# Dew claws, remove or keep them



## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

If I were a breeder, there is no way I'd amputate the dew claws or dock the tail. The dew claws can be a little annoying to clip and keep from snagging on things, but overall, I don't think there's a good enough reason to remove them. And that is interesting how they help them turn.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

We remove dewclaws and always will. Having worked in a grooming salon for years I saw too many horrors not to. Nails that have curled and grown back into the leg, huge awful scars from dew claws being ripped out on carpet or fencing. Even if we one day stop docking tails, we will continue to remove dew claws.


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

Dew claws aren't removed in Australia and I don't know anyone who has had issues with them on their dog. Rory definitely uses his regularly and they are very easy to maintain; they are easier to cut than the rest of his nails frankly.

Perhaps groomers see more issues with them in countries where they are not as commonly left on.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

Having had a beagle who, as an adult, tore a dew claw up her leg, it was a real horror to witness and very painful for Daisy. The removal of the remainder of that dew claw and the other front one as well was a fairly major surgery. 

I am grateful for dogs who have had this very minor proceedure done as pups.

Poppy has a removed dew claw growing back and has already caught it twice while playing.....made her leg really sore for days. While I am not looking forward to it's removal soon, I will be glad to not worry about her catching it again.

I vote for removing them as pups.


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

I use to be against removing dewclaws, but I now feel like I'm on the fence about them. Abbey has them and Dolly doesn't, I find them bothersome when grooming and doing nails but it's not awful. I hate clipping nails, and I have to clip the dewclaws whereas I dremel the others. A good reason to remove dewclaws, no probably not. I have heard some horror stories about them being injured or ripped off though, but never any personal experience. DH and the vet did not agree with me insisting on a pexy, it's also just a precaution, but I wouldn't put my dog through surgery just for a pexy.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Caddy said:


> DH and the vet did not agree with me insisting on a pexy, it's also just a precaution,


That's interesting that the vet didn't agree with you. If a dog bloats and has torsion, it is often fatal. Therefore, I think a pexy makes good sense in a breed with a high incidence of the condition. I've never heard of a dog dying from having dewclaws, though.


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## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

Asta has his dew claws - and so far no problem. I've seen him use them grabbing onto a toy or a bully stick. I dremel them, being careful to hold back hair.


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## oshagcj914 (Jun 12, 2016)

Asaah has her dewclaws and I wish she didn't. She's already come in with the, bloody a few times from catching on brush and stuff, and I'm meticulous about keeping nails short, I abhor long nails on dogs. Our Aussie growing up ripped his halfway up his leg and it was horrible to get that healed. My sister in law's family boxer did the same thing and his got infected. It's a much bigger deal to remove them as an adult, and I much prefer them done as puppies.


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## Siskojan (Mar 13, 2011)

Sisko has them and they have been no trouble. There is a video somewhere on Youtube showing golden retrievers getting themselves out of an icy pond during training for duck hunting I guess and the dew claws are absolutely necessary as they roll their paws inwards and lever on them to pull themselves out. Next they show a retriever minus dew claws and it just cannot get out and has to be rescued. Found it so here it is I hope


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## BeBe67 (May 13, 2015)

I had dew claws removed and tails docked on the litter I raised (circa 1988).
Brandi has her dew claws still and Luna has weird dew claws on her back legs that actually include an extra toe  The vet told me not to remove them because it would be a major surgery and really hard on her. So we left them. Maggie has no dew claws thankfully. I hate having to keep them trimmed and it makes the foot harder to groom IMO.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Sophy has dew claws, Poppy hasn't. I am not sure that I have noticed much difference in how they move, but they are not performance dogs and rarely need to do fast twists and turns. Sophy did partly tear a dew claw once - there was no blood, no apparent pain, and I only found she had hurt herself when I was grooming her and she pulled that paw away. It grew back eventually, but she has always disliked having it trimmed. She has very strong, thick claws for such a small dog, and the dew claws in particular are tricky to cut. I think my preference would still be to leave them, though. It would be interesting to know just how common dew claw injuries are, especially in comparison with other claw injuries.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Our Airedale tore her dewclaw and it was a horrible mess. Not a month later, she actually ripped it off, and talk about bloody! When we had her spayed, we had the other dewclaw removed. I would much rather have the dewclaws taken off when the pups are three days old. None of our dogs have ever needed the dewclaws, they lead rather suburban lives.When I worked with veterinarians we would have dogs come in two or three times a year with their dewclaws grown in circles back into the legs. The owners didn't notice the claws. They brought the dogs in because they were limping.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

