Labrador Retriever breeder/trainer Renee Adsitt-Pettey of Peak Performance Labradors in Chaumont, New York, explains: “We remove dewclaws with the sole purpose of preventing torn dewclaws out in the field.” When dogs have dewclaws, she says, “We deal with fairly frequent dewclaw injuries when hunting out of the boat, hunting through thin ice, and wooded marshes.”Īdsitt-Perry adds that dewclaws, at least on her dogs, don’t seem to be as “tight” to the foreleg as they once were, which makes them generally more of a hassle than a help for her dogs. Most hunting dog and retriever breeders have their puppies’ dewclaws removed. However, if you ask hunting dog breeders or trainers, they will likely say that their dogs suffer dewclaw injuries out in the field frequently enough to warrant surgical removal. This prompts the question, “If the dewclaws rarely present a problem, why put the dog or puppy through an unnecessary, painful procedure?” This sounds practical, but if you ask veterinarians how often they see dewclaw injuries, they will say hardly ever – or certainly no more frequently than injuries to the other toes. The thought was, “If the dewclaws don’t have a function, we might as well get rid of them so that they can never become a problem for the dog.” As such, it became routine to remove the dewclaws to prevent injuries that dogs sometimes suffer when the dewclaw catches on vegetation as the dog runs, lands from jumps, and turns. They’re located higher up on the limb than the other toes and make no contact with the ground when the dog is standing. What Are Dewclaws and What Do They Do?įor a long time, experts believed that dewclaws served no purpose. These activities include not only formal events like agility, flyball, lure coursing, fast CAT (coursing ability test), disc dog sports, hunting, and tracking, but also fun, informal athletic activities like running off-leash, hiking, playing with other dogs, and chasing balls. If, however, your dog engages in athletic activities that involve hunting, running at speed or making sudden, tight turns and changes of direction, the topic is far more consequential. Photo by Nancy KernsĮnd of a six-foot leash, the controversy over dewclaw removal is somewhat immaterial. I've been ALL over combing the internet frantically searching for YES or NO.ĪNYONE OUT THERE.Dogs who participate in sports that require speed and agility definitely benefit from having front dewclaws for stabilizing the foot during turns and landing from jumps. 'WE CANT GIVE MEDICAL ADVISE OVER THE PHONE WITHOUT HAVING PRIOR TREATED HER OR SEEN HER FOR THIS SPECIFIC SITUATION' I asked her vet this question, but their response was, So, obviously, sticking with her original vet is what I'm going to do. The ones who will be willing have appointments around the same time as her normal veterinarian. Other vets will not see her randomly because she is not a patient there. The earliest her veterinarian could make an appointment for is July 21st.

If anyone out there reading this, knows if I could spray this on her quick? I just bought antiseptic along with liquid bandage (FOR DOGS, not the human kind). Something very similar just happened to my dog. Now that the rules are out of the way, let's have some fun! It is up to you to repost with proper credit. Don't own the art, image, story you're posting? Give credit! Anything that is reported and found to not be original content will be removed. This is a grey area but users are always welcome to repost with a new appropriate title.Īlways give credit where credit is due. This rule is also hard because it relies on two things: 1) Users reporting posts they think are 'click-baity' and 2) Moderators deciding if a post is click-bait. Perhaps in the future /r/DOG will have focused charity events. Please do not come here expecting to raise money for local rescues, beloved pets, recently saved strays, etc. This is hard, because so many of us love and want to help dogs, but it is very, very easy for a subreddit to fall prey to sob stories or become overrun with them. This subreddit is for having fun!Īlthough we all love dogs. There is no need for rude comments, harassment, etc. Welcome to /r/DOG, a subreddit dedicated to the best animal ever- the dog!

Torn dew claw dog