Quote: Keleah Stull

Probably because it was bogus and a ridiculous claim/ploy to try and get me to spay my dog so I'd have to come in and pay more money for the later health problems that would occur.

Not that I agree with that first vet, but I'm fairly certain their (albeit uninformed) opinion had nothing to do with hoping you'd be back in the future with health problems CAUSED by an early spay... even the money grubbing ones don't usually have that much forethought - they're just operating on way outdated information, or taking the same broad brush to the overpopulation issue that shelters do.

~Natalya

 Quote: Natalya Zahn

Oscar's breeder CLAIMED to have removed his dewclaws, but when we got him home we noticed there were still little nubs there - instead of proper dewclaws they're actually deformed now because the botched removal left only partial tissue to regrow... we were pretty mad about it - how could you NOT know if you removed a whole toe?! ...

I've never removed dewclaws myself (testicles on a pig...yes, but that's not quite the same thing :grin. I did work in a vet's office for a while and have seen a variety of things with dewclaws.

From my experience, your breeder may very well have removed the dewclaws. It's harder to do than you might imagine...especially if the person isn't very experienced.

When dewclaws are removed on those little pups, the hole it leaves really looks excessive compared to the tiny leg. If the breeder didn't get the entire root out (and those roots can be deep seated at times), then yes, dewclaws can and do resurface.

 Quote: Natalya Zahn

...but our previous vet said the surgery to remove them from a large adult dog was often more trouble than it was worth, claiming the wound site is difficult to keep closed and clean...

The rear dew claws are not attached as well as the front ones and generally don't have any real muscle attached to them. Those extra claws on the front are a lot more involved if the owner wants them removed. There's a lot of muscle and ligaments attached to those typically...and bone that has to be removed.

Usually, if the dewclaw is floppy and dangles and is truly a vestigial toe, then the surgery was easy and the recovery pretty quick. The more firmly attached the dewclaw is, the harder the surgery and worse the recovery.

I do have to say that the dewclaws always seemed to take longer to heal than the spay/neuter. They would come in for the check on their stitches not caring at all about the spay/neuter incision site but still wanting to lick and bother the dew claw site.

 Quote: natalya zahn

Keleah, did your vet discuss healing difficulty at all? Was our vet just being dumb and lazy? (which I wouldn't put past them AT ALL) Anyone else have experience removing dewclaws on an adult?

~Natalya

The vet didn't discuss any possible issues with removing the dew claws from an adult/sub-adult dog. I'm sure that it'll be harder to keep the wounds closed, because the dogs will want to run and play. But I will be keeping the dogs seperated outside once the girls have had their surgeries, mainly because I don't want to worry about any surgical wounds opening (gross, but I can deal with it better than my hubby) because they are trying to rough-house.

The vet that is in town here, said that Lily's dewclaws seemed "pretty well attatched" and "that it isn't necessary to have them removed", but "we can do it when she comes in for her spay, if you want us to", well of course I want you to-duh, why would I ask. So, I think my vet here was being a bit lazy (didn't want the hassle, maybe like your vet, I don't know) because the vet in Bismarck didn't seem to have any problem with it, especially after I told him that I didn't want to have it rip off getting caught on something and have to make an emergency run to the vet with a dog in pain and bleeding.

They'll probably tell me to keep it clean, fresh bandages as needed, don't let the dog run around.

 Quote: Natalya Zahn

 Quote: Keleah Stull

Probably because it was bogus and a ridiculous claim/ploy to try and get me to spay my dog so I'd have to come in and pay more money for the later health problems that would occur.

Not that I agree with that first vet, but I'm fairly certain their (albeit uninformed) opinion had nothing to do with hoping you'd be back in the future with health problems CAUSED by an early spay... even the money grubbing ones don't usually have that much forethought - they're just operating on way outdated information, or taking the same broad brush to the overpopulation issue that shelters do.

~Natalya

Like my hubby said.... Cracker Jack Box, lol.

