# Dew claw removal in adult dogs



## alijeanrn (May 7, 2010)

We are leaving for the vet in about 10 mins with Sadie b/c she ripped her left dew claw and it looks really bad. It's twisted and sticking out so I imagine they will take it off. I've read that it is very painful for an adult dog to have this done. Has anyone had them removed in an adult? Should she have the other one done at the same time?


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I haven't had one removed, but Danny tore his very badly a couple of years ago. They put him under and cut it way back and taped it up. It healed up really well.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Is it just the nail that is ripped, or the actual "finger" appendage the nail comes out of? I'm sure she will do fine. The rescue the rear dew claws taken off a rescue dog because they kept getting snagged on things, it took up to about three weeks I think but it healed fined and the dog didn't seem to have any trouble with it.


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## alijeanrn (May 7, 2010)

Today she ripped just the nail, but 2 weeks ago she ripped the "finger" part. She has ripped the "finger" part a few times in the past. We are home without her right now. They tried a sedative and local, but she won't let them do anything with it so they are going to give her general and we will pick her up later. They are going to remove the whole nail but not the appendage part. He said it'll be like doing a cat declaw.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

I have often wondered why all breeders don't have them taken off.


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

goldensrbest said:


> I have often wondered why all breeders don't have them taken off.












Who is this cute little puppy??


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

That is cambridge, she is three and a half months old.


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## Sophie_Mom (Jan 21, 2009)

I can't see why breeders would have them taken off - From what I have been told, it's akin to taking off someone's thumb. I am not sure I would have gone with a breeder that did routinely remove them... But then again, I'm also against declawing cats, so maybe I'm just a wimp.....


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

I don't agree with that,out of my last 6 dogs, only two have not taken off, they tend to get in the way, i think.


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## Sophie_Mom (Jan 21, 2009)

Sorry - No offense intended, just difference of opinion!


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

No offense ,taken, i just wondered why , some do, and some don't.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I've only had Danny tear his one time, I have never had another dog injure a dewclaw. Ever. My parent's adopted one of my fosters last year and the breeder had the dewclaws removed. He has an ugly scar and it's really weird when I wipe him down at the lake because I'm used to avoiding my dogs' dewclaws when I wipe them down.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

A lot of breeders whose dogs compete in multiple venues leave the dewclaws, as it is felt (and some say you can see it on video) that the dewclaw is very useful for agility dogs. It is pretty much akin to removing a thumb, as it is a digit, not just a nail. I have seen some nasty scars, and sometimes the digit or the claw comes back.

I prefer not to have dewclaws removed on my puppies but if I forget to tell Yvette, then she does them.


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## kathi127 (Sep 17, 2009)

My rescue Sammy has his dewclaws and it always worries me that he will catch them on something but so far so good. His really stick out and hang down more than normal. I guess unless something happens with one of them I will leave well enough alone.


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## alijeanrn (May 7, 2010)

Sadie is home and resting. The vet said the surgery was more complicated than he thought it was going to be b/c when he went in, she had a lot of inflammation. He showed me the nail and the bone he removed. She broke the nail right up at the bone. She didn't eat or drink yet but she's walking around a little and wagging her tail. He gave her pain meds and antibiotics. Poor girl was doing zoomies in the yard when she ripped it.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I HATE dewclaws, yet every single one of my dogs has them. Conner frequently ripped his. They are a pain to clip. Dew claws stink!


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## kathi127 (Sep 17, 2009)

Sorry the surgery was more complicated but glad Sadie is home resting and doing well!


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## saus (May 7, 2011)

Tahnee GR said:


> A lot of breeders whose dogs compete in multiple venues leave the dewclaws, as it is felt (and some say you can see it on video) that the dewclaw is very useful for agility dogs. It is pretty much akin to removing a thumb, as it is a digit, not just a nail. I have seen some nasty scars, and sometimes the digit or the claw comes back.
> 
> I prefer not to have dewclaws removed on my puppies but if I forget to tell Yvette, then she does them.


