# Dew claw



## Kel

As you read this, keep in mind that this is our first dog EVER  How long can I use this excuse, haha..

In the past few weeks, we have noticed that Chloe has a claw/nail above one of her back paws. I am assuming this is a dew claw? If so, they were supposedly removed by the breeder. I just can't figure out if it grew back in because it wasn't done properly or if we are just really unobservant and it has been there the whole time! She was shaved short about a month ago so maybe it was hiding underneath the fur. Wouldn't a vet or groomer mention something, if it was there all along?

I am not sure what to do about this, if anything. And does it need to be cut like the rest of her nails?


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## caradunne

The groomer cuts Izzy's dew claw nail when she does the rest.


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## kendal

they cant grow back. its possible that she has dew claws on her back legs and it was them that were removed. this what some breeders do rather that removing all of them as the back onea are more flimsy. peraonaly i like both removed.

there is no real reazon for the vet or groomer to mention them as they are a normal part of the dog. 

you need to cut them even more so than her other nails as there is no way of them being woar down naturaly like her other nails can ware down if walked on street paths and roads.


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## lady amanda

Lady came from her breeder with her back dew claws removed...she still has her front ones and they can't be seen with all her fur, but it does need to be cut.


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## embee

I had Flo's back dew claws removed when she was spayed as they were really 'flappy' and not very well attached. She still has her front dew claws. The nails just need trimming like all the others.


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## Kel

I can't see or feel any dew claws on her front legs . I can see a pad above each of her front paws where maybe it used to be? It feels kind of rough. The dew claw on her left back leg is exactly as you said Kendal ...flimsy. Not sure why it is there at all since she was supposed to have them removed already. 

We don't cut her nails ourselves so I assume the groomer has been cutting it all along and we just noticed she still had it now because of her shorter fur.


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## Kel

embee said:


> I had Flo's back dew claws removed when she was spayed as they were really 'flappy' and not very well attached. She still has her front dew claws. The nails just need trimming like all the others.


Yeah, I was thinking that I wish I had known about this dew claw before she was spayed. It is definitely flappy and it does kind of worry me that it could get caught on something.


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## kendal

so she only has one dew claw? that is very odd, did the breeder remove them themselfe or did the vet do it. 

the pads are normal, i wonder if they just missed one?

my boss' dog has 6 dew claws, one on each fround leg and 2 on each back leg, and i used to know a dog who just had one on each leg bar a back leg that had 2. i just think they should all be removed when the pups are born, as they can cause so many problems latter in life.


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## embee

Kel said:


> Yeah, I was thinking that I wish I had known about this dew claw before she was spayed. It is definitely flappy and it does kind of worry me that it could get caught on something.


I had Flo's back ones removed as I thought she could easily catch them. Also forgot to say that her front dew claws don't have any nails just the pad bit. I left them as they were well attached with a lot more bone.


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## Kel

She only has the one dew claw...on her back left foot. I am not sure if the breeder or a vet removed them. I would ask a lot more questions, for sure, if I could do it all over again.

There isn't a pad near the dew claw( or on the other back foot without the dew claw). Hopefully that is normal 

I guess all I can do is hope that it never becomes a problem


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## kendal

http://www.thefullwiki.org/Dew-claw


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