Dew Claw help/advice please

jikjak

looks like Ghost has somehow torn his dewclaw on one of his rear legs. im not sure when or where it happened, my trainer pointed it out when we were doing some agility training today. anyways hes acting normal and is walking/running around normally as well. he doesnt seem to be in any pain at all. can u guys tell me how bad it looks? its red but not bleeding but there is something still sticking out.(maybe the quick or the gland?) is it something that will heal on its own or is it something more serious? i applied a little silver nitrate to it as well. anyways here are the pics.

lindsayt

That's the strangest looking rear dew I have seen. Kinda looks like a growth. Where'd the nail go? I would opt for surgical removal.

CrimsonO2

I agree with Lindsay, I would try to get the rear dew claws surgically removed.

Jesse.

Calia

Wow, so Ghost has rear dew claws too, seems like daddy has been passing that trait along to more than just my girl (rear dew claws are not common for the breed from what I hear). If his rear dew claws are going to get caught on stuff, like what has been said you are better off getting them removed. I've heard horror stories of torn Achilles tendons from caught dew claws.

BradnJess

Oh wow. I'm glad Ghost isn't in any pain. I honestly think it would probably heal fine on its own, but removal would be the best route, I think. Just stop the possibility that it could get injured again.

The rear dews seem so small on Ghost. Was that one larger before it was torn? Maybe that's just because I only notice large dews? There was this one GSD in puppy class with massive rear double dew claws, so that's often what I think of. Kinda wierded me out. :S

@Calia Arg doesn't have rear dews, but I wonder about Kuma? @Eljefespeaks

CrimsonO2

Kurenai had front and rear dew claws too. I had the rear ones removed the first chance I could get, regardless of whether they were attached to bone or just loose skin (thankfully, the latter). I knew that she would snag them on something.

Jesse

PoetikDragon

I've been meaning to get the rear dew claw taken off my boy. He only has the one, its tiny and ingrown and hardly attached at all. I think I'll use these photos to convince my husband. (We waited because the vet said he had to be 6 months to do it, and then we had a show so we didn't want his leg shaved.)

jikjak

i have no idea where the nail went, the other rear dew claw is quite small and u can barely see it. im not sure what it is that is hanging out there right now since it seems like the nail is gone. anyone have any idea what it is?

so i guess for now i should let it heal and then perhaps have them removed after?

shibamistress

I'd take him in and have a vet look at it and see what their reccomendation is. They may be able to remove it right now, and if it were me, I'd rather do that than worry about having it get infected or get worse somehow.

CrimsonO2

I agree with @shibamistress, that looks like the quick stripped of the nail covering to me. I would still take him to the vet so they can see the injured and smaller dew claw so you can make your vet aware they exist and talk about options (as well as tips on how to make that wound heal). My vet didn't even realize Kurenai had rear dew claws until I pointed them out to her because they were so small and hidden in her fur.

Jesse

Calia

@BradnJess - It would be interesting to see how many of Yamato's kids wind up having rear dew claws or more. I think Miyu is the only one in her litter with them, but she also went to the extreme and grew some extra nails on the front foot: http://www.nihonken.org/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/6112/my-girl-is-a-mutant/#Item_42

Miyu's rear dew claws are attached, you can feel some bones and a joint connecting to the foot (like with a front dew claw). Though neither of her rear dew claws have a quick and the nail usually breaks off from Tikaani chomping on her ankle during play.

lindsayt

I would take the dog in now.

tjbart17

I'm with Lindsay. I'd get it taken off now and get some antibiotics just in case.

jikjak

i swung by the vet today and he said its an exposed quick and since its no longer bleeding and doesnt seem to be causing Ghost any pain that i should put some polysporin on it, leave it alone and let it heal.

on a side note, what flea or tick protection do you guys use/recommend? revolution? sentinel?

CrimsonO2

revolution or sentinel is heartworm/whipworm and flea preventative. They are not tick deterrents. My dogs are on sentinel now but hardly go out into the woods so the need for a tick preventative hasn't been so urgent.

