Front and rear dew claws.....

[SnowWa]

Will you breeders - who actually have dew claws removed clear up the difference between the front and rear dew claws ---and which you generally have removed.

I did run across this ---

Today we took the babies to the vet to have their rear dew claws removed. The rear dew claws are different from the front dew claws, because they are attached only by a flap of skin. If they are left on, when the puppy grows up it is very easy for the rear dew claw to get caught up on things, and it can actually tear, so its best to take them off by the third day. The front dew claws are left intact, because they are attached by a bone, and you will notice that dogs will use their front dew claws to manipulate items, and they are actually used like a small thumb.

Thanks

Carol Jean

[browniesmom622]

my chihuhua is 8 months and has all 4 i cant wait to hear responses

[goldcupmom]

I took Mia in at 13 mo to have Dews removed. The vet said only do the back ones - he's a Yorkie guy - He said the front didn't need to come off. The back were attached to bone apparently, as it was more involved than I had thought it to be. She had several disolvable stitches in each. Took pain killer & antibiotic for 5 days.

[txshopper73]

Can't help much. I've never had a pup turn out with rear dew claws but I'll call a friend that has and see what she says.

[YorkieRose]

I remove any and all. The rear are held on by the skin..so easy to snip off..I do not think the front at actually attached to the bone are they?? They are so high up on the leg, I do not see them being of any use except to get snagged on furniture..and owners forget they have nails and they can grow into the skin.
I wouldn't be upset if I bought a puppy and they had front declaws, I would make sure to keep the nail short.

[flyorkies]

My friends puppies had their front dew claws removed and they werent born with dew claws on their back legs. Also both my yorkies have no dew claws. My adult large mixed breed dog had torn her front dew claw jumping over the fence there wasnt a bone in there. I taped it up and it was good as new in a couple weeks. She doesnt have dew claws on her back legs either. I dont know if its different with differnt breeds.

[chachi]

Neither of my yorkies have front or rear dewclaws.

[sylvan]

We remove front dew claws when docking tails to avoid possible future damage from catching on things. Haven't seen a rear claw yet. My Biewer girls arrived from Germany with dew claws and we just keep them trimmed with the nails.