Dogs Dew Claws?

Question

I am interested to know peoples opionions on the removal of a dogs dew claws, my dog has ripped hers twice, and been to the vet with them, so should the claws be removed to save "rip damage" or just left alone, sensiable answers please :o)

Answer 1

My dog, Dorey, has a dew claw. It gets in the way a lot and sometimes her claw goes into her pad in the toe. Kinda gross and looks like it hurts. We just clip it. I can't cut the darn thing off. It's apart of her foot.

What does the vet say?

Answer 2

All working dogs usually have their dew claws removed at 48 hours old. This is done so the dog won't rip or snag it on something in the field (i.e. hunting, tracking, rescue, sled pulling, etc.). It is not necessary for an everyday house pet, but the dew claw is functionally useless to all modern dogs so it never hurts to take the precaution. Done early enough it is a relatively painless and simple procedure.

Answer 3

Personally if she keeps ripping them I'd ask the vet to remove them. How firmly are they attached? My own dog is OK she only has them on the front and as they touch the ground when she runs wear down but my bosses Pom has rear dew claws that are only held on by a thin flap of skin and she's always having problems with them. The only reason he won't do anything is because she'a an old lady and he's more afraid of the anaesthesia hurting her than the claws!

Answer 4

Your dog will stop doing this when she is older and not as lively. I never remove dew claws on any of my dogs or pups and in 25 yr they have not had problems. You have just been unlucky with yours...or are they very large and pronounced? Try to keep the claws themselves well trimmed and if they get sore perhaps tape the dew claw to the legfor a day or two until they heal with a large plaster.

Answer 5

I have a Labrador & she has ripped hers 3 times & was obviously in alot of pain on each occasion.I had trimmed the nails myself & somehow she still manages to rip them. So after the 3rd time I decided the easiest and safest way of this not happening again was to have them removed. I spoke to my vet first before deciding & he agreed that this would be the kindest thing for me to do. If you are in any doubt speak to your vet first & see what they suggest. Have included a little article on dew claws & removal for your information. Hope this helps!


Dewclaws, both front and rear, can cause a bit of worry in dog owners. Fear that nail will catch on something during a run and be torn off and cause injury to the dog is a valid fear. Some breeders will have them removed before the pup is of age to be placed, but many dogs are left with their dewclaws intact. Dewclaws can be removed from any dog that is eligible to be anesthetized, and it is often done during a spay or neuter (it's cheaper done at this time too). Dewclaw removal involves removing the entire toe, not just the claw, and cost may increase if the toe is firmly attached.

Should I have my dogs dewclaws removed?
It is entirely up to you, as the owner, if you want to have the claws removed. Some dewclaws are held in tightly against the leg, and with regular nail trimming, will likely never catch on anything. Others can be loose and floppy, presenting a clear hazard, especially for dogs who like to romp in Nature, where roots, trees and other hazards abound.

Answer 6

Hi
When we first got our german shepard, shes now just 1 yr old, i was worried about her dew claws as they stick out quite a bit, I asked the vet about having them removed and he said he would remove them only if they caused a problem, what has happened to your dogs dew claws, to me would be seen as a problem, as they could become infected and make the matter worse.
At the momet my pup is chewing her dew claws but we keep shouting at her to stop when she does, however if this continues we will be taking her back to the vet expressing the concerns we have about them becoming infected etc and requesting that he remove them.
We was told by the vet that he is not permitted to remove them unless they cause her discomfort or the could cause problems. I am in the UK.
Hope this helps, but if she was my dog, I would be asking from them to be removed to prevent further damage and save her pain later on, not to mention possible expense.

Answer 7

take the dogs to a vet when they a very young. a bit of local and a snip later and they are free from ripped dew claws for life!
thats also why some dogs also had their tails docked (or used to) working breeds which had a curled over tail used to catch them and rip them so they ended up getting them taken off. then it became a fashion thing and people didnt always do it properly at a vet and so it was stopped to save the cruelity that some dogs got.
i say if it helps and prevents a problem thats quite likely to happen get it done as long as it doesnt involve cruelity!

Answer 8

This is one of the reasons I have dewclaws removed just after birth.

If the dog is repeatedly injuring her dew claws I would have them removed. *I* would be afraid that a serious rip would happen when I couldn't get to a vet (I had that happen with a dog I purchased and was sledding... she was NOT happy about riding in the sled.. I was NOT happy about the injury, the blood loss, and the potential for infection, nor the fact that one of my best dogs was down for the count).

Answer 9

My breed has double rear dew claws which cause great problems, they are always removed at a few days old. However, when a dog has them removed it has to be done under a general anaesthetic. You have to weigh up the pain her damaged claws cause against the risk of a GA. I did have one dog's removed after he hung himself upside down on a fence by his his dewclaw. He was fine afterwards.
My preference is that all dewclaws should be removed a few days after birth - they can cause great pain & even infection, especially in active working breeds.

Answer 10

In your case I would ask the vet to remove them.

But if they weren't torn already I would say leave them.

My dogs just have dew claws in the front but I have seen a dog with them in the back too.