Should Dewclaws Be Removed?

Most dogs are born with a vestigial fifth claw on the inside of each front paw. This is called a "dewclaw." In the United States, for most breeds, this tiny dewclaw is removed soon after birth. In Europe, there are people who believe that dewclaws should not be removed.

Dewclaws have traditionally been removed for reasons of safety for the dog. In many breeds the dewclaw is attached rather high up on the leg, far above the other nails on the paw. It does not wear down during use. It can grow and become quite sharp and it is much easier for it to snag on things than the other nails. When the dewclaw snags itself on something it can injure the dog. In the worst cases, it can rip or tear right off the dog's leg.

Of course, all of a dog's nails, including the dewclaw, should be trimmed regularly, which will help prevent the nails from catching and snagging on anything. But even when the dewclaw is kept trimmed it is often set off from the leg and likely to catch on things.

Most people in the United States believe that the dewclaw does not serve a useful purpose anymore and that it is simplest to remove it soon after birth in order to avoid injuries.

There are some people who maintain that dogs use the dewclaw to balance themselves when making sharp turns while running but this seems unlikely.

Dewclaws are usually removed when puppies are three or four days old. A breeder typically takes the mother into the vet to be checked after whelping and the pups go along at the same time to have their dewclaws removed. The entire process of removing the dewclaws on a litter of puppies only takes a few minutes. A hemostat is placed on the dewclaw to make the area numb and the dewclaws are snipped at the joint. A small suture is applied. The puppies are ready to go home very shortly.

If the dewclaws are left on and they need to be removed later, however, then the process does become much more serious and requires surgery. It is much easier, and in the best interest of the puppy, to remove them during the first week.

In Europe there is some opposition to removing dewclaws just as there is opposition to docking tails and cropping ears. They consider dewclaw removal "mutilation" of the dog. The European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals opposes many traditional methods of caring for dogs and other pets. However, the tenets of the convention have not been accepted by all European countries.

Some dogs also have a dewclaw on their rear legs. In most cases, the breed standard for a breed will determine whether or not this rear dewclaw is removed.

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