So, now that you know the basics of removing dew claws in puppies, how exactly is it achieved? These are the steps that your veterinarian will follow. Removing Dew Claws from Dogs – Should You Do It?ĭouble Doodle Dog Breed: Puppies, Breeders, Price, Rescue & More How Is It Done? Most of the time, the anesthetic is what will cost you the most, so you might want to combine the removal of dew claws in puppies with routine procedures like spaying and neutering. With puppies, it’s done when the bones and tissue are still soft, so it’s easier. Granted, removal of dew claws in puppies is a lot less complex than it is in adult dogs, but it’s still going to require surgery done under anesthesia. How much bone and muscle is attached to those dew claws? How complex is the operation going to be? And you’re also going to have to think about the cost. You need to think about how many dew claws have to be removed. Do you really think you’re going to deal with that using rubber band docking? You need a veterinarian, because this is going to take a surgical procedure. I’ve actually seen dogs with as many as four dew claws on a single leg. For one thing, a dog may have more than one dew claw, with muscle and tissue that are all attached together. This really isn’t a procedure that I recommend doing at home. It involves removing the entire toe, and if the breeder doesn’t get it right, there can be a bad outcome. Removal of dew claws in puppies is a bit different. It can be done at home by a competent breeder and with no pain to the dog. Do the benefits really outweigh the disadvantages? Does the procedure cause pain? Should it be done as a part of the “routine maintenance” of your dog? What I Really Hate Here Regardless of why we dock tails, though, we should consider the reasons for removing dew claws in puppies. It’s not all cosmetic, though some very active dogs can injure their tails very badly in the course of hunting or running through the woods. Simply stated, some breeds look better with little stubby tails. Is there a reason for tail docking? Yes, and I’ll be the first person to tell you that it’s primarily cosmetic. In fact, this form of “bloodless docking” is the only method that’s allowed in England. I use the bloodless docking method, which is basically snapping a rubber band at the upper joint of a puppy’s tail, where it meets the dog’s butt. Okay, let me tell you right now: I dock tails. Let me repeat: you’re not trimming a nail you are cutting off a toe. Is it painful? If done without anesthetic, yes. And yes, when you remove the dew claws, you are cutting off your dog’s toes. Much of the time, they’re removed, but what you need to know is that they’re not extra claws they’re actually extra toes. What Are Dew Claws?ĭew claws are those tiny little claws that are located on the inside of your dog’s paws, upwards on the leg from the ordinary toenails. If you haven’t read it, though, I’ll give you a brief refresher course. If you’ve read Removing Dew Claws from Dogs – Should You Do It?, then you already know the pros and cons. If you really feel that the cosmetic appeal of missing dew claws is important, then probably in the grand scheme of things, removing the dew claws is on the low end of the scale when it comes to things that you can do to harm your dog. I don’t, because I believe that dew claws are important for a dog’s balance, and I tell people who buy puppies from my litters that they will come with their dew claws intact, and that I would prefer that they not choose to have them removed. I’m not saying you should do it, or not do it. Sometimes, the reason for removal of dew claws in puppies and adult dogs is simply to prevent the possibility of injuries later in life, when dew claw get caught on things and torn. I think we can conclude that some people are going to consider the practice barbaric, while others are going to offer reasons why it should be done. In Removing Dew Claws from Dogs – Should You Do It? I talked about the reasons (and lack thereof, sometimes) for removing dew claws from dogs.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |