If your dog suffers from extreme damaged or broken nails, claw cancer or fungal nail infection, etc, of course, your vet would recommend nail removal as the best option. As dewclaws don’t reach the ground they fail to wear like other pet toenails. But if it keeps the owners from giving up their cats, euthanizing them, or making them outside cats, I think it’s a realistic option. But it can be done long-term if done properly. A: Like any surgery, infection is a possibility, especially because this is not a sterile surgery. Therefore, owners have to be committed to keep the cat indoors for the rest of its life or to find a family that can do so. You could think of a dew claw as sort of a thumb. The Dew claw ligament has probably developed and hardened and surgery would be a pain so I hear. On the rear legs they may have one, two, three or no bones. Laser declawing has been shown to have a lower rate of claw regrowth as well as certain short-term and long-term issues (e.g. Some surgeons prefer to bandage the surgery sites, some prefer to leave the site open to the air. The American Academy of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) goes even further by saying it strongly opposes the practice, which is considered a major surgery. Surgical removal is a delicate, tedious procedure. While it is a simple procedure, owners should not attempt dew claw removal on their own, as complications can occur and proper precautions should be taken. NOTE: Dew claw removal involves removing the entire toe, not just the claw, and the cost may increase if the toe is firmly attached.. Thus the name. Recovery from this type of surgery can be painful and fraught with complications. One of the most preferred treatment and successful method vets uses in saving dogs who suffer severe cases of Nail bed infection or Toe Nail diseases such as Fungal nail disorder, Tumor or cancer is Dog nail removal surgery.. You have to remove the claw, and you have to remove the little piece of bone that the claw grows from. Dew claws can be removed in older dogs but it is a more costly and painful procedure. Water seems to cause it to release better though. Some breeds of dogs routinely have the dewclaws removed within a few days of birth. Dewclaws rarely cause problems for pets, ... Surgical removal is a delicate, tedious procedure. That’s what cats put their weight on. Dog owners should plan on being with their dog during the recovery period, as dogs often will not stop licking the removal site. Never a problem even with the rear dew claws. Q: What are the positions of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners on declawing? If you purchased a puppy from a reputable breeder, dewclaw removal may have been done when the … You can’t sterilize this area. Some countries have banned declawing due to ethical concerns. Conversely, if there are no bones present the only challenge is ligating the blood vessels prior to removing the claw. A: They truly have looked at these issues and found nothing. There are many other arguments you can make for this -- the pain they go through, the complications after declawing. When the pads are cut in half, the cat can’t walk on them without discomfort. On my last litter--16 years ago--I kept them on. The worst scars I have from thirty years of practice have come from dewclaws. Spellcheck doesn’t even know it. It’s certainly the most minor procedure with the fewest complications and it offers decent benefits. But I think it really boils down to cats are born with claws and they should keep them. None of the common amputations (ear cropping, tail docking, dewclaw removal) are required in Border Collies and the dewclaw removal is really the only one … Removal of dew claws can cause carpal arthritis and injuries to other joints. Dew claw removal is much simpler in puppies as the … One of the puppies became an all-breed BIS winner even with dew claws. If not trimmed regularly they can grow in a circular fashion and penetrate the toe pad immediately above the nail. We left them on and he was hunted at least 60 days a year on waterfowl and lots of upland. So it’s like cutting the tip of your finger off. Dewclaws can also be misused as a means of grasping owners’ arms and legs. Q: Many people are opposed to declawing. But the majority of declawings are due to social issues -- where cats are being destructive and tearing up furniture. A: If that’s the only option, absolutely. The argument for removal states that dewclaws are a weak digit, barely attached to the leg, and thus they can rip partway off or easily catch on something and break, which can be painful and prone to infection. Dewclaws are unnecessary toes on the backs of dogs’ legs. Kramer did not have his dew claws removed when I got him at 7 weeks, the breeder did not see the reason for it. There is a ligament associated with each dewclaw, which must also be incised. There are alternatives to declawing, and I think everybody, including veterinarians, look at declawing as a last resort. A: Any surgery involves some degree of pain or discomfort. A breeder stopped in for some advice on her dam that was running a temperature after four days and a hard whelp. Dewclaw removal. Cosmetic declawing heals much faster, usually within a week. A: One is training, which is primarily for kittens. Some breeders perform dewclaw removal themselves. 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