The Anatomy of Your Dog’s Paws
Even though your dog’s paws look very different from your hands and feet, they’re actually pretty structurally similar. After all, dogs and humans both evolved from the same (distant) mammalian ancestors, so they have a number of similarities.
The big difference is that your dog’s paws are a bit “scrunched.” They still have wrists and ankles, which are followed by the bones in the “hands” and “feet” – known as metacarpals or metatarsals, respectively. Extending from these bones are the phalanges, or fingers/toes.
But here’s where things get a bit different: Unlike your nails, which are only connected to your phalanges by connective tissues (primarily ligaments), your dog’s nails emerge directly from the bones. They are, as VetStreet puts it, “integrally attached” to the bone.
This means that your dog’s nails can’t be removed simply – they’d just regenerate and grow back. Instead, the final phalange must be removed to prevent the nail from growing back. Such a procedure would be akin to removing the ends of your fingers.
This is similar to what occurs when a cat is declawed, and it is part of the reason that the procedure is so controversial. It also forces the dog or cat in question to bear weight differently, as these distal digits help support their body weight.
Some vets try to remove a very small amount of the bone when performing an onychectomy on felines, which can allow the cat to stand and walk pretty normally, but this isn’t really possible when performing the operation on dogs, thanks to the subtle differences in paw anatomy.
from University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
Unfortunately, dogs can suffer from a few nail diseases – including claw fold disease, among others — which necessitate the removal of the nail and distal end of the digit.
Nevertheless, an onychectomy should always be a treatment of last resort and should be avoided whenever possible.
However, if your vet recommends carrying out the procedure, you’ll likely want to know what to expect.
Your dog will be admitted to the veterinarian’s office and prepped for surgery (some vets may prescribe a prophylactic course of antibiotics beforehand too). At the beginning of the procedure, your dog will be placed under general anesthesia. Once she’s lost consciousness, the vet will begin by incising the skin around the digit to expose the bone and claw.
Then, he or she will remove the bone in any of several ways, but a guillotine-style clipper is likely the most common tool used for the job. After removing the problematic nails and bones, the vet will stitch the surrounding skin back up to cover the wound.
Your dog will then be allowed to slowly regain consciousness while resting in a recovery kennel. The procedure is thought to cause significant pain during recovery, so the vet will likely administer pain medications and monitor your pet. Some vets require dogs and cats who’ve had an onychectomy to remain in their care for a week or more to ensure that they do not suffer from unnecessary pain and to monitor the healing process.
Once you are allowed to take your dog home, you may need to perform regular bandage changes, and your vet may recommend limiting her activity for a month or more.
Note that some dogs and cats appear to suffer from pain for a long time after having the procedure performed. There isn’t much that can be done to treat this pain aside from prescribing pain medications, and this is another reason the procedure should be avoided whenever possible.
Why is it Bad to Declaw Your Dog?
There’s a reason why declawing dogs is practically unheard of. Declawing cats is harmful enough, but some veterinarians try to remove as little bone as possible. Dogs and cats have paws that might look similar, but they’re different enough that you can’t remove a “little” bone from your dog’s paws. Instead, the vet has to cut off a large part of the bone to keep your dog’s nails from growing back.
Unlike human fingernails, dog claws are attached directly to the bone. As a result, you can’t cut off their nails without cutting off the bone, which is like removing part of your fingers. Once you remove your dog’s claws, they’ll have trouble standing up straight because they lost a section of their toes. They’ll also have trouble digging, scratching, and engaging in normal activities as well as protecting themselves if another animal attacks.
For these reasons and more, it’s nearly impossible to find a vet who will remove your dog’s claws. However, there are a few rare exceptions where declawing your dog could save their life.
Declawing versus removing dew claws
Declawing shouldn’t be confused with dewclaw removal. Declawing means removing the four nails on a dog’s paw pads. Dewclaw removal is far more common.
Most dogs have a fifth digit, almost like a thumb, near their wrist on their front leg. Dewclaws may look pretty useless, but experts argue that most front dew claws are attached to tendons that help to stabilize a dog’s wrist when they run.
Most dogs have dewclaws on their front legs. Some breeds, like St. Bernards or Yorkshire Terriers, can also have them on their back legs, called rear dewclaws. The Norwegian Lundehund has six toes on every foot to help them climb.
Regardless, the breeder likely removed them if you don’t see a dewclaw on your dog’s front feet. This is controversial. It typically has to happen when the puppy is between 3 and 5 days old. The breeder may clip it off themselves. If the dog is older, a vet must remove dewclaws surgically under anesthesia.
It’s not an expensive procedure for puppies, typically costing around $50 for a newborn (3-day-old) puppy. But it usually isn’t necessary.
Back dew claws often aren’t attached to anything and simply dangle, so removing them arguably prevents them from getting caught on something and injuring the dog. Breeders of hunting dogs also have their dog’s dewclaws removed to prevent them from getting caught when the dog is running through rough terrain.
For most dogs, there is no reason for removing dewclaws on the front legs unless there is some cancer or disease that compels it.
Dew or Don’t? Considerations for Removing Dew Claws
Declawing cats used to be a common practice. In recent years, an increasing number of veterinarians have stopped performing the procedure. Research has shown that declawing your cat is like cutting off your fingers to the first knuckle, making it a painful and unnecessary procedure. However, some pet owners continue the practice because it keeps their cats from scratching people and clawing up the furniture. Dogs can scratch up the furniture just as well as cats— and their claws can be dangerous if they get aggressive. Can you declaw a dog to make it easier on everybody?
Technically, declawing a dog is possible for a veterinarian to do. Still, the procedure is painful, intrusive, and unnecessary unless your dog suffers from certain health conditions. Dewclaws are another story— although there’s a reason why dogs have dewclaws, many veterinarians will remove your dog’s dewclaws if you have a good reason. Some breeders don’t recommend dewclaw removal because it affects the quality of the breed. Ultimately, removing the dewclaws is a personal decision that could help or hinder your dog.
Declawing your dog is a controversial process, but it’s necessary for rare situations. Here’s everything you need to know about declawing your dog.