My girl over the weekend managed to half rip her Dew Claw off her Right leg :(
The nail is pointing the opposite way to which it should and there is red sore flesh exposed all round the nail and its bloody to the touch constantly but isnt bleeding :(

She was screaming if we touched it or tried to look at it and she is still in pain with it now.
Im calling the vets today and making an appointment for this afternoon, any ideas what the outcome would be or does anyone have previous expierance of this?

Ive never seen her react to an injury as she is this one and she keeps trying to lick it which just hurts her, we tried bandaging it but she just kept trying to get the bandage off and our close friend said to remove it so we did and it was a little better.

Weve had to keep her crated away from our puppy as he keeps trying to lick it, and for her to rest up and not catch it again on anything.

Im thinking of asking about having it removed, but of course Im going to see what the vest says first.

My poor little girl :( !

This happened to my girl last year - it looked so painful pointing in the wrong direction.  An early appointment is necessary and no food before you go. Almost certainly it will need to be removed under GA.  She had to keep it bandaged for 48hrs but managed to remove it after 30 (very active girl).  However, the good news is that recovery is very quick and it may regrow - my girls did within 6 mths.  Hope she's okay - I know how awful it when they show pain - mine is a real roughy toughy and this really bothered her.  Within a couple of days she's be right as rain.

Im so glad its a quick operation and then a hopeful quick recovery, Im used to seeing my girl legging it round our garden and playing with Turbo, now she looks so sad and you can see she is in pain even tho she wouldnt tell you as shes a Stafford.

Thank you for the reassuring advice! :)

I was lucky when I took my girl in as she was the last to be seen by my vet so they were able to take action straight away - I sat outside in the waiting room (fretting) but we were back home within the hour.  She was very sleepy and it was probably the quietest I've ever seen her (apart from a C-sect).  I remember thinking afterwards that in someways the removal of the dew claw meant it couldn't happen again as she is just sooo active (always has her nose in a rabbit hole or somewhere it shouldn't be) - little did I know that 6mths later it would start to grow again.  Mind you my girl never ceases to amaze me - she just lives for life!!

Mitz is exactly the same and loves to be go go go!
So for her to be crated and restricted is completely un natural for her but I give her lots of cuddles in her crate and treats so she aint too bad, its just the pain she is going through.
Fingers crossed I will just have to wait for her as she has the op as her appointment is at 3:10, I dont want to leave her in there overnight :(

Our new puppy Turbo is really missing playing with her and snuggling up like mad, he lays next to her crate licking her through it, he is such a sweetie and wants to lick her nail better too bless him.

I have always said that dogs should be allowed their dew claws and they shouldnt be removed as pups, now I have first hand expierance of this happening I wouldnt mind the vet taking her other one off too so it could never happen again as she is always in and our of bushes etc
I can deffo see why working dogs have to have them removed now, its such a painful painful injury for any dog.

I must admit I was puzzled by the regrowth.  I presume that when they remove them as pups it must be deeper?  I do hope this afternoon goes well and it is as simple as my girls was.  Let us know how you go.  Take care and give her a cuddle from my us - we know how she feels!!

I will do no worries Im gonna be giveing her so many cuddles she'll be sick of them by tomorrow lol
Fingers crossed its as easy for her as it was your girl xx

This is why I hate dewclaws and always have them removed from my pups. The pain the dog suffers when they injure them is extreme.

Sometimes the vet will just clip off the damaged nail but leave the digit (in which case the nail will eventually grow back) but sometimes they'll completely amputate the digit itself, in which case it's gone for good.

My girl has ripped her dew claw twice, the vet clipped it off under a general, touch wood not happened since but has grown back. but she does have problems with them.  poor things so painful for them.

Hope your girls is ok now?

Hey everyone

Mitz went to the vets yesterday and he just clipped it off right there on the table!
He said it was litrally just hanging on and it would have been better if she had ripped the whole thing off in one go.

I was glad she didnt have to have GA as with a puppy round her at home might have been a bit uch for her even if we did seperate them, they are so happy to be back together now and Turbo hasnt left her side since we let them meet again yesterday afternoon :)

There is no claw left at all just a little stump which is red and really hard but she is bounding round again like nothing ever happened and there was no charge at the vets so all is well that ends well! :-D

Sounds as though it was only the nail and/or nail bed damage rather than the entire dew claw - the nail will most probably grow back in again.  Keep an eye on it for signs of being deformed (i.e. protruding or growing in at an angle).

It is when the dew claw is severely damaged at the joint that removal of the entire digit is necessary, that being done under GA and considerably more painful and a longer recovery required.

Good news that your girl's happy and comfortable and thankfully didn't suffer a major trauma :)

regards,
Teri

She made it sound like a major trauma believe me!! lol
Im so glad she ddnt have to have the surgery as she is an active girl and being bandaged up would have been hell for her....and me!

Thank you everyone asking after her :)

Gosh sounds like you managed to do very well there not to have to have GA.  She must have been very brave to let your vet to that without a GA.  Great news.

When he actully pulled the nail to show me as I was alarmed when he said cut it off here and now, but you could see through the base so it was litrally hanging on by a solid but of nail that was left!
I hugged her very close as he got her leg and whispered in her ear that mummy loves her and shes so brave lololol, the vet then counted '1 2 3!' and off it came! One loud yelp from Mitz but she instantly stopped limping once I got her off the table and she couldnt wait to get out of the vets lol

She is a brave girl but also trusts me 100%, so I knew she wouldnt bite me or anything and even if she did fair do's! I was cutting her nail off afterall lol
But shes such a good girl and Im so proud of my brave Mitzy :)

Oh I think you are brave too - I don't think I could have done that!  I have been in with one of my girls in for a c-section which was pretty gruesome when you think it is your baby on the table but at least she didn't know it was happening.

Well done to both of you.