My Lab went to the vet this afternoon with a broken dew claw, it was sticking out at a very peculiar angle and obviously causing a great deal of pain. Vet told me he'd probably have to stay in for a sedation but she'd get the nurses to hold him and get a good look first. He was taken into the next room, came back a few minutes later, vet holding the whole nail in her hand, she'd managed to pull it off as it had only been attached by a thread. She said he hadn't even yelped which I'm sure is true as I would of heard. He's certainly much happier now, has a course of antibiotics and we have to keep it dry until the nailbed heals.

So it is possible to pull a whole nail off without any sort of sedation but it all depends on how well it is still attached.

But thats because effectively your dogs claw was already broken off, only held 'by a thread' otherwise, as your vet said, sedation at least...

Glad your dogs ok.