What Are Dewclaws?

Dew claws appear to be rather unnecessary body
parts that hang from a dog's paw and serve no
purpose at all.
Lets have a look at the purpose of dew claws,
and when it is thought necessary to have them
removed.

Dew claws are fairly common on the front paws of
dogs, and can sometimes be found on the hind paws
as well. They are positioned on the inside of the
paw, slightly higher than the other claws, and
are therefore not used to walk on. Unlike nail
trimming, which is a simple painless procedure
that should form part of your dog's regular
grooming routine, and can be undertaken by
anybody with a nail trimming tool, dew claw
removal involves painful permanent surgical
removal of the entire toe.

Many dog breeders choose to have the dew claws
removed, for cosmetic or practical reasons, when
the puppies are just days old. At this stage the
bone and tissue is undeveloped and soft, making
it a relatively simple, but possibly unnecessary
procedure. Dew claw removal in older dogs is much
more complex, and involves surgical removal by a
veterinarian. As this is a very tender area for
the dog, it very often leads to complications
after the operation as the paws are easily
accessible, so constant licking and biting at
the wound can limit its ability to heal,
resulting in the wound becoming infected.

So considering dew claw removal is extremely
painful for a dog, why do people have their
dog's dew claws removed and put their pet
through so much trauma?
Unfortunately, there are people who have these
appendages removed simply because they consider
them to be unsightly and serve the dog no
purpose. However, there are times when dew claw
removal is completely necessary. Because they
tend to dangle about, dew claws do pose a risk
of being snagged on a carpet or caught on
branches as the dog runs through dense bush.
This could end in painful injury should the dew
claw get pulled off.

In most cases, dew claws can be left on the dog
without any problems, but there may be instances
when it is preferable to have them surgically
removed. Most dogs have front dew claws; they
normally don't pose any problems and are usually
used by the dog for holding bones or toys. Dew
claws on the hind legs are not as common, are
usually loosely connected and dangle about,
posing a real risk of being snagged and pulled
off the skin, which is extremely painful for the
dog. As dew claws do not touch the ground, the
nails on these claws are not worn down. This can
result in the nail growing round and into the
skin of the dog's paw, which can be very
uncomfortable for the dog. If this goes
unnoticed and the nail is not trimmed it can
pierce the skin and lead to a very nasty,
painful infected wound. To avoid this, make sure
that your dogs nails are trimmed regularly,
paying special attention to dew claws that do
not wear down through physical activity.

Dew claw removal in dogs in understandably a
controversial matter, and a decision that
ultimately rests on the breeder or owner.
However, it is advised that if your dog's dew
claws were not taken off as a puppy, and they
aren't creating any problems for your dog, or
are not likely to result in severe injury
through snagging, then it's better to leave them
alone rather than putting your dog through
painful, costly surgery. If you feel your dog's
dew claws pose a risk of serious injury, and
would prefer to have them removed, try and have
them removed while your dog is under aneasthetic
for other surgery (for example, sterilisation)
where possible.

----------------------------------------------------
Alex Kelly

As a pet owner, my articles are based on issues
I feel are important for fellow animal lovers.
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