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Old 04-11-2008, 06:25 PM   #9 (permalink)
Peggy
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Utah
Posts: 1,674
Quote:
Originally Posted by MattC View Post
We picked Nick up at 10 weeks and he was already neutered. His dew claws were pulled too. All but one that is. His front left paws still has a dew claw. My vet believes that the breeder just didn't get "all of the nail" when she removed the dew claw the first time.
Dew claws are not "pulled". They are removed, cut off. And yes, if you don't get it all it can grow back. I have dew claws on my puppies removed when I have their tails docked.

Quote:
Why are dew claws removed? Are they a threat to the animals well being or are humans just sick of getting scratched by them?
Yes, they can be a threat to the animal. My first dog was a Golden Retreiver I got from rescue. He had dew claws on his front legs. He got one caught in his collar one day and nearly ripped it off.

It is optional to remove them according to the standard. But IMO, if it's ok to take them off, they come off. Better to take them off when the puppy is a day or two old than to have it ripped off in an accident later.

They don't serve any useful purpose and they are hard for many people to cut the nail on. If not kept short they can grow into the skin.

Remember that as a newborn the nerve endings are not mature and there is less pain to have tails docked and dewclaws removed then.

Peggy
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Jim & Peggy Newman
Taflar Corgis & Shelties
Utah Corgi Rescue
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