Do Huskies have an extra toe?
A lot of Siberian Huskies have extra toes. Long Toenails: Long toenails are common and can have a lot of negative consequences for your dog. Long nails can make it more difficult for your dog to walk.
If dewclaw removal is to take place, this procedure should be done by the time the puppy is 3 days old. Although it’s a simple procedure — over in less than 1 minute — neonatal puppies feel pain, and dewclaw removal in a neonate is done without general anesthesia.
Is Dog Dewclaw Removal Necessary or Safe?
“Traditionally, some dog breeders have opted to have their puppies declaws removed a few days after birth. This was intended to prevent future injuries to the dewclaws and to uphold breed standards,” says Jenna Stregowski, RVT, Daily Paws Pet Health and Behavior Editor.
However, dewclaw injuries are not extremely common in pet dogs; they more often occur in working dogs who get their dewclaws caught while running through rough terrain, she explains. “There is typically no medical need for puppies to have their dewclaws removed. In fact, dewclaws serve a purpose: they help stabilize the carpal (wrist) joint when a dog puts pressure on the front paws and can provide extra traction on some surfaces.”
Dewclaw removal in puppies is relatively simple because the bones have not fully developed and the dewclaw can be easily snipped off by a veterinarian. “Although this is painful and unnecessary for the puppy, it is fast and heals quickly. Adult dewclaw removal requires surgical amputation under general anesthesia. This is because the vet must carefully detach bone, nerve, muscle, and blood vessels,” Stregowski says. “Recovery is longer too—dogs require exercise restriction and usually need to wear an e-collar.”
Adult-dog dewclaw removal is rare, Marks adds. “We do it when its the only option we have left—if theres a permanent injury, tumor, fracture, or infection that wont heal.”
Dogs are more likely to injure a dewclaw than another toe. Thats because dewclaws often become overgrown. And sometimes, back dewclaws arent firmly attached and dangle loosely. That makes dewclaws prone to getting caught on things and breaking as your pooch pulls away.
Broken dewclaws bleed if the quick—tissue in the center of the nail that includes a blood vessel—is exposed. This can also happen if you trim too far down the nail. To stop the bleeding, Marks recommends using cornstarch. Its a crude hemostatic agent, which means itll temporarily stop bleeding. Its a good idea to keep some on hand at home and in the car, if you take your dog out and about. If your dogs nail is fractured or the bleeding continues, see a veterinarian.
Like the other toes on your dogs paw, dewclaws may also develop ingrown nails and nail-bed infections. Besides injury, Marks says another cause of dewclaw infection is when dogs excessively lick their paws—like those with allergies or anxiety. Signs of infection include a change in color, swelling, and odor. Treatment for an infected dewclaw requires antibiotics, bandaging, and usually an e-collar to keep your pup from licking the site.
To prevent injuries, its important to treat dewclaws the same as your dogs other nails. In fact, says Marks, you should monitor and trim them more often. “The rest of the nails get worn down by going for walks on cement and playing at the park. But the dewclaw never touches the ground so it quickly becomes overgrown.” With proper maintenance though, dewclaws arent usually a problem.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Why Do Dogs Have Dew Claws? | Answered by a Vet Tech
Most dogs have four nails on each rear foot and five on their front feet. That extra nail on the upper, inner part of a dog’s foot is the dewclaw. Did you come up with a different total? Have no fear, some dogs have dewclaws on their rear feet or even double dewclaws.