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Spock

Is it necessary to remove the dew claws?

I have husky/samoyd/malamute/retriever mix that didn't recieve any vet care from the prev owner. He is now 12 weeks old and is currently getting his shots and is being nuetered today. Is is necessary to get his dew claws removed? i would need to make another appt to get that done in the future, emergency car repairs won't let me do it now.


Asked by Spock on Dec 8th 2009 Tagged dewclaws, surgery in Other Health & Wellness
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Seth

Really it s best to be done when they are very young. you dont have to have them removed, but there is always a small chace they could rip it while running or something. But doing it at this age is kind of hard on the dog also and will take a long time to heal. Really i would take the chance and just let them be.


Seth answered on 12/8/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Guest

NO! and @ 12 weeks it will be extremely painful. I once didn't tell a new vet NOT to remove the dew claws on a litter. When I picked up the pups I was distressed to see those tiny feet had stitches (they were only five days old). I raised German Shorthaired Pointers, and the tails needed to be docked (for health reasons in dogs thst hunt in the brush), so the vet just assumed I wanted the dew claws done too. When I saw that I was unhappy and even unhappier when the vet tech told how they cried when it was done. DON'T! I hated to have the tails docked on the GSPs, but in England where it has been banned there is a tremendous INCREASE IN TAIL INJURIES AND AMPUTATIONS IN ADULTHOOD which is major surgery then.
Dew claw removal might have had a purpose at one time, to prevent injury for active outdoor dogs, now there really is no reason. Just keep an eye on them and keep the nails clipped, they don't "wear" down like they do on the other toes.


Member 901737 answered on 12/8/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 2 Report this answer


Tyson, now known as Winston

When Tyson was taken to have his tail docked at 2 days old he was about 6 oz., and it was the coldest day of the year. I refused to let the vet remove his dewclaws, since it was one more stress he didn't need. When I told his show handler that, he told me he wouldn't show a poodle with dewclaws. Well, I asked him which one of the THREE poodles he had finished for me previously had dew claws and he had NO IDEA. So, guess I won that one, claws down, so to speak! I no longer remove dew claws on any of my dogs. I never did on my labs or Frenchies, and I only did my first poodle litter. If a professional handler and groomer didn't know which dog had dews of the three he had groomed and shown about 20 times each, then I guess they are not that important!
BTW, I have also never had a lab injure a dew claw and they all were worked in the field.


Tyson, now known as Winston answered on 12/8/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Mikey

Mikey had two huge dew claws on his back feet.
When I had him neutered the vet suggested removing the dew claw that only had skin attachment, no bone attachment.
He still has the one big dew claw that has bone attachment on each leg and I don't worry about it ripping. If the other had been attached stronger, I might have left it on.


Mikey answered on 12/8/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Pamela - Adopted!!!!

None of my dogs had the front dews removed, they are functional and are not in danger of ripping.
Pamela arrived on a truck from Alabama and look weird....then I realized why. She had 4 dews, 2 front - normal, and two back - never seen it before! Her front dews were normal and functional, but the back dews had no bone and from what we could tell - no feeling either. They were floppy and I feared they could tear easily. Were she mine I would have them removed, as a foster it's up to her new owners.


Pamela - Adopted!!!! answered on 12/8/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Crystal

My dog Crystal did not have her dew claws removed but I wish she would have. She is constantly biting and chewing on them until they bleed. I find my self constantly getting after her and telling her to stop. I guess they just irritate her. But no some dogs can still have their dew claws and be perfectly fine.


Crystal answered on 12/9/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


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