Poppy (4.5 months old) appears to have one dew claw that has grown on a hind leg. We are due to visit the vets in a few weeks, so I will discuss it with them, but in the meantime, can anyone let me know why this might be?

Many thanks
Karen.

Hi Karen, guess what, Oscar has one on his hind leg also - weird looking thing. I'll be interested in hearing any responses.

Hi Scattergood

Ended up taking Poppy to the vets last night as she had limp (turned out to be a thorn stuck between her pads - ouch!). She is absolutely fine now.

But while we were there we mentioned the dew claw. Apparently they are nothing to worry about and can usually just be left alone. They are only a problem if they curl round and grow into the skin, but this doesnt happen v. often.

BFN
Karen.

I'm surprised the breeder didn't notice the dewclaw when the pups were born and have it removed.

Jeanjenie

Cant answer that one I'm afraid. But, also should'nt the vet have spotted it at the various checks she's had ??

Would you leave it, or get it removed?

Thanks
Karen.

Its the breeder that would have needed to get it removed in the first few days of life, for a vet to do anything about it later on would involve an operation to cut it away from the bone a more major procedure with risk of infection. Ideally it should have been done early but probably not worth the risk later and just hope it doesn't catch on things, the nail needs regular clipping to prevent it growing round on itself.

Our Springer had one dew claw, it looked weird, but it never bothered her, until one day she went through some gorse, she got a piece of twig caught on it, and it really made her yelp., from then on she always seemed to catch it and give a little yelp.
The vet charged us £10.00 to remove it while she was being speyed, and it caused no problems being removed, and we haven't heard a little yelp since.
My advice would be if its not causing problems then leave it well alone, IMHO :)

Robert

Jeangenie, it definitely wasn't there when I first had him. Any dew claws there at birth were removed by the breeder.

How strange - regrowing digits.
All I can think is that it was missed (it happens that one 'slips through the net' sometimes; my vet always double and triple-checks that he's done them all - then I recheck to be on the safe side!) or that it wasn't properly removed.
If it has genuinely developed since you've had him - and I'm not doubting your sincerity - you have a very unusual specimen!
:)

It looks nothing like the dew claw that my Jack Russell had. This one is really weird, looks like a small piece of brown curved twig - so much so that when it first started coming through, I tried to pull it out because I thought it was a small twig that had got stuck in his leg.

I wonder if it is the end of the cut bone that you can see?

I don't know, but it certainly is weird - next time we are at the vets I'll get it checked out.