Dew claws. To remove or not to remove?

Question

I'm just interested in what other people think about the removal of front dew claws? I already know the pros and cons of rear ones, so please dont go on about them. I'm interested in front ones only. I also know that they are believed to be the remnants of a 5th digit.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I leave my dogs intact. I live in the country and lead an active lifestyle, bush walking etc, but I dont see that my lifestyle calls for them to be removed.

My cousin has a working dog and she has had his removed. She told me he cant hold onto bones anymore.

I think if theres a high risk of them tearing off, which I have heard is very painfull, then have them removed. If your lifestyle doesnt call for it, leave them alone.

I keep my dogs dew claw nails well trimmed, I think that helps.

Take care.

Answer 2

I have heard that also about the 5th digit.  We have a Boston and a Basset...both have their dews...I see no problem with them.  I don't like the idea of taking something off if there is no reason for it.

Answer 3

Dogs still use the front dew claw when holding a bone or toy down. IMO I would leave the front.

Answer 4

I think it depends on the front sort of like it does with the back. I know some people who have the front ones removed 'because it looks better', but I personally won't remove the front dew claws unless they are causing a problem. For instance one of my dogs has a dew claw that barely gets any blood to it, so it just sort of hangs on a little, dangling in a way. When I take her in to be fixed when she reaches an appropriate age my vet is going to remove all of her dew claws. I say all because if I remove one on the front I might as well go ahead and do the other one and she has the same problem with the one back dew claw she has, so in told my pup has 3 dew claws and since 2/3 are causing a problem I am going to have them removed.

I had actually never heard that it was believed that the dew claw is a remnant of a 5th digit...that is really interesting!

Answer 5

my dog has hers (she is 9 years old),and they are very useful to them,they can scratch their faces,hold stuff,and it might even help them turn sharper,probably not,but maybe...I think a dog without them would look weird to me...

Answer 6

why would u do that

Answer 7

I just had my Irish Setters front dew claws removed a few weeks ago.

It is not a necessity.  However if the dog is a digger and catching the claw on items it would be best to have the claw removed.  The dog could do a great deal of damage to themselves if they catch the claw on something and rip the claw partial or completely off.

My setter is a digger and was catching his dew claw on things - hence I had them removed when he was neutered.  I made my decision after discussing the matter with my vet (hence my logic listed above).

I have had other dogs in the past where I left the front dew claw on - had no reason to have it removed.  It never posed a problem but that nail was a pain to cut.

As for holding onto a bone...my dogs without the claw have no problems holding onto anything.

Answer 8

It depends if you think the dogs are at risk of hurting themselves by keeping them. All my dogs have had theirs but my latest dogs dew claws stuck out at an angle so before she was 6months she had already pulled one out. We had them removed while she was being spayed so she couldn't hurt herself again.