This is so interesting. I thought they were completely useless. How do dogs make use of the dew claws?


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

In a video I saw at one of the Nationals, it looked as though the dog was using the dew claw when turning at high rates of speed. Other people have said their dogs use their dew claws to help hold objects to chew on, etc.


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## Maddies mommy (Jan 21, 2012)

*dew claw removal*

my golden is 8 yrs old and just this past week had to have her right front dew claw removed due to a tumor. It came out of nowhere, was a golf ball and had blister like pockets on it. We tried treating as both bacterial and bone infection to no avail. Surgery was the only option. They asked to send to pathology for further testing and we declined. I'm not sure that was the best choice but for me, it was.


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

Glad your girl is home, hope she recovers quickly.
I asked J's breeder not to do hers. In all the dogs I have had, I never had problems. Both JOY and Morgan had their's removed before I got them.
I swear someone removed JOY's with toe nail clippers.
For the breeds that actually have the thumb sticking out, I think removal should be done for safety reasons, when they are puppies and by a Vet.
Of course if any dog was continuing to have problems with them, I think removal would be warranted. But it is an amputation, it is going to be painful and will take time to recover from. JMO


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## Maddies mommy (Jan 21, 2012)

Thank you for your info. It is probably the hardest thing to watch her go through. I hope for a quick recovery and then she will be bouncing around like it never happened!


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## anniesMum (Feb 21, 2013)

Tahnee GR said:


> In a video I saw at one of the Nationals, it looked as though the dog was using the dew claw when turning at high rates of speed. Other people have said their dogs use their dew claws to help hold objects to chew on, etc.


Last summer my Annie had a loose dewclaw nail and has the same thing now.
I don't know what's happening, but it appears as if the upper "nail" part of the claw comes loos on her left paw: as if there are 2 of them, somehow. It does nt look like the right, normal one.
There was slight bleeding after walks, etc, and she was licking it so this morning I took her to the vet. She said it was like a "dead" part of the nail or "old" part and she pulled it off and bandaged it.
She said Annie should wear boots when active in the park...another person (actually the dogwalker in my neighbourhood) said I should just have them removed.
I am not sure what's best, having this occurrence repeated yearly is not fun for Annie, but neither would surgery be....
The vet today said to soak it in disinfectant after every walk and watch she does not lick it - or put the dreaded cone! on her neck to keep her from licking...

She does use her claws when handling sticks and is a very fast runner as well...


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## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

I've heard their are many significant reprocussions to removing few claws, there's lots if info on other threads but it was along the lines of they are connected to some muscles and ligaments and when removed the chance for arthritis and pain increased 5 fold. That being said, do what you gotta do, obviously serious injury takes precedent


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## anniesMum (Feb 21, 2013)

Since my last post on the dewclaw problems, Annie has torn it twice and the last time they said it needs to be removed. This was done mid-August. 
I thought it was healed and let her fetch a ball last week, and when she stopped quickly, she must have scraped it on the grass/ground, because it started bleeding. The skin is still very pink - and I really shouldn't have rushed into her running again. Same thing happened today although I threw the ball very gently and not far, and did not see her turning and sliding.
I was thinking that maybe if I bandage it up or protect it somehow when we go out she could play - but probably it would be smartest to just not let her run until it heals completely.
There is a small area with a scab that keeps opening, even when she holds and chews on a stick, I just noticed today.

Annie has not been able to go out jogging along with me on the bike for a month now, so we only go for long walks. She is being really sweet and ever so good when I tell her to "leave it" when I catch her licking it. I have the e-collar but don't keep it on 24hrs.
I wonder how long before it heals completely....I hope it does!

I've been applying the antibiotic/antifungal cream after the bleedings, which the vet gave me after the first time it bled, but I had stopped it when it looked much better.
Someone suggested I put oil of lavender on it. Any feedback on that?


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