Dewclaws?

To remove or not to remove, that is the question?

Chloe has front dewclaws. They are kept very short by the groomer and they never get caught on anything... honestly I didnt notice them until she was already about 7 months old :yikes: So obviously they are not bothersome in any way.

I kind of just assumed they would be removed when she was spayed... but I have been reading about it and it seems like a pretty major surgery, not just a simple clip and stitch. So now I am thinking maybe I wont have it done.

So, what do you think? Does anyones dog have them still? anyone ever had a problem with them?

Chloe doesnt have any rear ones...

but she has front ones, but they dont bother her at all, but they arent floppy and loose either, and she does use them

Lucy has 'em. She runs amok at the dog park and does agility and we've never had any issues.

They should be removed when the pup is 3 days old if they are going to be removed. They only seem to be an issue if they stick out. Those that lie flat are almost never a problem.

Never had a problem with the front ones. Have had problems with back ones, though!
I wouldn't have them removed unless I had problems, personally.

how do I know how they lay?

i wouldnt remove them. i think that is to only be done when the pup is just days old.
unless it is a screwed up dew claw. i have seen some just hanging by imagination. its like its not even attached.

This pic is a couple months old... but see chloe's is very close and tight to her paw, and its not all woobly and loose...

i'm guessing that if you didn't notice them until she was seven months old, they lay pretty flat

all three of my dogs have front dews. i'm good with that. they use them to hold things. they help to stabilize the ankle when running and turning at speed. nobody's ever torn them or had a problem with them.

i wouldn't recommend removing front attached (by bone, not just skin) dewclaws unless they are causing the dog a problem. floppy rear dews which are just hanging on by skin i'd have removed at time of spay/neuter because they're useless, do tend more to tear, and they are a quick snip and stitch to take off.

thanks for the pic Jess... Chloe's (mine) isnt really that tight... it hangs a little more... but I still havent had any problems... ugh I hate having to make these decisions.

Thanks!

I will just leave them then... she runs/plays a lot and has had no problems in 9 months... I will just make sure to continue keeping them clipped short!

Has the vet looked at them yet?

Since we don't know what they look like.... just ask him if they look attached by bone or if they're just hanging there by skin.

Muffin has his dew claws... the only annoying part is it's an extra claw to clip other than that it's not a problem.

Ozzys are attached, but he tears one of them at least twice a year. I have to keep it vet wrapped when he tears it because its pretty painful for him and he will lick them for hours. I'm going to have them removed whenever I can get out from under all these darn bills. Its about a 250 dollar surgery though. And I imagine it can't feel too good either, but I think the benefit of having them done vs tearing every six months outweighs the cons.

I would only ever remove well-attached dewclaws if they were getting torn (like Ozzie's above) because they do have benefits (stabilizing on turns, gripping objects, etc.). If I ever got a pup from a breeder I'd insist they not remove front dew claws at birth.

if shes having no issues, leave them be, the surgery itself is pretty intense (if its done at 3 days its a simple slice and glue and done! but older they have to detatch the bone)

i had dodgers backs removed when he was neutered because they stuck out and were very loose and hes a pain about his nails being done and being so tiny even the kitty nail clippers are too big to get them...
his front however are tighter and not as much as an issue (and easier to get at with the grinder)

he came home with his back legs well bandaged, was groggy for longer than typical for a simple neuter (under longer) and was sore for a few days, he could get around no problem but they were tender to the touch.
personally if there not a problem id just leave them be after 3 days, and generally if there kept short and can be clipped easy, unless there loose there not usually a problem.

4 out of 5 of ours have front dews. Beau tears his every now and then but honestly it isn't that big a deal. I never even notice it's torn until way after. The others don't ever have problems and they do use them all the time. I feel sorry for Nard sometimes because he's the only one without 'thumbs' lol.

Strider has front ones, they are pretty big but never have gotten caught on anything.

Three of ours have front dewclaws. Chloe's breeder had hers removed right after she was born.

Knock on wood, we haven't had any dewclaw issues. They're just a pain to clip.

Both of mine have their front dew claws and we've not had any issues.....I'd leave 'um.

Spaniels traditionally have theirs removed (all) for the same (old, stupid, etc) reason as their tails are docked. That means neither of my dogs has dew claws.

Bailey was born with front and rear. Buzz just had front.

Oddly enough, my Rascal-cat has one rear dew. It's not in the way in the least and is tight. He ended up being fully declawed, but because he had extra claws in the front that we couldn't keep managed, we discussed having the extras taken off. I don't know how that would have worked out, but he has a thumb and then had a claw in between the "thumb" and his other toes. I had to trim that nail a LOT to keep it from digging in.

The toller breeder I'm friends with keeps all front dews, but removes any rear dews they may get.