they are a couple of days old. Cut them off and use surgical glue to close. Easy. I have seen dogs have the surgery to remove dewclaws later on in life and it is much more difficult. Often they will chew on the sutures and scars may happen too. If I had an adult dog with dews I would not bother to have them removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 Hobbes, my 25kg 'pit bull type dog' As in 'Calvin' and? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now