I have a litter due in a couple of weeks and have just been told by my vet of 15 years that they will no longer remove dew claws
does anyone know of a vets in the midlands which will or even a very experienced breeder who would do it for me?
Thanks

Where are you (roughly - I'm not asking your address!).

Our vet did the dew claws no problem.
Let me know where in the Midlands you are and if we are too far away or not!

I can't help but that is appalling, I can understand tails to some extent but having a dew claw removed in an adult is a painful operation and the nerve system to the dew claws is far greater than that to the tail but damaged in adulthood are both very difficult to heal.

Suppose given time in some breeds the presents of hind dew claws could be more or less bred out, but to suddenly refuse to give this service seems a strange decision and one not in the interest of the dogs.

I did approach a vet I had taken one of my dogs too when we first moved house about removing the pups dew claws, I was spoken to as if I was committing the most heinous crime.  Despite giving my reasons why I would like them removed - running breed, problems caused by them as adults etc, the vet was incredibly rude and aggressive; needless to say we are never going back there again. 

The vet that my family have visited for over 20 years on the other hand was more than happy to do them and couldn't believe the reaction I received elsewhere. 

Hi I'm a couple of miles from Dudley but i will travel 15 miles for a vet to do it if anyone knows of one?
Thanks

Ours is too far for you then, sorry.
Really hope you find someone who is willing to do them for you

Dudley's too far north for us as well, I'm afraid. Sorry.

My vet doesn't"do"front dewclaws, but my friend who is a vet will do puppies for me. They do however remove rear dewclaws on puppies when they are 3 days old,my Rjj had rear ones(long story)& they took them off, but wouldn't operate until he was over 6 months, they don't do elective surgery(ie castration, spaying)on young puppies

I can't help but that is appalling, I can understand tails to some extent but having a dew claw removed in an adult is a painful operation and the nerve system to the dew claws is far greater than that to the tail but damaged in adulthood are both very difficult to heal.

Suppose given time in some breeds the presents of hind dew claws could be more or less bred out, but to suddenly refuse to give this service seems a strange decision and one not in the interest of the dogs.

Seeing as pups seem more distressed when having their dew claws done than tails I'm surprised at this comment.  I stopped having their claws done years ago due to this but whilst it was still allowed continued docking.  Pups were much less upset by having their tails done.

Gosh i feel so lucky my vet is wonderfull ,when pups were born we took them and mum down the next day for there check up ,and vet asked if i wanted dew claws taken off when they were 3 days old ,i told him i had been looking at this web site and that some vets were not removing dew claws ,his reply was well when you remove a pups dew claws it cause's a little pain ,but when ou have a older dog that has torn a claw off it is like us losing a thumb very vey painfull ,my pups went to get there's removed at 3 days

dawn
xx

> Seeing as pups seem more distressed when having their dew claws done than tails I'm surprised at this comment

Yes, that is true, I too have seen litters docked and the pups hardly notice. I did not explain myself very well I meant I could understand that vets had taken the decision not to dock as in most cases it was just a cosmetic matter but having had a dog rip a dew claw and found out how big an operation it is to remove it in the adult I am surprised that vets have taken this decision off, it would seem, there own backs, ie. no one pushed them.

Think it would be ideal if in breeds where some dogs have hind dew claws and other do not the dew claws could be bred out. This, if possible, would take years but it would be worth trying.

The same can be said for tails though.  Not getting at you of course, just an observation.  If 12 years of not doing dew claws none of my dogs have ever injured them (watch one of them do it now!!).

That is true, tails do get damaged but most the breeds were not docked anyway so the ban did not effect them. I am a fence sitter as far as the docking ban goes, I know people felt strongly about there docked dogs and I know the pups do not notice but vets have to obey the law.

Unlike you I have had two dogs damage dewclaws, one healed and the other had to be removed and it is a horrid operation that no dog should go through when avoiding it would cause at most a few moments pain at a couple of days old. The dewclaw is equivalent to our thumb and has many more pain sensors than the tail, removing the dewclaw in an adult requires cutting through a joint. Although injury to the dewclaw is very much more painful than injury to the tail both are very difficult to heal.

Your still cutting through the joint removing front dewclaws in a newborn, they are just less calcified and smaller.

Dweclaws are used by the dogs so I wouldn't' like to see them routinely removed off the front legs in our breed.  I have bred a pup that was born without any front dewclaws at all.

As for breeding rear ones out I don't know how feasible it would be when all pups are born with them like the Buhunds for example.

I had thought that it was the hind dewclaws that were being discussed but it may be front as well. Agree the only breeds who could try to breed them out would be those who sometimes do and sometime don't have them.

Only problem I have had, has been with the hind ones that often seem looser and more flexible than the front, have had a dog tear the nail of a front dewclaw but never damage it at the joint.