Dew Claws and French Brittanys. To remove or not to remove that is no longer a question.

The Dew Claw Debate: In Defense of Your Dog’s ‘Extra’ Digit

As a dog owner, you’ve likely heard the term ‘dew claw.’ It’s that little digit on the inner side of your dog’s paw – often compared to a thumb. While some consider it a vestigial remnant, an increasing body of evidence suggests that dew claws serve a purpose and should be left intact. Let’s delve into this dew claw debate.

The Purpose of Dew Claws

Contrary to popular belief, dew claws are not just ‘extra’ toes. They play a significant role in a dog’s mobility. When a dog runs, the dew claw digs into the ground to prevent twisting and provide extra traction¹. It also helps dogs climb out of icy waters, balance, and execute tight turns at high speeds².

Historically, dogs used their dew claws as tools for holding bones while eating. Today, they use them to hold toys or bones while chewing. Just watch your dog the next time they’re enjoying a treat, and you’ll see those dew claws in action.

Health Risks and the Removal Procedure

Some argue that dew claws can get caught in carpeting or brush and cause injury³. However, the risk is minimal compared to the potential health issues that could arise from removing them.

Dew claw removal is not a simple nail trim. It’s a surgical procedure that involves the amputation of the entire digit⁴. Like any surgery, it carries risks such as infection, bleeding, and reactions to anesthesia.

Moreover, studies suggest that removing dew claws may lead to arthritis and other mobility issues⁵. Without the dew claw, the tendons’ muscle bellies, which are well developed when the dew claw is intact, could atrophy from disuse⁶.

Respecting Our Dogs’ Natural Anatomy

It’s time we respect our dogs’ natural anatomy and reconsider the routine removal of dew claws. Unless there’s a compelling medical reason, such as a severely injured or infected dew claw, removing them may do more harm than good⁷.

Many hunting breeds have their dew claws removed to prevent injury in rough terrains⁸. However, if you’re not planning on taking your dog hunting through dense bushes, those dew claws are likely safe where they are.

In Conclusion

Our understanding of the canine anatomy and physiology has evolved over the years, and it’s time our practices reflect that. The growing consensus among veterinarians is to leave dew claws intact, unless there’s a very good reason not to⁹.

As responsible pet owners, we should prioritize our dogs’ health and well-being over outdated practices. So, let’s appreciate those dew claws for what they are – an essential part of our dogs’ anatomy that serves a purpose.

Let’s listen to the experts, observe our dogs, and make informed decisions that respect their natural design. After all, Mother Nature knows best.

Here is another great article about it

By Clara Medalen

Playing with nature is a hallmark of human existence. We believe we can take the products of evolution and make them better with our limited knowledge of physiology. But are we really just disrupting the stability of the body as a whole? It was not so long ago that doctors were surgically removing healthy appendices and tonsils, only to learn that they play an important role in the immune system. Yet we are unable to learn from past mistakes and insist on classifying body parts as vestigial when we are ignorant of their true function. And so we as a species continue to modify with an inexpert hand, not only our own kind but to a larger degree the animals we care for. People do not realize the consequences of removing structures such as the distal phalanx of cats, docking tails, cropping ears, spaying or neutering prior to puberty, or taking off a dog’s dewclaw. These practices may or may not be beneficial to the animal overall, and as vitalistic doctors, it is time we take a deeper look into the pros and cons of such body modifications.

The practice of removing dewclaws is done at 2-5 days of age, preferably day 3. The practice is standard for show dogs, and this practice has bled over to the world of companion dogs. It is argued that it prevents future injuries to the dewclaw as they are commonly torn in active dogs. However, the surgery is done without anesthesia on fully developed nerve endings. The procedure can be done later during a spay or neuter surgery, but this causes more problems as the leg is easily accessible to the dog even with the use of a cone. Oftentimes the area needs to be re-stitched and antibiotics administered. Injury to the dewclaw is most often a maintenance issue, as they tend to grow faster than other claws because they are not worn down naturally and many owners forget to trim them. A long dewclaw is more likely to catch on things or become ingrown (1).

There are five tendons that attach to the dewclaw – one more tendon than the human thumb, one of the most important evolutionary developments in dexterity that has allowed humans to become the most adaptable and dangerous predator on earth. So why do we think there is no function to a dewclaw? The removal of dewclaws severs the anchor of five muscles, leading to atrophy of the foreleg and destabilizing the entire kinetic chain (2). Dogs and other four-legged animals carry 60% of their weight in the front legs and only 40% in the hind legs. Vertical forces on the front limbs are therefore much greater, approximately 4 1/2 times the body weight on impact at high speeds. It is no surprise, then, that osteoarthritis is five times more common in the metacarpals than the metatarsals of agility dogs (3).

When standing, the dewclaw sits above the other digits, not contacting the ground. During activity, such as cantering or galloping, the dewclaw is dug into the ground, preventing toque and stabilizing the lower leg. Without a dewclaw, forces exerted from quick turns are instead distributed to the rest of the leg (2). Removing dewclaws routinely has consequences including an increased prevalence of injury to the rest of the body. In a study done on 3,801 agility dogs, it was recorded that ⅓ will experience more than a single injury in the course of their career. Of those injuries, 13-24% are injuries to the phalanges. Another study on 253 agility dogs showed that digit 5 was the most commonly injured digit while digit 1 (the dewclaw) was the least often injured. Increased injury to digits 1-4 were seen in dogs lacking front dew claws. Other injuries reported were to the shoulders, back, and neck (3).

