![]() ![]() These dogs will need the dewclaws trimmed.”Ī. Some dogs do not need their nails trimmed because they are always running around on the concrete. ![]() Sara Ochoa said, “These nails may need to be trimmed more frequently than normal. So regular trimming to keep the nail short can help prevent injury both to the pet and their people.Ī. They are usually very sharp as well which could inadvertently cause skin injuries to their pet parents. The toenail can even grow so long as to curl back and grow into the skin causing pain and usually infection. This can lead to overgrowth which makes the pet prone to catching the nail on things. Lucas White said, “Since the dewclaws are rarely in contact with the ground the toenail on that digit does not wear down as fast as the others. Sarah Wooten said, “Dewclaw nails will continue to grow like any other nails, so make sure to keep them trimmed regularly or they can curl in on themselves and pierce the skin.”Ī. Is there any special care for dewclaws dog owners should be aware of?Ī. Again, there is just no real reason to do it.” Gary Richter said, “Post-operative pain mostly. Some dogs will take their stitches out and cause more of an issue to deal with the incision until it heals.”Ī. Sara Ochoa said, “I usually do not see any issues from having them removed later in life. There is some thought that the dewclaw helps stabilize the carpus (wrist) joint and without it the dogs may be more prone to developing arthritis in that joint.Ī. Lucas White stated, “Removing the dewclaw in a grown dog is technically a toe amputation and therefore is a more involved procedure and more painful to the pet. If your dog has attached dewclaws (not free-floating under the skin) then it can cause pain and arthritic degeneration of the carpus (wrist), and it is not recommended to remove attached dewclaws unless there is a medical indication (injury, cancer, etc.)”Ī. Sarah Wooten said, “If your dog has ‘floating’ dewclaws, which means they are not attached to a tendon, once the surgery has healed there are no downsides to having them removed. ![]() Is there a downside to having them removed?Ī. That said, if we are talking about an older dog that has already gotten this far with his/her dewclaws, I see no reason to remove them. They are more prone to injury than claws with a proper bony attachment. Sometimes dogs have dewclaws that are really only attached skin and some soft tissue. Gary Richter, M.S., D.V.M., C.V.C., C.V.A., a veterinary health expert with says, “I would never recommend removing dewclaws unless the claw is injured. I have seen some dogs get their dewclaws stuck in something and tear the dewclaw almost off then they need to be removed.”Ī. Sara Ochoa, DVM a Veterinary Consultant for, says, “If a dog has torn a dewclaw or the nail had grown back into their pad, I would remove the dewclaws. Arthritis of the wrist joint may be a potential complication.”Ī. Luckily dewclaw injuries are rare and most dogs don’t need them to be removed. These and dogs who repeatedly injure their front dewclaws are the patients for whom I recommend removal. Some breeds have rear dewclaws which can be less firmly attached and be prone to catching on things and causing injury. Lucas White, DVM, with Sunset Vet Clinic, says, “For dogs that still have their dewclaws I rarely recommend they be removed. The most common complications are surgical dehiscence (the surgery site opens up due to the dog moving around too much or chewing on the site), inflammation of the surgical site, or infection of the surgical site.”Ī. And keeping your dog quiet enough to heal and keeping an e-collar or other deterrent on your dog at all times to prevent chewing the surgery site. There are complications to be aware of – the surgery is painful and requires strict monitoring of your dog after surgery for 10-14 days until the sutures are removed. Sarah Wooten, a veterinarian for Pumpkin Pet Insurance says, “I wouldn’t recommend having them removed unless they were causing problems with the dog, i.e. If someone would adopt a dog that still has their dewclaws intact, in what circumstances would you recommend having them removed? Are the complications to be aware of before deciding to have them removed?Ī. ![]()
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