No, I'm sure she didn't have the forethought in the early spay=future medical problems. She just doesn't seem up to date in my opinion. She runs her clinic in the basement of her home (seperated from the house) and she and her staff have been very nice, but it's the lack of knowledge that drives me (literally) 70 miles away to a clinic that is more up to date, better resources,, open-minded about minimal vaccines and a natural diet. And I can find out what Otto's thyroid level is in 15 minutes, not one week.

 Quote: michellemeyer

From my experience, your breeder may very well have removed the dewclaws. It's harder to do than you might imagine...especially if the person isn't very experienced.

When dewclaws are removed on those little pups, the hole it leaves really looks excessive compared to the tiny leg. If the breeder didn't get the entire root out (and those roots can be deep seated at times), then yes, dewclaws can and do resurface.

The rear dew claws are not attached as well as the front ones and generally don't have any real muscle attached to them. Those extra claws on the front are a lot more involved if the owner wants them removed. There's a lot of muscle and ligaments attached to those typically...and bone that has to be removed.

Thanks Michelle, I'm a little queasy now after that description , but I have a feeling that what you described is probably what happened to Oscar - (I am talking about front dewclaws) there is definitely a bit of bone left, a smidge of toe pad, and a rather large nail that if left to grow would curl around sideways into a twist.

The dogs I've seen who've had their front dewclaws removed (not that many) have all had what looks like a perfect 1/2" long surgical scar... so I guess that's what the work of a professional looks like. At this point, I don't think we'll ever have Oscar's nubs removed, but it's just one more thing I'll be aware of whenever I seek out my next puppy...

I've heard removing baby livestock testicles is pretty uncomplicated... though you're one up on me if you actually have hands on experience.

*And thanks Keleah for your info on dewclaws as well - I hope Lilly's experience is free of complication - maybe you could post or PM me after her dewclaw removal to let me know how the recovery goes?

~Natalya

 Quote: natalya zahn

Thanks Michelle, I'm a little queasy now after that description...

Oops. Sorry about that. Here I thought I had sanitized it to the point that it wouldn't bother anyone. I'm just glad I didn't post what I wrote initially.

Note to self... less detail next time.

 Quote: natalya zahn

...had what looks like a perfect 1/2" long surgical scar... so I guess that's what the work of a professional looks like.

Even the pros have some that don't turn out right. If the root is deep enough, there will likely be problems, professional or not.

 Quote: natalya zahn

I've heard removing baby livestock testicles is pretty uncomplicated...

It's not that hard, and I was well supervised. I was only in the 3rd or 4th grade. I thought I was all that since the "little" kids weren't big enough to help yet.

My family owned a working farm if you wondered. We were all expected to participate as we were able.

 Quote: michellemeyer

 Quote: natalya zahn

I've heard removing baby livestock testicles is pretty uncomplicated...

It's not that hard, and I was well supervised. I was only in the 3rd or 4th grade. I thought I was all that since the "little" kids weren't big enough to help yet.

YIKES!! I don't even want to know what you're capable of now!

I grew up in rural VT, lots of my friends came from working farms, so I'm unfazed by such things being discussed... I just never had the pleasure of taking part in such activities myself.

And no worries about the descriptive dewclaw text - I'm sure it's not pretty, but even though my weak stomach prevents me from ever being involved in any kind of medicine (human or animal), I still prefer to hear things straight and uncensored... reality is full of gore and grossness, and that's ok.

~Natalya

I need to look back and make sure I've never smarted off to MichelleMeyer. Losing stars is one thing but,,,,

 Quote: steve strom

I need to look back and make sure I've never smarted off to MichelleMeyer. Losing stars is one thing but,,,,

LOL... I needed that laugh. Thank you very much.

No problem Natalya! Once I make the appointment and get the girls in, I'll let you know how the dewclaw removal goes.


Michelle, I have a friend that actually banded one of her male cats, like you would a steer, and they fell off within a couple weeks and then the cat got really fat. He didn't have any infection or problems, as far as I could tell-I'm not a vet by any means. But I would have never did that to any of my pets-dog or cat, no way! I told my friend that was really stupid and wrong, but she didn't care. She now has no pets (her choice once she found out she was preggo with her first kid), and I'm kinda glad she doesn't have any anymore.

Edited by Keleah Stull (04/24/2009 02:14 PM)
Edit reason: added more