Dewclaws are a vital structure providing greater stability to the anterior kinetic chain of canines. While removing the dewclaws of a dog can potentially prevent injury directly to the structure, it can lead to injuries of the structures around it. It is a sacrificial area meant to protect the body as a whole, and the early loss of the dewclaws leads to instability for the remainder of the animal’s life. As vitalists, we see the body as a connection of parts necessary to the overall health of an organism. As such, I call on you all to take a stand against the removal of vital body parts without due cause.

References

Lichtenberg D. Dewclaw Removal in Dogs: When Is It Necessary? (Vet-Approved Advice) [Internet]. Petful. 2019 [cited 2019Oct13]. Available from: https://www.petful.com/pet-health/dewclaw-removal-dogs/

Zink C. Do the Dew(claws)? Canine Sports Productions [Internet]. 2013 [cited 2019Oct13]; Available from: https://www.caninesports.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/15319800/do_the_dew__claws__rev_apr_10_2013__with_logo_.pdf

Sellon DC, Martucci K, Wenz JR, Marcellin-Little DJ, Powers M, Cullen KL. A survey of risk factors for digit injuries among dogs training and competing in agility events. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2019Oct13];252(1):75–83. Available from: https://escholarship.org/content/qt50v4f8gx/qt50v4f8gx.pdf

This article first appeared in the November 2019 issue of Lifelines, the Life West student magazine.

And another

Do the Dew(claws)? by Chris Zink, DVM PhD DACVSMR As a veterinary sports medicine specialist, I work extensively with canine athletes, developing rehabilitation programs for injured dogs or dogs that required surgery due to performance-related injuries. I have seen many dogs, especially field trial/hunt test and agility dogs, that have chronic carpal arthritis, frequently so severe that they must be retired or at least carefully managed for the rest of their careers. I noticed that very few of those dogs had dewclaws and began to wonder whether these appendages might, in fact, protect a dog from injuries. What I learned might surprise you. The Anatomy of Dewclaws Miller’s Guide to the Anatomy of the Dog, a veterinary anatomy text, has an excellent figure depicting the muscular anatomy of the distal forelimb. There are 2 functional muscles, the extensor pollicis longus et indicis proprius and flexor digitorum profundus, which are attached to the front dewclaw by 4 tendons (references in blog). Each of those muscle/tendon units has a different function in movement. That means that if you cut off the dew claws, you are preventing the muscles that were attached to the dewclaws from functioning. In contrast, rear limb dewclaws do not have muscle/tendon attachments, so their removal might be appropriate, except in the breeds such as Briards and Beauceron in which they should be retained. Dewclaws Do Have Functions If there are muscles and tendons attached to the dewclaws, then they most likely have a function. Broadly speaking, dewclaws have at least two different functions: 1. Grasp the ground when the dog is turning to prevent torque on the forelimb. Each time the front foot lands on the ground, particularly when the dog is cantering or galloping (see Figure 2), the dewclaw is in touch with the ground. If the dog then needs to turn, the dewclaw actively digs into the ground to stabilize the lower leg and prevent torque. In Figure 3 you can clearly see the dewclaw of a Corgi herding a sheep extended, ready to grip the ground. And in the image at the top of this article, you can see the dewclaws of a dog extended, ready to grip the water! Do the Dew(claws)? www.avidogzink.com info@avidog.com © Avidog-Zink Ventures 2020 If a dog doesn’t have dewclaws, the leg will twist on its axis, creating increased pressure on the carpal bones, as well as the elbow, shoulder and toes. A lifetime of this kind of torque and the result can be carpal arthritis or injuries to and subsequent arthritis in other joints of the forelimb, such as the elbow, shoulder, and toes. Remember, the dog is participating in the activity regardless, so there will be concussive pressures on the leg, and if the dewclaw does not help to stabilize the leg, those pressures will be transmitted to other areas of the leg, especially the joints. 2. Grip objects. We have all seen dogs using their dewclaws to grip an object such as a ball or bone (Figure 4). I’ve even seen many photos of agility dogs gripping the teeter for stability (Figure 5). But did you know that the dewclaws’ gripping ability can, in fact, save your dog’s life? Check out the video “Dewclaws Do Have a Purpose” for “gripping” views of dogs attempting to get out of water onto ice without the help of those ice picks on the inside of their legs. The video also shows dogs using their dewclaws to grip the ice and escape from a potentially fatal situation. I have known several dogs that drowned after falling through ice in the winter. None of them had dewclaws. If they had, perhaps they would have survived and spared their owners the incredible heartache of watching their dogs die unnecessarily. Arguments for Removing Dewclaws 1. The dewclaws will get injured. This is the most common reason I hear for removing dewclaws. A friend of mine had such a severe dewclaw injury in one of her dogs that she swore she would remove them on all the dogs she bred subsequently. But the data indicate that dewclaws are not injured very often. A study published in 2018 showed that the dewclaw was the LEAST likely toe to be injured in agility dogs, in which landing and turning from jumps and other obstacles put the toes at risk for injuries. Thus, it makes no sense to remove the dewclaws because of risk of injury. And, of course, no one would consider removing the 5th digits in the front feet, which are by far the most commonly injured toe. 2. Owners forget to trim the dewclaws. Surely this is a matter of education. Do we really want to remove a functioning digit in all dogs, just because some owners need to be reminded that they must remember to trim the dewclaws? 3. Dewclaws make the forelimb look less straight when viewed from the front in conformation. The AKC states: “The breed standard describes the characteristics of the ideal dog to perform the function for which it was bred.” While we could have long discussions about the veracity of this statement, it is interesting to note that there are VERY few breed standards that require dewclaw removal. I know of only one – the Vizsla breed standard. A Plea So, here’s a plea to retain dogs’ dewclaws. They are a functioning digit. They are the toe least likely to be injured. Isn’t this enough to convince us not to do the dewclaws?