Pulled dew claws.....

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Even before the hair has grown back from her last stitches, Flick managed to half-pull off a dew claw and lacerate her back leg on the walk today (yep, the same back leg as before!)

The back leg looks awful but is quite superficial - lots of swelling and near the tendon so a bit worrying but she is leaving it alone so it should heal fine.

The dew claw is a bit more of a problem as I can see it will catch on anything and everything - currently she has a sock over it secured with vet wrap, but she hates that! I can't decide whether I would be better putting her in the vets now and having them take it off under anaesthetic, or letting it heal and seeing how it goes?
 
You really do surprise me. I'd have thought that with your wealth of experience and of Greyhounds, that the answer would have been obvious, and to anyone but a fool.

Alec.
 
I'd go with getting the vet to take it off. It's likely to happen again and again...ouch!!! poor pup :( I know nothing about greyhounds, so if this makes me a fool so be it. I'll stand by it.
 
are they front or hind dew claws?
how old is she and how many times has she pulled them?
The chap who bred my last lurcher (like many lurcher men) leaves all his on as he believes they are there for a reason and they come into action by providing traction when turning at speed unless they are the ones that are only joined by soft tissue-he also said that lurcher bred from established lurcher lines always have good well attached front ones, cross bred lurchers are more likely to have weak ones that damage and need removing. Almost all of the true lurcher men I spoke to agreed with him. It was only the people who showed and did not work the dogs at all that removed routinely.
 
chillipup said:
I'd go with getting the vet to take it off. It's likely to happen again and again...ouch!!! poor pup :( I know nothing about greyhounds, so if this makes me a fool so be it. I'll stand by it.
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My lurcher Talisker pulled out the same dew claw three times :o He never seemed remotely bothered by it mind you....

I think you may be right.... sigh... another massive vets bill!
 
twiggy2 said:
are they front or hind dew claws?
how old is she and how many times has she pulled them?
The chap who bred my last lurcher (like many lurcher men) leaves all his on as he believes they are there for a reason and they come into action by providing traction when turning at speed unless they are the ones that are only joined by soft tissue-he also said that lurcher bred from established lurcher lines always have good well attached front ones, cross bred lurchers are more likely to have weak ones that damage and need removing. Almost all of the true lurcher men I spoke to agreed with him. It was only the people who showed and did not work the dogs at all that removed routinely.
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Front ones twiggy - thankfully she hasn't got hind ones! It is the first time she has pulled it, but it is out at right angles now so I suspect it won't be the last - I would try and strap it close to her body but she goes into hysterics every time I go near it

ETA - sorry, she will be 9 in January, never had any problems with them before
 
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So this is going to sound vicious, but if you have dog nail clippers, I think it's ok to do it yourself, as long as you don't have any infection. Within a couple of days, the quick will have retracted and it won't actually hurt the dog to chop it off. You can tell if the quick has retracted by pressing but not cutting with the nail clippers. Alternatively, pop down to the vet for the chop. If you have vet wrap etc, do some DIY.

Sock and duct tape overnight.
 
Lévrier;13061563 said:
Front ones twiggy - thankfully she hasn't got hind ones! It is the first time she has pulled it, but it is out at right angles now so I suspect it won't be the last - I would try and strap it close to her body but she goes into hysterics every time I go near it

ETA - sorry, she will be 9 in January, never had any problems with them before
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At that age the first time I would leave them and if it happens again whip them off, my lurcher injured everything time and time again but only one dew claw once and she only had fronts-the one she damaged stuck out but it did not happen again.
 
cinnamontoast said:
So this is going to sound vicious, but if you have dog nail clippers, I think it's ok to do it yourself, as long as you don't have any infection. Within a couple of days, the quick will have retracted and it won't actually hurt the dog to chop it off. You can tell if the quick has retracted by pressing but not cutting with the nail clippers. Alternatively, pop down to the vet for the chop. If you have vet wrap etc, do some DIY.

Sock and duct tape overnight.
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I hope you meaning just to cut the nail-I think the OP is talking about having whole dew claw attachment removed-the are often attached by bone and need stitching to stop the bleeding and prevent infection
 
Cool, many thanks for the replies everyone - I've just given her some metacam to ensure she (and we!) can get a good nights sleep, anyone would think I'd tried to poison her! Socks and tape are in place on both legs so I'll see how things go :)
 
twiggy2 said:
I hope you meaning just to cut the nail-I think the OP is talking about having whole dew claw attachment removed-the are often attached by bone and need stitching to stop the bleeding and prevent infection
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Crikey, yes! I wouldn't attempt removing dew claws except with anaesthetic, omg no! Just the nail, thought that was clear when I said the quick would retract in a few days. It's just so it doesn't catch on anything and hurt her more. Bear's snapped dewclaws before and the vet cut them close to the skin, they haven't grown back. He had a GA.
 
Our old Lurcher was always ripping his dew claws. Our current dog came to us with dew claws removed and I have to say life is so much easier without them - for us and the dog!
 
I would ALWAYS go for a dog with dew claws removed given the choice minesadouble - they are nothing but trouble as far as I'm concerned!

Flick is going to the vets tomorrow - either to have the claw removed under sedation or the whole thing removed under general..... sigh, another massive vets bill, but she is being a total wimp & screaming like a greyhound every time anything touches it!
 
Pleased to hear your update.,..
Now ,send the claw to Alec swan and put a hex on this feud between you....or tell him you will voodoo him into submission..LOL
I actually miss his ( sensible) posts here.
 
What a relief, I was going with a trip to the vets for removal too. We have had one totally ripped out, its come back ok, but was a nightmare to get healed. If Lucky damages another, we will have them removed by the vet.
 
CrazyMare said:
What a relief, I was going with a trip to the vets for removal too. We have had one totally ripped out, its come back ok, but was a nightmare to get healed. If Lucky damages another, we will have them removed by the vet.
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I expected it to bleed like anything but the wound is very clean and looks great now :) So pleased :)
 
Thanks Chiffy :) She is back to being her usual happy self and was racing around on the walk today, I hate it when they aren't well but it is great when they get better :D
 
Chiffy said:
Oh that's good coz they are so good at letting you know when they're NOT happy! My lurcher will shout if she thinks something MIGHT hurt!
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Ha ha this is JUST Flick - she screams her head off just in case, whether anyone has been anywhere near her or not :D :D The other 3 are so much more stoical/easy :)
 
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