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Author
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Topic: dew claw
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vash the stampede
Junior Member
Member # 860
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posted April 11, 2004 08:20 PM
hello, brand new here. thanks for having me.
i have a 2 year old mix breed dog. i just noticed that she is always licking her right dew claw. i checked it out, and found it to be split and cracked. i plan on calling my vet tomorrow, but i was wondering what was up with that claw. is it needed? do vets remove them on older dogs?
cliff
Posts: 2 | From: bay area california | Registered: Apr 2004
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lou3
Member
Member # 343
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posted April 12, 2004 01:24 AM
no its not needed - its a vestige of the fifth toe that just hasnt disappeared fully in some dogs yet. Not all dogs have dew claws and vets will remove them in adults under aneasthetic if they get damaged. When i'm buying a dog I usually check to make sure its dew claws have been removed as a puppy before i buy it because problems like this are very common.
Your dog will be fine once the claw is removed and i garuntee it wont affect him afterwards!
Lou
Posts: 461 | From: uk | Registered: Nov 2003
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vash the stampede
Junior Member
Member # 860
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posted April 12, 2004 04:42 PM
thanks lou!
my dog has a vet appointment on wed. poor girl is alway licking it. i wonder what the vet will do. i will post her decision.
cliff
Posts: 2 | From: bay area california | Registered: Apr 2004
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ellierat
Member
Member # 612
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posted April 13, 2004 04:56 AM
Whether or not the vet removes it will probably be your decision, unless it is completely damaged he will let you decide. The dew claw is still used in some breeds, like Labradors, when they are climbing steep banks to get out of water it assists in their grip.
Dew claws on the back legs are uncommon, but on the front you will find them in every breed.
Not everybody removes them, in all my years of grooming I have only had about 5% of dogs with dew claws removed.
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I love my labs.
Posts: 880 | From: australia | Registered: Feb 2004
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