10/6/2023 0 Comments Dew claw removal costJennell Appel told me, “I’ve had only one case in which I had to do a full amputation of a dewclaw.” The rationale for removing dewclaws, of course, has always been that they’re accidents waiting to happen.īut according to veterinarians I’ve spoken to, dewclaw injuries are extremely rare. ![]() That the dewclaws should serve an important role in this respect makes sense when you consider that, in evolutionary terms, they’re the vestigial remnants of a fifth toe that helped the dog’s ancient ancestors scramble around in trees. For one thing, it increases the risk of developing arthritis in the carpal joints (the dog’s ankles, essentially) for another, it robs them of some potentially crucial functionality.Ī dog lacking dewclaws, you see, is at a serious disadvantage when required to climb-and if you’ve ever felt your heart jump into your throat watching your retriever struggle to get from open water onto an ice shelf, I needn’t say more. While science may smirk at this country-fried wisdom, there’s a growing body of opinion that removing the dewclaws of newborn pups-a practice accepted virtually without question among breeders of purebred dogs for as long as anyone can remember-is unnecessary and even harmful. One of the most fascinating pieces of folklore I’ve ever run across is the belief, held by a certain cadre of backwoods houndsmen, that a dog with intact dewclaws is “naturally snakeproof.” Why? Because the dews “suck up the poison,” of course. ![]() ![]() GAINING A TOEHOLD: Although once thought to be of little use, dewclaws serve an important purpose by helping dogs climb and gain traction when changing direction sharply.
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