# dewclaw issue...vet or not to vet?



## BabyHusky (Jul 21, 2008)

first off, long time no see to the older members. i'll get straight to the point...

so my kid split her dewclaw pretty badly a week and a half ago. it didn't seem to bother her too much so i cut the lose part, neosporin'd it and bandaged it so she doesn't mess with it. well the nail itself looks a LOT better and it doesnt seem to bother her at all BUT the skin between the dewclaw and her foot is a dark pinkish color with loss of hair. it looks raw. normally, i would have just taken her to vet but with a lot of personal issues going on lately, i really have to watch my finances so i was hoping it would get better on its own.

being the paranoid schmuck i am, i cant stop thinking about it and am debating on just biting the bullet and taking her in. anyone know what i'm talking about and whether i should be concerned? i'd rather save on the $50 office visit if i can, but of course if its even remotely seriously ill take her in. 

sorry to be mia for soooo long then come back just to ask for help.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

Welcome back!!! Sometimes life interferes with things like forums but we always remember everyone here! 

As long as she isn't messing with it, you can try keeping the antibiotic on it and see how it looks in another day or so. She may have injured the skin when she tore the dewclaw (however it was she tore it). You could even put a sock on it if she starts to chew it or anything. Also, warm compress's sometimes work wonders on things like minor infections or abscess's. I understand about the finance thing. I used to take care of my cats abscess's at home with warm compress's and antibiotics when we were really poor. Skin abscess: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (site about treating abscess's in case that is what it is). 

HOWEVER....I will let someone more knowledgeable put in their thoughts on this also. If you have any doubts at all, I would go to the vets. Better safe then sorry.


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## BabyHusky (Jul 21, 2008)

thanks chowder.  yea, i decided that no matter the financial situation, i wont feel better till i know for sure, so i'm taking her in an hour.  after all, i'd rather be flat out broke and living in a box with her happy and healthy than rich with her miserable haha. oh the love we have for our munchkins.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

It's hard to say for sure. She tore just the toenail? Or the skin around it as well?


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## BabyHusky (Jul 21, 2008)

Was just the nail, but it was a pretty bad split. shes split it plenty of times before and it got better quickly long as i took care of it. but this time, the skin seemed irritated too. just got back from the vet and she has a minor infection.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

One of our Danes ripped the nail completely off, it looked kinda gooey for a while and now it's healing just fine. I'd just keep an eye on it for now....


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I hate dewclaws and don't know why anyone leaves these on when puppies are born. My Leo has ripped and torn his many times but my vet won't take it off, he says it is just like removing a finger, it should have been done at birth!


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## BabyHusky (Jul 21, 2008)

i completely agree!!! people are so quick to crop tails and ears, but they don't do dewclaws when dewclaws are the only things that can be potentially harmful later. the kid splits and tears her dewclaws all the time from all her rough housing. /sigh. oh well.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

Welcome Back! Sorry to hear about the dew claw dilemma. My one beagle ripped his off years ago and shoot we didn't notice it for a while (ugh) but he was fine even though he now has the one gone. Also when we got Gordon he had his ones on in the front and when he was neutered had them remove those also. Didn't want him going through any dew claw madness after Lucky ripped his one off and how he did I will never ever know! Sounds though like your doing a good job with her. Just keep an eye on it is all I will say, because my one dog ripped the thing off and was fine! Good Luck!


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

whiteleo said:


> I hate dewclaws and don't know why anyone leaves these on when puppies are born. My Leo has ripped and torn his many times but my vet won't take it off, he says it is just like removing a finger, it should have been done at birth!


Don't they help a dog turn faster or something? Bishop has his, actually he has double on each back foot, but they don't bother me. I keep them cut really short. Tess doesn't have them, but I think they were removed as there is a little hairless patch on each foot where they should be.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

They say dogs use them to eat and hold things but I've never seen my dogs use their paws or feet to hold their food. My rescue Leo who was kept in a crate before I got him, pawed his way to no end so he has issues with his feet anyway, it is always a game of how many i can clip before he's had it, I always lay him on his back for this.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

Shade has double dewclaws on his back feet. They are a real pain because they flop around back there and are basically just extra skin, toes and nail that get caught on things. I have to be sure and cut the nail all the time because it doesn't get worn down at all. I really wish they had removed them when they had neutered him but I think he was probably neutered at the rescue before I got him so it wasn't a priority.


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## tricia beaver (Jul 16, 2011)

Both my dogs have their dew claws. I keep them short and rounded off with a petipaw. I have never had any problems with them, with rough housing and hiking in the woods. I don't believe in cropping or removing anything, even if its unneeded. I've hurt my little finger alot but I don't get it removed, even though I don't use it for anything. Just because we don't know what they use it for doesn't mean its useless.


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

Aspen always uses his front dewclaws for holding most of his food. He doesn't have back dewclaws. I think back dewclaws are useless. Every time we get a dog in that has back dewclaws, they flop and jiggle around every time the dog takes a step. That makes me uncomfortable...


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