Dew Claw removal.

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Patches

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Harvey had his second jab yesterday. While we were there, the vet trimmed his claws as they were very long and curling under a bit (proper talons!)

Anyway, he made a comment about his dew claws because they don't lie flat and seem quite "flappy" and said they would recommend I have them removed when he's castrated.

Is this commonly done? I always thought they were removed at a few days old, or not at all?

If I go ahead and have them done at that sort of age (6 months-ish) would it not be terribly painful for him, or would it be preferable to the risk of him catching them?

It's all unknown to me. Never had a dog with dew claws before.
 
Are you talking front or back dew claws? GSDs are left with their fronts on but the back ones (if theyhave them) are removed at a couple of days old.
Perhaps keep an eye on them over the next few months and see if the settle down, if not I imagine it would be better to have them done whilst he is under for castration rather than have them torn. My ex SIL has a springer who has had terrible problems with ripping her rear dew claws, and in the end had to have them removed at 4 years old.
If he is going to grow claws quickly (presume they were trimmed when you got them) it might be worth getting him used to you doing them to save vet visits. In this way you can just nip a tiny bit off as they grow rather than having a major trim every so often. Although when he starts taking more exercise he will hopefully wear them down more.
 
It's very unusual for a working breed, as your Cocker is, to have left their dew claws on so it's a bit lax on the part of his breeder whether they were intended for work or just as pets I feel but it's easily rectified as your vet suggests while he's under anaesthetic for castration when he'll know nothing about it and will have ABs and pain relief for the castration anyway; he's far too old for them to be done now without going under; as you said, they're usually done by 4 days old. He doesn't need them for climbing so I would have them off as soon as possible, the damage dew claws can do to themselves or even you when they've been caught up in something can be horrible and they are always vulnerable so far better out of the way IMHO.
Puppies claws grow at an alarming rate and the easiest way is get your vet to show you where and how to clip and get in the habit of doing them yourself as they'll need doing most months until he's fully grown at least.
Have we got more pic's of Harvey yet?
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Harvey's a show Cocker., so I guess working wasn't a consideration at all.
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I only asked the vet to trim them this time as we were there anyway for his jabs. I am pretty sure I could do them myself, with someone holding him. It wasn't difficult, I just wasn't sure how short I could go (with them being black and not being able to see the quick). That said. I used to walk on pavements with him as we lived on a normal housing estate. Not much in the way of pavements on a farm.

Jasper never once had his clipped, so I think you could be right MM in saying he will keep them down himself over time, as he used to keep them worn down. Mind you, he was an accomplished digger! He dug so much that he would often wear them shorter than his pads. Never seemed to bother him.

I thought the vet was talking about his front dew claws, as he mentioned removing them after watching him chew on them whilst he was on the examining table. He's often chewing at them as they do stick out. He doesn't have hind dew claws anyway. I didn't think Cocker's did...but I might be wrong.

Jasper didn't have any, front or back. Do they not normally remove the front ones then? I know he didn't have them as I'd have noticed them when running clippers up his legs to trim his coat. The way Harvey's are at the moment, I will definitely snag them with clippers, if I'm not careful.
 
Cockers generally have front dews removed and backs if they have them, not all do. I haven't heard of anyone removing them 'late' but taking them off while under ga for castration sounds like a good option to me. They are horrid things to snag especially 'flappy' ones like harveys, if they sit closer to the leg they are less likely to catch them. It would probably save a lot of hassle and possible pain for little Harvey in the long run to take them off in my opinion.
I am suprised the breeder did'nt take them off though, I know he's show bred rather than working bred but in our breed its in our breed standard ''dew claws should be removed''. Perhaps not the same for cockers though as the working and show types vary so much.
 
The breeds I know of over here usually have front dew claws (= they're not removed) and only if they have hind dew claws, removal is considered/being done. However if the vet noticed that Harvey's front dew claws are unusually protruding/flappy, I would say they have a bigger risk of getting caught on/in something and causing an accident, so I would vote for removing them.
 
we Routinly remove our pups when we have them) at a few hours old. My rescue staf still had his and I had his removed when he had to have an eye removed. My bitch also still had hers so had those removed when she was spayed.
 
id say if they want to have them removed (it is your call at the end of the day though) then doing it under GA is definetly the best option!!! (when its done when they are really really young they are done conscious and it appears to be very painful!!! **prepares to get told** )

If he is getting castrated at 6mnths and you feel they will hang on ok till then then id wait till then to have them removed if at all!
If they are back dews these are more comonly removed.
Either way id still prefer my dogs dews to be removed under GA if I was having them taken off!
 
Otto has his front dew claws, they stick out at a funny angle compared to most dew claws I've seen, but they are worn right down to nubs and don't bother him in the slightest.

Not all working breeds have them removed, IWSs are supposed to have their front dew claws left in place, but then the Irish are a funny breed...
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Definitely have them removed. Not only do they look ugly, if caught on something and torn that would be painful and messy! One of my old dogs had his front dew claws removed under GA and had no problems whatsoever.
 
if they're the flappy type just held on by a bit of skin then get them chopped off while he's under GA. If they're the type that is well attached by bone and dont stick out then i wouldn't bother.
 
My pups came with all their dew claws. On vets recommendation only Lottie had back ones removed when she was spayed. This was because hers were just attached with a bit of skin and were more likely to get caught and rip off. Charlies are quite well attached so he got to kept his. After the op shw was a bit sensitive with her back legs as you might imagine but healed relatively quickly even though she pulled off her bandages and her stitches and then the staples which were put in to replace the stitches! (While having a cone on lol)
 
my smooth coated lurcher had to have hers taken off as an emergency as she managed to rip one badly and was pouring blood. I had to wrap it up the best I could and get her down to the vets where they operated and removed both front ones to save any further damage. she wore vet wrap leg warmers for about 2 weeks and she was absolutely fine afterwards. I should really have had them done when she was spayed but I didn't think about it.
 
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