Rear Dew Claw Removal?

[xsharebearx]

So my dog (pomchi) is 11lbs. She has never had a problem until recently I noticed when she scratches her ear or has an itch around her neck she'll scratch then flop down and start tugging at her rear dew claw. She has one on each rear leg and she's 1.5 years old, so they are attached with bone but the bone is not very strong (seems kind of weak). I work at a vet clinic and I have seen pets come in with half a toe because they chew on them and rip them off, and I don't want that to happen to her. She's not constantly chewing or tugging them, but it's happened quite a few times, enough to cause a concern. I made an appointment for her removal for tomorrow morning, but I want some insight and feedback on whether or not I should get them removed. I know the recovery process takes a while, but I definitely want the best for her. If they are bothering her and she tugs at them every time she has a small itch I don't want to risk her tugging them off, but I also don't want to remove them if it's not necessary. Thanks in advance!

[Nettle]

Rear dew claws are generally only attached by gristle, and so their removal and recovery from surgery is relatively simple. Front dew claws are a whole different matter as these are a proper digit (equivalent to our thumb) with a long bone under the surface. Removal of these involves a long recovery and is not always problem-free as there is not much skin to play around with when stitching.

Your dog's breed mix should mean that the rear dews are easy to remove. There are a few breeds where the rear dews are stronger and so more complex to remove, but not many.

As you are already working at the vet surgery, you should have plenty of experienced backup to help you


I would always have rear dews removed, but not front ones unless they are giving great trouble. Really the breeder should have seen to this when your dog was born.

[xsharebearx]

Sadly I don't know much about the dog's history. My sister got her from Houston from what I believe might have been an accidental litter and she was the last one left, and if she wasn't out within a few weeks they were going to give her up to a shelter. I can't quite tell what the hind dew claws are attached with, but something hard is inside but it's still a little flimsy. We made an appointment today to get them checked out and removed if needed. I've tried googling and every website talks about front dew claws but not so much hind dew claws, and when it does it talks about Great Pyrs and Greyhounds and that's not exactly what I'm looking for
Also, I would never think about removing the front dew claws. Every one of my dogs have them and they use them all the time like a thumb to grip things. This is, however, my first time having a dog with back dews. And in my year of experience at the vet clinic I might have only seen one or two (excluding Greyhounds and other dogs that leave them on).

[Nettle]

As an aside, I do a lot with greyhounds and other sighthounds and have never known one with rear dewclaws - ever - in umpteen decades of working with them. I wonder whether it is just show greyhounds?

Lurchers with bull terrier or herding dog blood sometimes have rear dews, and these are usually removed just after birth.

[xsharebearx]

I think the two greyhounds who come to our clinic have dew claws in the back. They used to be race dogs but now they're retired. I've never actually seen a purebred Pyrenees before :/
Definitely need to look more into this whole dew claw thing.
We had our dog's removed today and she's walking fine not chewing the bandages doesn't seem to miss them at all. Got some Rimadyl to help the pain (if any) and she should be fine in two weeks

[Nettle]

Great news