Dew Claws

[Shirley]

While grooming Cooper tonight I noticed what looks like a tiny hard loop  (for want of a better description :?) attached to the pad where his dew claw would have been :shock: .  At first I thought that it was a peice of metal or something that was stuck in him but now I think it might be the claw which has grown round and back into the pad  :?  He would have had his dew claws removed when he had his tail docked, wouldn't he?  Is it possible for the nails to grow back in after being removed?  Has anyone seen this happen before?  If this is what has happened, what would be the most sensible course of action - keep the claw trimmed or have it removed?  Sorry for all the questions, I'm just mad I didn't notice it during the day and I could have spoken to my vet  :?  :wink:  

I'll be phoning first thing in the morning to make an appointment - Morgan has to go for his booster this week anyway - that's another thing I'm concerned about boost or don't boost?  Going for it this year anyway - maybe there will be more info next year  :roll:  :wink:

Any help will, as always, be greatly appreciated                      

[Pammy]

It does sound like his dew claw. They're not always removed when docked. The only sure way to tell is for the vet to have a good look at it.                    

[*Jay*]

Hi Shirley,

I posted about this a few months back as Dallas only has one dew claw. One obviously got removed when he had his tail docked but whether the other one got forgotten about or grew back, I guess we will never know.  to be honest, i find it a pain in the neck but Dallas doesn't seem to bother about it. The only problem I find is that Dallas won't let me clip it - he is such a big girls blouse. I just touched it with the nail clippers and he screamed and jumped through the roof.  I was thinking about having it removed if he had to have an anaesthetic for another procedure but its not very loose and will probably be a bit sore :?   Touch wood he hasn't caught it on anything yet and its not curling round so gonna sleep on it a bit more :wink:

I know most vets would prefer to leave them unless they were causing the dog problems. let me know how you get on - will be very interested to hear this one!!! Does he have one on the other side or does he just have one? Hey, Cooper and Dallas seem to have more and more in common as the days go on                    

[Shirley]

Hi Pam and Gill  

I always thought that most breeds had their dew claws removed  :? Morgan did anyway.  Cooper has no claw on the other side and although this doesn't seem to be bothering him I know it will have to be taken out as there is no end (as I said, just a loop).  If it's grown curled this time, will it continue to grow like this?  I dread the thought of having to trim it :? .  I'm a right wuss when it comes to cutting claws  :oops:  - I'd worry that I'd cut too far down :?   neither of them have had their claws clipped before - every time I've been to the vets I've asked him to trim their claws but they never need trimming  :wink: - we do lots of road walking as well as the beaches, etc  

I had a funny feeling that Dallas only had one but couldn't find the thread that I'd seen it mentioned on.  He and Cooper can exchange scarey stories and dew claws when they finally meet   Will let you know how it goes at the vets.  Hopefully they won't be too busy - sometimes it takes days to get an appointment  :roll:    Thanks for the replies                      

[Gilly]

Butty's got both her dew claws...I cut them regularly with help of Adrian of course..pinning her to the ground  :wink:                      

[taniac]

I discovered that Jovi still had his dew claws when he was about 10 weeks old, I have a nice scar on my knee from one of them!!  I found it really weird that he had his tail docked (way to short if you ask me) but his dew claws were left.. Think he might have got overlooked.

The vet won't remove them unless they cause him problems. So far so good!                    

[Shirley]

Phoned the vet this morning and they can't see either of them until 2.30pm next Tuesday!!! Apparently they're really busy and don't consider it an emergency  :roll:  - I don't suppose it is, if it's not giving him pain, but how long can it take to give one dog a booster and clip the nail off another - it's not like they have some mystery illness that will take hours to investigate :roll: Anyway, not much I can do about it so will just have to wait.  How long does everyone else usually have to wait for an appointment?  Are all vets as busy as this?  Will let you know ow it goes next week, Gill  :wink:                      

[Becky]

We are lucky because Hubbie works shifts and can take them in the day, so we can usually get an appointment the next day, maybe even same day.  But I know the evening appointments are quickly booked up and people often have to wait days, the nurse gets annoyed because she thinks she should be able to offer next day appointments to all patients, but the practice won't take on another vet.  Anyway, good luck next week, Shirley.

[taniac]

My small animal veterinary practice was taken over by another local vets so there is actually 3 practices in a small area I can take them too.. Two of them are by appt but one is open longer into the either and the 3rd one shuts earlier but you can go and queue without an appt!!

The down-side is they have the local market pretty well covered so you have to pay what they charge  :roll:                    

[*Jay*]

Phoned the vet this morning and they can't see either of them until 2.30pm next Tuesday!!!

Blimey!!!! And I thought we were bad being booked up for two days :shock:  If it were me shirley, you know I would have got your boys squeezed in :wink:     I've already 'squeezed' in 6 extra appts for this afternoons surgery - think thats my record so far :wink:                    

[Shirley]

I'm off work for another 3 weeks so could have taken them any time of the day.  We've got two vets for the whole of Lewis and Harris so I suppose they are run off their feet most of the time  :wink:  :roll: I shouldn't complain really, as they only ever charge you if they prescribe drugs or operate - never for consultations  :wink:

Depends who you get when you phone, Gill - there's one grumpy old man who you always hope is on holiday if you call     Never does you any favours  :roll:                    

[Shirley]

Went to the vets today.  Morgan had his booster, ears, eyes checked and insides felt :wink: .  Given a clean bill of health (perfect weight) and told how wonderful he was by Mr Vet   .  

Cooper had his nail clipped off and I was told that, if he did ever have to have a GA for anything in the future, then it would be best to have the dew claw off, as it's growing upwards rather than downwards  :? .  Other than that he's fine, Mr Vet said he was a "fantastic looking dog"     He commented on both their eyes in particular saying that he sees a lot of cockers with very loose lower eyelids but that my boys had very good eyes.  I came home feeling very proud of my babies                      

[*Jay*]

Whoops - just asked on another thread how he got on :roll:  Will edit that in a minute :wink:

Glad to hear they are both doing well. When Dallas goes in for his (shhhh, say it quietly) vasectomy, I'm getting his dew claw taken off too. Hes broken the end of it somehow but its not causing him any discomfort at the moment so no real urgency.                    

[Becky]

Glad things were sorted out OK.  Congratulations on having dogs to be proud of, especially the weight bit, as it can be hard to get right, can't it?