While on the subject of dew claws, what do you find the easiest method of trimming them? I use small nail cutters with a guard for my dogs paws, but the angle at which they cut means lifting the dew claw about 1cm/half an inch away from the leg, something which Sophy obviously finds uncomfortable. I'm a bit reluctant to invest in a grinder just for two claws - any other ideas?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Lily and Javelin do not have dew claws, do have docked tails and have not and will not have gastropexies (I prefer no elective anaesthesias). When puppies are tiny and the dew claws are removed and tails are docked they are neurologically underdeveloped (remember they are blind and deaf). I am very glad they don't have their dews since I find them to be a PIA on Peeves who does have his. I also have known a number of dogs who have had really icky to horrible injuries from ripping them off.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

> When puppies are tiny and the dew claws are removed and tails are docked they are neurologically underdeveloped (remember they are blind and deaf).


This is what I always tried to explain to people who thought docking the tail was so mean and cruel. Their little nervous systems are not complete and they don't feel pain there when it's done in the first 3 or 4 days.

I don't know that I'd remove the dew claws this late in the game. My niece's dog had really pendulous dew claws and was a major lunatic when turned loose where we hiked. He ran incredibly fast. (I think he had some sight hound in him) He jumped over logs and busted through brush on our mountain hikes like nobody's business. And never hurt his dew claws. It's a risk though, no doubt. It's up to you. But I think if a dog is older, that could be quite a tough, painful surgery. 

Jose` had dew claws but they were so tight against his skin, it would have been ridiculous to remove them. They were not a problem. I just used my Dremel the same as I did his other nails. It was very close and I had to be especially careful but just a little, tiny swipe with the Dremel and that was that. And my poodles don't have them.

You might get a 2nd opinion from another vet and do some more research before you decide. Good luck.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Poodlebeguiled said:


> This is what I always tried to explain to people who thought docking the tail was so mean and cruel. Their little nervous systems are not complete and they don't feel pain there when it's done in the first 3 or 4 days.
> 
> .


Watch a video on Youtube if you can bear it, Pb. Then tell me they don't feel excruciating pain :'(


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

zooeysmom said:


> Watch a video on Youtube if you can bear it, Pb. Then tell me they don't feel excruciating pain :'(


I don't think I could take it right now. But Zooeysmom...I understand that when they're _very_ young, just a couple days old, their nervous systems aren't finished developing. And that crying is due to something other than direct pain of these surgeries. Sometimes it is thought that the screaming and crying is the nervous system "letting off steam" and they are distressed when taken from their mother....and not caused by pain. Maybe I'm wrong. But that is the biology of it that I have come to understand. Maybe it's different with dew claws. But that tail...that end of the spine, the nerve system there is apparently undeveloped at that age. 

With docking of tails, in_ some_ breeds the damage they can get later in life is horrendous and this early docking can prevent that. I've seen dogs with whip like tales that get injured as adults and they have to go through hell and back before they heal and sometimes they never stay healed. It's pretty awful. I knew someone with a couple of pointers who had injuries when out hunting and they dealt with recurring problems for years. So a one time thing at 2 or 3 days old with some breeds may be better. And banding a tale for docking really doesn't cause any pain to my knowledge. My Doberman breeder related that to me. And also the ears. She said it was no big deal...that they itched right after...they'd lean into the cotton ball when she was cleaning them. The puppies would wrestle and run into each other...never a whimper.


