powerfulgazelle Posted June 14, 2020 Report Share Posted June 14, 2020 Hello, Our dear, departed Kip came to us as an adult of about 2-3yrs of age, from the dog warden/pound, so we did not know him as a pup---and he did not have anything like this. Kip crossed over back in April at 15ish years old and we've welcomed Walt to the household. Walt is ~14 weeks old now. Walt has normal dewclaws on the front (collie thumbs). They're well-developed and he uses them very much to his advantage when cornering, etc. Walt also has a single vestigial dewclaw on one hind foot. It is just fleshy, but with a fully developed claw. It does not seems to have any bone in it. Re: The hind dewclaw.... Have it removed? Leave it? My only concern is the nail will never wear down, since it's never in contact with the ground, obviously...and while I am grateful that Walt has all white toes/pink nails...I do not think I'd like to have to trim this claw. It's weirdly positioned. The little vestigial toe is to the left in the paw pic. The other is just a cute pic of Walt today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Parkey Posted June 14, 2020 Report Share Posted June 14, 2020 Levi came to us as an 8 month old, and has both rear dewclaws. As you describe, they are not functional and do not seem to have bone structure. But both of them have large claws which grow in a semicircle. Like most active border collies, Levi keeps all the other claws worn down with no attention from us. But we have to cut the hind dewclaws about once a month. So far, this hasn't caused a problem. But I'm afraid that he will snag one on something and injure himself, so I'm interested in everyone's opinions on this. Cute puppy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amc Posted June 14, 2020 Report Share Posted June 14, 2020 I think they should be removed. It's a simple surgery, and they are at real risk of injury if left on. We had one pup born here 10+ years ago with hind dewclaws. I nipped them off with nail clippers when the pup was 3 days old and that was that. I know a lot of the primitive breeds like LGDs often have single or double hind dew claws - I wonder about their injuries? Your pup is a doll! Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted June 14, 2020 Report Share Posted June 14, 2020 I'd never had a dog with rear dewclaws until I adopted Tansy in '12. Hers look floppier than Walt's, but also with no bone connecting them to the foot -- maybe it's because she was already older by the time I got her (6 months). I was pretty annoyed at the time that the shelter vet hadn't removed them when she was spayed. It would have been incredibly easy, just a snip and one stitch on each foot at most. I'd also been concerned that they'd catch on things and tear, as I'd read was a possibility. Couldn't justify having her put under just for that though and figured I'd have them removed if she every required surgery or another procedure that required general anesthesia. But she's 8 1/2 yo now and tears through viney underbrush like nobody's business (she' a lurcher and made to run) and it's never been an issue. Yes, they do keep growing without being worn down, but it's really no big deal to to trim them. I don't even have to do it often, maybe a couple times a year. I don't know if you plan to have him neutered or not, but if there's no bony attachment it should be really quick and easy for the vet to snip it off then. But if you're not and there's no other reason to have him under anesthesia I probably wouldn't bother, especially since his risk of tearing is cut in half by having only one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aschlemm Posted June 14, 2020 Report Share Posted June 14, 2020 I've owned four borders from puppy hood. Two had hind dewclaws, two did not. The female's were bony and tightly attached, I doubt they would have been a problem but I work as a Vet Tech and I've seen them catch and tear on things, so when she was spayed, I had them removed. My current male dog had them also and they were horrible. Loose and floppy with the nail pointing in an abnormal direction, when he was neutered, I had them removed. I wouldn't do an anesthetic procedure just to get rid of them (actually, the vet I worked with at the time offered to remove Logan's with local anesthesia but I was squeamish about it), but if you are getting him neutered, I'd get it removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rigby Posted June 14, 2020 Report Share Posted June 14, 2020 I have a BC mix with hind dews. She's going to be two this year and so far they haven't been a problem. They are firmly attached and sit close to the leg so I'm not too worried about them, only downside of them really is how fast the darn nail seems to grow. I cut them at least weekly, the rest of her nails only get cut about every month or two depending on where we've been walking. I have zero plans to remove them unless they become injured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawgirl Posted June 14, 2020 Report Share Posted June 14, 2020 My boy Bailey had rear hind dew claws, both loose and floppy, just a flap of flesh and claw. They never tore but they occasionally got caught, so when he was under getting neutered I had them removed, and he has never looked back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerfulgazelle Posted June 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2020 Thank you, all! Yeah, was looking at it again today, and the claw is growing fast, and in a little semicircle. I think we'll ask the vet to remove it when he's neutered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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