dew claw removal

[anderson7807]

i have a litter that is 2 days old, do i have to have the dew claws removed? do i have to have a vet to remove them or can i do it and how.

thanks.

[crewchf]

I've got a male without em and a female with em... Now the female is much better in the turns and gets better bite on the short striaghts!!! I'm stayyyyin out of this one!!!!!

Crew Chief

PS The male does seem too spin out alot!!!!!

[slade]

it helps to remove them. if you look some will be sticking way out not tight to the leg. this could cause a problem. its just the claws on the hind foot to worrie about. clean up a good sharp pair of nail clippers and snip them off close. dab the spot with a little blood stop, and you will be all set. sounds hard but its not. do it with in the next few days. good luck.

[Emery]

If you choose to remove them, do so within the first 5 days (at least that is what I have been told). You can either have the vet do them (approx $5/dog) or you can do it yourself.

[Tim H]

Slade gave you good advice. Do the back ones only, use sterile nail clippers and do it soon as anything past five days is better done at the vet.

[BuschBound]

Here in the U.P. of Michigan we get many feet of snow and ice. I think it's important to remove all dew claws, front and back. Alot of times with dogs that have them, the claws will eventually get ripped off and cause the dog displeasure. I normally will cut all dew claws at 3-4 days old. I use a small pair of sissors. I try to cut as close to the leg as possible. You will feel a ball just below where the nail come out and make sure you get below the ball or the nail will grow back. hope this helps.

[Swampman]

I agree with busch, here in WI. we have the same problem with snow. My pups don't have them on the back legs but do on the front, I take them to the vet at 3 to 5 days old and she remove's them for $15.00 per litter.

[J.B.M.]

You can use a single edge razor and just "shave" them off. It makes a nice clean cut and doesn't leave much of a scar. Just place the pups back in the whelping box and their mama will keep the wound clean.

[DarrinG]

I dont mind dew claws on the front leg as they usually stay tight to the leg but rear dew claws must go! I take a pair of sharp nail clippers and just nip them off at 2-3 days old. Luckily I havent had a pup born with rear dew claws here in a long, long time.

[yellow mt. kennels]

JUST HAD A LITTER THAT WILL BE 2-WEEKS OLD ON TUES.
I CUT ALL DEW CLAWS IF THEY HAVE 4 OR 2.
I CUT ALL AT BETWEEN 2-5 DAYS, AS HAS BEEN SAID.
I CUT THESE ON DAY 4, BECAUSE IT RAINED ALL DAY ON DAY 3 WHEN I USUALLY CUT THEM.
I USE CONTOURED (UP) SCISSORS, BECAUSE THEY MAKE A CLEAN CUT. AND THEY GET THE ENTIRE ROOT!!!! BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T THE CLAW WILL COME BACK.
WHY CUT FRONT, AND LEAVE THE BACK OR CUT BACK AND LEAVE THE FRONT. CUT THEM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THEY WILL HANG IN THE COVER, FRONT OR BACK. AND CAUSE INJURY TO YOUR DOG. AND POSSIBLE INFECTION IF YOU DON'T CATCH IT, OR SEE IT.
I HAVE A MALE THAT HAS ALL 4, NONE WERE CUT OFF!! THEY GET HUNG, AND I MUST CHECK HIM EVERYTIME OUT!!!

JAMES DAVIS
YELLOW MT. KENNELS

[MrJ]

My old stock use to come up with dew claws and I just bread a dog from that stock that I had given my brother 7 years ago and the litter threw 1 dew clawed dog. I use nail clippers also and do it day 3 no later than day 5. Vet told me 200 dollars to remove them years ago after one of my dogs hung the dew claw on somthing and about tore it off bleeding her real bad. Vet said that tearing them off was a major problem and the nail on te claw circling around and getting back in the skin was somthing else to look for and recomend removal when puppies.
I was always told dew claws were a throw back to when dogs had to hunt for food and used the claws to hold prey better. I was told more hunting stock in a dog with dew claws. I had some good dogs that were born with them but only noticed they fought more Rather than they ran better than non dewclaw dogs. Anyone know the real story behind Dew Claws?

Have a good one

Bobby

[BobC]

I have a litter of ten pups that are two days old today and wasn't confident enough to take the dewclaws off myself. My vet charged me $33.00 for the office visit and $3.00 per pup to remove the dewclaws. I figure it's better to be safe then sorry because of inexperience. I just wish he would have let me watch what he was doing so that I could do it next time.

[gus]

It's not rocket science. Just take a toenail clipper, place it over the dew claw, against the leg and snip. You can do the same thing with diagonal pliars. It is easier if you have help. Some puppies squirm alot and if you attempt it alone it takes more patience to wait until they are still enough to snip. If you don't get close to the leg with the clippers, there is a likelyhood of not getting the entire claw.
Once you do it you will be an expert and will be sixty-three dollars richer.

[crewchf]

MrJ,, roger that on the fighting more... My female with em can kick some butt when she's in the mood!!! She sure plays the ALFA role of my pack!!!!

Crew Chief

PS When we turn her loose in the field she's all business though!!! I'm afraid she won't pack well with strange hounds though....

[christianstine]

With a friends help I removed dew claws off my pups(all 9) .I found this procedure to be a little to stressful.I think the next time I will just take them to the vet.

Brian from Mi.