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gsdgirl:-)
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gsdgirl:-) is offline  
Location: hampshire, uk
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16-08-2010, 02:14 PM

To de-dew claw or not??!

Hia all
Flynn has Dew claws on each foot, is that strange??
Sorry if i sound vague but all other dogs i have had have only had two!
Anyway..the vet said when he is castrated he can take them off, which i thought about due to him catching one of the rear ones before but is this unnessecary pain?
Does it take long to heal?
Any thoughts welcome and appreciated
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Kalasin
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16-08-2010, 02:32 PM
If he has had trouble with his rear dew claws in the past then you could think about having those removed...are they proper 'toes' or just connected by skin? If they are 'toes' then the healing time would be much longer and it may be advisable to just leave them be.

Front dew claws IMHO should be left on the dog as they do use them.
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gsdgirl:-)
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16-08-2010, 02:58 PM
Thankyou i think the vet did only mean the rear dew claws and how do you know if its just skin attached or proper toes?
They are very wobbly and doesn't seem like they are attached to much?!
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Kalasin
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16-08-2010, 03:39 PM
If they are very wobble it hints that they are not attached to bone and wouldn't be too much of a problem to remove. It might take a while to heal but if he's prone to scraping himself with his rear dew claws then it might be beneficial to remove them while you can.
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gsdgirl:-)
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16-08-2010, 08:02 PM
Originally Posted by Kalasin View Post
If they are very wobble it hints that they are not attached to bone and wouldn't be too much of a problem to remove. It might take a while to heal but if he's prone to scraping himself with his rear dew claws then it might be beneficial to remove them while you can.
Brilliant, that doesn't sound as painful!
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Loki's mum
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16-08-2010, 08:27 PM
Both my Estrelas have rear dew claws. Rio had doubles, Dan has singles. They have never caught on anything. Lots of Estrelas and Catalans that I know have them and have never had a problem with them. I don't like this 'remove bits just in case' mentality. My dogs run through grass, forests and beaches and their dew claws don't catch.
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lozzibear
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16-08-2010, 11:53 PM
Originally Posted by Loki's mum View Post
I don't like this 'remove bits just in case' mentality. My dogs run through grass, forests and beaches and their dew claws don't catch.
im with you on this one... jake doesnt have rear ones, but if he did then they would be staying.
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chaz
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17-08-2010, 09:48 AM
I would leave them on, there are studies which show that the removal of dew claws, particulary front ones can increase the chance of carpal arthritis. Heres a couple on it so you can read and judge on the things yourself, mine only have front dew claws, and personally I'm with Loki's mum and Lozzi, I would leave them on there.

http://www.angelfire.com/nc2/Mestena/dewclawsInjury.pdf

http://leeola.livejournal.com/
This one is about other things to, so I will quote the relevant bit,

Dewclaws may contribute to improved balance, too
Dewclaws are another &equently amputated dog part that are often thought to be use¬less, but in fact, the front dewclaws do have a purpose says Chris Zink, DVM, PhD. "The function of front dewclaws is to prevent torque on the leg," she says. "There are five tendons attaching the dewclaw to five muscle bundles, supporting this function¬ality. When a dog is running, the dewclaw comes into contact with the ground. If the dog needs to turn, the dewclaw digs into the ground to support the lower leg and pre¬vent torque."
"The rear dewclaws are vestigial in most breeds; that is not true for the front dew¬claws, which should be more correctly called digits or thumbs," says Dr. Zink. She works exclusively with performance dogs and has found that if a dog doesn't have dewclaws, the leg will twist when turning, which applies significant pressure on the leg. to the toes. carpus, elbow, and shoulders. The repeated twisting and pressure can ultimately cause chronic painful conditions, especially carpal arthritis. "Of the over 30 dogs I have seen with carpal arthritis, only one has had dewclaws. All the others had them removed," says Dr. Zink.
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zoe1969
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17-08-2010, 09:52 AM
I was going to say leave them alone until last last night when my greyhound Holly was playing with the other dogs and has ripped her dew claw!! It was bleeding everywhere. It seems she's snapped it around the top of the quick!! I've bandaged it up and will have to take her to see the vets today.
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Jackie
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17-08-2010, 09:56 AM
Originally Posted by gsdgirl:-) View Post
Hia all
Flynn has Dew claws on each foot, is that strange??
Sorry if i sound vague but all other dogs i have had have only had two!
Anyway..the vet said when he is castrated he can take them off, which i thought about due to him catching one of the rear ones before but is this unnessecary pain?
Does it take long to heal?
Any thoughts welcome and appreciated
Depends on the breed, many breed have front and rear dew claws, some breeds only have front dew claws, and many breeds have their front dew claws removed a few days after birth! (usually the short coated breeds).

Depends on your dog, if they are causing problems , and he is due in for an op, then its the obvious time to have them removed under anesthetic.

It all depends on how much of a problem you think they are to him.

Don't see why the recovery time will be any longer or painful than having his bits taken off
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