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## Verve (Oct 31, 2016)

A poodle in the Hunting Poodle FB group ripped a dew claw yesterday. I think dew claw injuries are more common than you might think. I think my poodles are a lot more likely to rip a dew claw than to fall into an icy pond and need them to get out.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

My dad's golden retriever Fiona's dad ripped a dewclaw recently and had to remove it. She said it was no big deal. She has had many dogs over the years, as has my family, and this was the first dewclaw injury. So is it worth amputation? Not in my opinion. 

Pb, no way those puppies don't feel that pain! The people who try to argue they aren't "neurologically developed" are just saying that because they want to dock and remove dewclaws. I almost fainted watching it, it's so distressing.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I don't say that just because I want to dock or remove dew claws. Truly I don't. My breeder of my Doberman explained how it was in her house with those puppies. She banded their tails and they never _showed_ any signs of pain. It just cuts off the circulation and they fall off. They didn't cry or wince or whine. When the ears were cropped, they're under anesthesia. When they came home she said they bounced around, playing with each other, running into each other's heads, clawing and climbing on each other. Never did any of them cry or yelp. When she would clean the ears with a cotton ball, she said they leaned into it. Their ears itched a little. But no real pain was shown. I do not know about dew claws. That might be worse. Maybe they should be under anesthesia if they have such pain with that. But maybe they're too young to have anesthesia. I don't know what the answer is on that. Some dogs get terribly injured later in life, some don't.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Oh, the way your Doberman breeder did it doesn't sound nearly as bad. I was talking about *cutting* the tails off. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that's how the majority of poodle breeders do it? I wouldn't have issue with the banding method.


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## Verve (Oct 31, 2016)

I've been staying out of this, but would like to address the pain issue, since I've helped a friend do tails and dews on 7 or 8 litters of standard poodle puppies at this point, including two litters of my own. My friend uses hemostats for both tails and dews, with very good results. The puppies *do* cry when she clamps tails and dews, but almost always quiet down immediately as I hold them, even though they still have hemostats on (she leaves the hemostats on for about two minutes, to minimize bleeding). I've even had some fall asleep in my hands while we're waiting. They go about their business and usually fall asleep once returned to the whelping box. With my own I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary in the hours following--no signs that they are restless or uncomfortable. 

The other thing to know is that dew claws on a 3 day old puppy are *tiny*. Like about half the size of a grain of rice. I can't imagine doing them on a toy or even a mini.


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## dogsavvy (Mar 6, 2015)

It depends upon the job the dog performs. Hunters, police or military K9's, livestock guardians all use the dewclaws in the course of their work. I'm sure there are other jobs where the dogs use them as well. I however am not fond of dewclaws. I have a tiny Chi who has them & uses them to climb me, not fun. One of my dogs years ago had a pretty nasty injury from jumping off a friend's lap, hung her dewclaw in a blanket & smacked her head. I've hated dewclaws ever since.

If I saw any evidence that dewclaw removal, tail docking or ear cropping did harm, I wouldn't do it. Scientists believe they have a pretty good handle on the development of the nervous system of puppies. I don't always trust science however I have assisted in dewclaw removals, tail docking, & have been present for the ear cropping surgeries. My education of the procedures came from vets & later other breeders who had been in their breeds for many years. I've seen whole litters go through dewclaw removal & docking without a peep (not by banding). What I've personally found is it is often objection to how s/he is being held, being removed from a warm nest to a cold table, how the assistant holds the pup or grips the pup during the procedure. And sometimes they just object to being woke up. I had one little male puppy that was just wailing away. The breeder's wife came unhinged thinking the puppy was dying in pain from what we were doing. I made her come into the room. The whole litter was done except for 2, Mr. Noisy & his sister. We had not touched Mr. Noisy. I took a hand towel & held it close to a heat lamp to get it warm. Wrapped him up & within 30 seconds he started settling down & went off to sleep & SLEPT through his tail docking & dewclaw removal. When I looked up & saw her jaw dropped open she told me she would not have believed it if she hadn't seen the whole thing from the point I made her come into the room.


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