Removing Dew Claws??

hello, first of all HAPPY NEWYEAR!!! to everyone. Haven't been around in a while, been really busy with work.

We are wanting to spay our sheltie within the near future, and when we had first talked about that with our vet she suggested that we'd get Penny's Dewclaws removed at the same time as getting her spayed. This because she has two on the one leg... (appearantly this is common among shelties).

Now I dont know a lot about it, have been looking for some info on the forum and on the internet but can't find an awful lot. Is this the same idea as declawing cats? (the surgery that is) Does anyone have experience with it? I don't find Penny is bothered by hers if we keep them trimmed. Is it painful for them to have it done?

Just wondering about people's oppinion!

I'm not quite clear on why some breeders and vets say dew claws need removed. It would be a surgical procedure where they take the entire joint out. They don't just snip below the nail quick like with cats (which is painful and unnatural to them). Why would you want this done?

Unless the dewclaws are really loose I would leave them.If loose fitting than yes cause they can get caught on objects easy.

Well actually i'm iffy about getting it done that's why I posted the thread since you told me they actually remove the entire joint (which is what they do to cats too) that actually answers my biggest question so I won't get it done coz I dont believe in that. My vet suggested it coz with the two nails she has a big chance of getting caught when she's outside running etc.

German Sheperd gurl, none of them are really loose fitted except for the extra nail. I might just ask my vet what it would involve to get rid of that one coz it doesn't seem to be attatched all that well...

I dont want to start a whole new thread to ask this, so I hope you dont mind if I ask here. Are all dogs born with dew claws?

I dont mind at all As far as I know all dogs are born with them yeah, but from what I've read on the internet some breeders get them removed when the pups are just a couple of days old.

Dew claws? Is that just their regular claws?

it's the ones that are higher up on their legs

I just checked Peanut, and she doesnt have one. She does however have this little "thumb" on the back side of her leg just above her paw, but theres no nail protruding from it. Is this a dewclaw?

Oh right. Thanks.

yes that would be it

ok, thank you

Most good breeders remove all dewclaws when the pups are a few days old, we remove all dewclaws on our Bernerse Mountani Dog pups. It's just a precaution, taking them off just in case they get cought on stuff and tear, if they do tear off it's not pretty, and it's very painful! The other breed I have, the Beauceron has not only 1 but two declaws on the rear legs, which must be left on according to the breed standard, oddly enough I have never heard of a Beauceron loosing their hind dewclaws, the only problem I ever had with the double dews is the Beauce puppies get them cough on the berber carpet

Nedim... they're your dog's "thumbs" on their front legs! Peanut must have been born to a breeder if she doesn't have hers. Hunter doesn't have his either (not even the thumb "joint"... nothing). So, that makes me think he came from a breeder.

I did have a neighbor who had a little white Alaska dog who came up to my fence and raked her front paw down the fence only to become a bloody mess. She ripped her declaw. Guess that's why some have them taken off. But I also grew up with dogs my whole life and never had any of them rip their dew claws...

We had to make that decision with Princess. She to had the extra dewclaws and were real loose. We decided to just have the extra removed while she was in to be spayed. The order was mixed up and they removed all. Poor thing was in misery. We felt bad for making her go thru that and for not making sure they understood we only wanted the extra removed.

She had me freaked out because both her legs bandaged up, she couldnt hardly walk. But then I noticed if a wrap fell off one leg, she would walk. If the wrap was on she'd limp. Another thing was for months afterwards she could be taking a nap and when she'd get up, she'd limp. I always felt like it had something to do with the removal of the dew claws. Maybe not. We did what we felt like was best for Princess. Leaving the extra could be bad if caught on something. Only you can make that decision. If it's loose, I would go ahead with it.

Dogs have dew claws on their back legs, too? Is it only in some breeds?

Sorry, to much going on here today and my head is totally spinning. to answer you, no. But she had the extras. Her extra was a double. It was the double that concerned us and being so loose.

Shiloh has had hers removed from her breeder, and she has big scars left.

Charlie has his, Rocket has hers.

They both are working dogs and have never had any problems with tearing.
Although they are close and feel pretty strong on both dogs. And they have none on their back legs.

I think dogs that have the hanging little flippy things on their back legs are at greatest risk of tearing. If the front ones are loose and flippy, I guess there is that danger too. My husband jokingly calls them "diggers" he says it helps Charlie get over the ice when retrieving geese, Shilohs are gone and sometimes can't get back over the ice to bring the goose back. But it is all a joke and really has nothing to do with it.

I personally don't see a reason to remove them unless they dangle and are prone to catching on something.

Nedim, the dewclaws are not the black pad that sits higher on the dogs legs. The dewclaws are a lump with a toenail growing from it. If you can't find any on the front legs, they were probably removed. Somedogs have them on the back legs some don't.
I agree with EliNHunter, if you don't see any on the front legs, they have probably been removed at the breeders.

Ok, sorry about all the questions but is this a dew claw? Theres no nail, just a stump.

Ahh, thank you. Peanut doesnt have any on her back legs, either. So what is that little stump on her front legs?