What to do if your dog has 5 toes on its back feet
When your dog is still a puppy it is highly recommended to go to the vet as soon as you detect an extra toe, so it can be removed. Then future problems are avoided and it will be less traumatic for the puppy.
For dogs over 6 months old, this operation is not mandatory. If you see no obvious discomfort and decide not to operate, you must keep an eye out for any developments on the fifth toe. If the toe becomes a problem then an operation will be required at the vets, however:
Finally, we advise all owners to be especially careful, by paying attention and looking after your dog so this problem doesnt become serious and have painful consequences. Maintaining a watchful attitude and going to the veterinarian whenever needed will improve your dogs quality of life, and ultimately give you a healthy and happy dog!
This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to Why Does my Dog Have 5 Toes on its Back Feet?, we recommend you visit our Hereditary diseases category. Bibliography
How Many Toes Does the Average Dog Have?
If we look at the number of toes of various animals, we may notice that there is a general trend to have four or five toes at the end of a limb.
For example, humans have five fingers and toes and so do bears, primates, weasels, bats, and several types of reptiles.
However, several animals such as dogs, foxes, wolves and coyotes though have only four fully functional toes rather than five. Whats up with these animals? Why are they missing the extra toes?
Fossil evidence shows that animals that show a loss of digits are for the most part animals who were built to maintain high speeds for long distances, explains John Buckwalter, Emeritus of Biology at Alfred State College.
Such animals are known as “cursorial animals.” The specific features of these animals consist of long legs, shortened digits and a reduced number of toes.
The reduced number of toes helps improve velocity, considering that an extra digit could ultimately make quite a difference.
Although at a first glance, it may just weigh a few ounces, consider its impact when its piggy-backed along for the ride when the animal runs whether to catch his dinner or away from somebody who wants to eat him for dinner!
On top of reducing the number of toes, evolution also caused a dogs legs to move forward in a way that their heels no longer made contact with the ground as it happens with us human plantigrades.
By walking on their toes, dogs, therefore, became “digitigrades.” This feature, along with the longer forelegs, allowed extra speed, causing dogs to be classified, as mentioned earlier, as “cursorial,” that is, animals specifically built for running.
Can you spot the extra toe on this dogs front leg?
If you have heard about most dogs having five toes on each front foot and four toes on each hind foot, its because an extra toe has been added to the count.
This fifth toe located upper in the front feet is known as the dewclaw and is the equivalent of our thumb.
A dogs dewclaw is not fully functional though as the other toes are and therefore doesnt make constant contact with the ground as the other toes do. It is not attached to the paw, but is rather attached to the wrist part of the dogs paw.
However, research has revealed that dewclaws do
Despite its several uses, the dewclaw though is often removed so to prevent it from getting caught into things or for a cleaner look in the show ring. This is done when the puppy is very young, usually at 2 to 5 days of age.
Did you know? Your dogs dewclaws are believed to be a remnant from his distant past—as in over 40 million years ago—when Rovers ancestors (a tree-climbing cat-like animal known as Miacis) used to climb trees.
Later on though, as a dogs ancestors evolved into a ground-dwelling species (Cynodictis) they started to rely more on speed and agility to capture prey, therefore the use of this extra toe became redundant.
This has caused it to recede into the vestigial anatomical feature we see today, points out Stanley Coren in the book Do Dogs Dream? Nearly Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know.
On top of having dewclaws on their front legs, in some cases, there may also be dogs boasting extra toes in their back legs, which are discussed next.
Did You Know?
In the deep south, many southerners in the United States believe that dogs blessed with dewclaws on their hind feet have a natural immunity to the venomous snake bites. Their belief is that the dewclaws were capable of “sucking up the poison.” Of course, this is not proven by veterinary science!
What breed of dog has extra toes?
The Norwegian Lundehund is the number one dog breed that is known for having extra toes.
Removing dew claws is considered cruel and barbaric by some, and a necessary evil by others. Dog dew claws are often removed for cosmetic reasons, but very often it is to avoid painful injury in the long run.
Why Do Dogs Have Dew Claws? | Answered by a Vet Tech
Most dogs have 5 toes on the front legs and 4 toes on the back. However, there are certain breeds (especially giant dog breeds) such as the Pyrenean Mastiff, the Beauceron or the Saint Bernard, which may have an extra finger on the dewclaw. These small structures that are not attached to the paw or bone of the dog, are mainly due to genetic traits of the animal. It is not a problem or a malformation, in fact, although it is more typical in large dogs, this characteristic can appear in any dog of any size.
It is believed that this claw has lost its usefulness over time, but originally it could serve to give them greater support, especially in the mountains, where dogs needed a greater grip. In addition, it also contributes to balance and stability when the animal is in motion, especially on uneven terrains, when coming out of water or on slippery surfaces. At the same time, the dewclaw also contributes to grooming, especially when dogs clean their heads and faces.
The dewclaw does not have negative effects on the dog, many dogs keep it throughout their lives, and it does not represent difficulties, except in specific cases. As it is an “extra” finger that isn’t attached to the dogs leg, it can lead to certain problems. It is easier for it to tear off if it is caught in a fence or any surface, causing a lot of pain to the animal. Likewise, since the dewclaw does not touch the ground like the rest of the fingers, the nail is not filed and can end up nailed, ingrown, or even trapped, causing infections and pain to the animal.
If the dog has presented one of the previous problems, you must go to a veterinarian, since they will always be the ones to recommend removing the dewclaw or not. It is advisable to go to the vet when the extra spur is detected in puppies, since the younger the animal, the easier the intervention will be and the faster the recovery. If the dog is older and the dewclaw has never represented a problem, there is no reason to remove it, as long as the nail is taken good care of so that it does not grow more than normal and causing accidents to the dogs legs.