Fully formed digits can only move a little, whereas vestigial dewclaws are the ‘flappy’ ones that you can easily move around. You can tell the difference by how much your dog’s dewclaw moves. These are only attached by skin, and are known as ‘vestigial’ dewclaws. However, most are made up of nail, skin, and connective tissue with no bony attachment. Some are fully formed digits with a bony attachment. Dogs use their front dewclaw for gripping, traction and turning at speed, such as during agility exercises.ĭewclaws on the hind legs are more variable. In most cases, the dewclaw on a front leg is a fully formed digit with a bony attachment. To help you picture it, the dog’s dewclaws are like our big toes or thumbs. Talk to your veterinarian about your dog’s specific needs. If your dog comes to you with dewclaws, you don’t necessarily need to remove them. So, if you’re wondering whether you should remove your dog’s dewclaws, read on! This leaves many pet parents wondering what to do in the best interests of their dog. The legislation around removal of dewclaws even differs between countries. Dewclaws used to be removed fairly routinely, but current thinking tends towards leaving them alone. There is much debate surrounding dewclaw removal in dogs. This may cause the ligaments to stretch and tear over time, resulting in joint laxity and ultimately, arthritis.The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Without the gripping action of the dog’s ‘thumbs’ there is more stress on the ligaments of the carpus. At this point, the dewclaw is in contact with the ground and if the dog turns, the dewclaw can dig in for extra traction to prevent unnecessary torque on the front leg. In the canter, there is a moment during each stride when the dog’s accessory carpal pad (on the back of the carpus) of the lead front leg touches the ground (Figure 1) and the rear legs and otherįigure 1: The accessory carpal pad of the lead front leg touches the ground.įront leg swing forward to prepare for the next stride. The dewclaws have the important function of reducing the torque that is applied to the front legs, especially when dogs are turning at a canter (the main gait used in agility). With so many carpal bones that don’t tightly interlock with the adjacent bones, the ligaments of this joint can be easily stretched and even torn when torque (twisting) is applied to the leg. The relatively loose fit of the carpal bones is supported by ligaments that join each of the carpal bones to the adjacent bones. The bones of the carpus do not have ridges that slide into interlocking grooves on the adjacent bone. This joint consists of seven bones that fit together like fieldstones that are used to build the walls of a house (Figure 2).įigure 3: The elbow bones have ridges that slide into interlocking grooves. To understand why, it is helpful to understand the structure of the carpus. Interestingly, this condition is much more common in dogs that have had their front dewclaws removed. In the last several years, while doing sports-medicine consultations for performance dogs across Canada and the United States, I have seen many canine athletes with carpal arthritis. It is very enlightening as to what roll removing dew claws can play in injuring dogs and arthritis. The following is an excerpt from “ With A Flick of the Wrist” by Chris Zink, DVM, PhD (as seen in Dogs In Canada – September 2003). Removal is detrimental to this breed as is in other breeds as well. Dewclaws in the Great Pyrenees are attached to the bony structure of the leg. * One breed for which lack of dewclaws is considered a fault is the Great Pyrenees. (please see further uses for the dew claw in the article below). They can be used to lightly grip bones and other items that dogs hold with the paws. For this reason, removal of dewclaws is illegal in many countries. * Some breeders have lost puppies from infections they received at the removed dewclaw area. Some say the pain of removing a dewclaw is far greater than any future risk of POSSIBLY catching it or ripping it off. It hurts the puppies during a critical developmental period. Anyone who says otherwise has never seen it done. We at Cavachons by Design do not make it our practice to remove dewclaws for the following reasons: It can be a breeders practice to remove this “extra” toe just after birth. There has been much debate regarding dewclaws. Dewclaws are the fifth toe which dogs almost always have on the inside of the front legs and occasionally also on the hind legs.
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