#dewclaws

[jitterbugjive]

I've never seen a cat actually use their dewclaws before

Johan is one step closer to opposable thumbs

[midi-wizard]

Galen Tipton & Shmu merch for dewCLAWS

art by me

[dinosaurwithablog]

In Morocco, goats climb trees to graze because of the lack of grass. They graze in argan trees. Goats are such great climbers. I've seen where they scale precarious slopes that are almost vertical so trees must be rather easy for them. Their cloven, convex hooves, and their sharp dewclaws keep them from slipping. Animals are so amazing.

[danjiisthmus]

Desert Queen

Commission for 146tym

[ask-a-vetblr]

Why do some dogs only have front dewclaws, some have all dewclaws, and some have none at all? Also, what form is the most common do you guys think? When I have happened to pay attention, most dogs seem to only have front dewclaws!

vet-and-wild here.

Rear dew claws are really only found in certain breeds and their mixes. It’s considered a fault for other breeds so dogs with rear dews aren’t going to be bred (except by shitty breeders who don’t care). Wolves do not have rear dew claws, so front only is the default. While it’s possible that a dog could be born without front dew claws, it’s more likely that when you’ve seen them they were removed. Some people prefer to remove them to avoid having them catch on things and injure the dog. That really isn’t all that common though and it’s kind of like docking a tail to prevent happy tail. The human equivalent would be removing your pinky toe so you don’t stub it. It’s just not something that tends to be common or serious enough to warrant routinely removing them.

[darkwood-sleddog]

Weird question, but you know how dogs usually know how to doggy paddle? Do sled-type dogs know how to get themselves out of icy water?

I’ve seen humans do it in videos and it’s terrifying, I can’t even imagine how a dog with no thumbs and limited spreading ability could do it, much less the fear they’d feel.

(I watched SnowBuddies when I was a kid and saw some dogs fall into the ice, and it looked like they couldn’t have gotten out by themselves.)

Knowing how to doggy paddle is just instinct. Icy water is one reason why mushers almost never remove the dewclaws of the dog, they use them to grip and pull themselves up out of the water. HERE is a link to a good video about hunting retrievers and shows how the dogs use their dewclaws to get out of icy water. You’ll notice that naturally the dogs default to a wide spread forearm stance, very like what is recommended for people to pull themselves up out of the same situation. Now of course some situations can be and ARE dangerous and as human beings we should never assume our dogs can just get out on their own and should be on hand to assist them if needed.

Some dewclaws aren’t functioning digits and many breeders remove them which to me is fine, it’s not a functioning part of the dog and just hangs there waiting to get caught on something. I DO take issue with the removal of functional dewclaws however, something a huge majority of dogs have.

[tricksforclicks]

Dewclaw Function 101 - 1TDC

The dewclaw, also called the first digit, can be found on the inner (medial) side of the front (and sometimes back) legs above the weight-bearing joints.

[veterinaryrambles]

i know that ear cropping and tail docking has a lot of controversy surrounding it, but what about the removal of a dog’s dewclaw? is it in any way similar to declawing a cat? is it okay to do?

For dewclaws, I see no need to remove dewclaws that have solid bone attachments to the paw.  These claws are usually just as functional and feeling as the claws on the rest of the foot, and unlikely to get caught in things.  Removing a toe like this is a full amputation, more complete even than removing a cat’s claw in a declawing surgery.  I don’t recommend it or advise it.  

Most people will have the dewclaws removed at 2-5 days of age, when the tissue is less developed.  I have never done puppy dewclaw removal but a colleague did (feeling roped into doing so by a client) and they swore never again, because even the 2-day-old puppies cried. The only bit of good news here is that if the claw is removed when the puppy is very small, they don’t seem to have any long-term effects that we have found.

However, for very floppy, loose, dangly dewclaws, these lack internal bone and are only connected via skin and a little soft tissue, like a skin tag.  These are at more risk of getting caught in things (fences, flooring, bushes, etc.) and potentially injuring the pet.  Removing these is just as simple as removing a skin tag, with no bony involvement and few nerves going to the area.  I often offer removing these “unattached” dewclaws at the spay or neuter surgery.  The pet should still be on appropriate pain medication during and after the procedure, but they are unlikely to have any issues associated with the procedure, and may be saved from painful dewclaw injuries in the future.

Thank you for the question, I am happy to clarify!