Jesse

jikjak

ahh i see. what made you choose sentinel over revolution? i think revolution also helps to control ticks as well.
i did get ghost lyme disease shots though.

CrimsonO2

I chose Sentinel because it was an oral tablet vs a topical solution like Revolution. My Shiba absolutely freaks out at the smell of Advantix. And ever since I found out my dogs contracted whipworm from a dog park, I've put them on a heartworm/whipworm preventative. It just so happened that Sentinel or Revolution did both, but the method of delivery for Sentinel was what won me over. I may compliment it with a holistic topical spray Kris recommended for the fleas and ticks, http://www.wondercide.com/evolv-natural-flea-tick-treatment.html

Jesse

tjbart17

As far as heart worm meds are concerned its best to see what's good for your area. I use interceptor and Advantix II for ticks. I walk Koda off leash in these canyons and in the hills. I need to be serious about tick control and Advantix is the only one that prevents for the 30 days sentinel and revolution do not. It's right on their package.

jikjak

are you pretty much protected from ticks as long as you have the lyme disease shots?

btw is sentinel really like a treat and the dog will just eat it on its own?

WrylyBrindle

There are lots of other tick borne diseases besides lyme- ricksettial, anaplasm (Sage is slightly positive for anaplasm still) rocky mtn fever, etc. They need to be stopped before they bite. Ticks get attached, then they hang on and soften up for a while so they are inflation-ready. Next, they spit anticoagulant into your dog's blood- before they even suck anything!- and this spit contains whatever spyrochetes or bacteria the tick is harboring. Then they begin to draw in blood. By the time they are blown up, they have already spit in your dog. So, dont screw around with ticks. Advantix (or whatever) as needed for your exposure risk and comb frequently to check for the little bastards. IF you find any, dont toss them back into nature- I stick them on a piece of duct tape, seal them in good and throw em away.

We seem to have gotten off of the dewclaw topic though. If you have decided not to have it removed, you will at least keep it small and blunt right? If claws are kept trimmed the quick will recede and become smaller and this should minimize (but not remove) the risk of it getting snagged.

CrimsonO2

My last threadjack tangent, I promise. Sentinel + peanut butter :-)

Jesse

jikjak

i asked about removal of the dew claw and he said it probably wont be necessary but it can be done if i want.
i guess ill let it heal first and then go from there.

would removing the dew claw simply be a better thing to do?

tjbart17

I'm all for removing them just because they get caught on stuff and the surgery isn't evasive. That's just my opinion though. It's not like you have to. Again, I hike and my dogs are off trail a lot. I just wouldn't want it to get caught up on anything.

As far as ticks are concerned, Chrystal is right on. She's like me, her dogs are everywhere that ticks would be so we have to be pretty serious about them. Koda got one on him just the other day. Which means tick season has begun here in Cali.

lindsayt

Well, removing it will make it impossible for re injury to occur, which may be more of a problem in really active dogs. You could always wait and see if it does become a chronic problem or not, and then decide. It isn't life threatening either way

WrylyBrindle

I forget how old Ghost is? Sage had rear dewclaws removed when he was 4-5 mo old. He was under for neutering anyway -coming out of rescue they all get neutered- it was not my decision to have the claws removed since I didnt know about them, but I think its good that they were because he lives in a multi dog home (read: a Dog-wrestling home!), with berber carpeting (tight looped fibers) and while well behaved, he is pretty stressed about claw trims to begin with. Sage doesnt run in the woods that much anymore, but he did as a youngster. The vets removed them easily and didnt even need to suture them- they glued the wound closed. His "wrists" were wrapped when I picked him up, but took the wraps off the next day and never looked back. I think Lindsay's got it right, though- measure the risk by his lifestyle to decide. If he's a single dog, and walks mostly on leash, then it may never be a problem again- they do look small. If he's a rough & tumble guy, plays hard with other dogs or tears around in the forest, it may be good prevention to have them off, ie: hunters usually have them removed. That it has already torn once though seems to indicate he is active enough to tear it again.

dlroberts

Just a friendly PSA on ticks....

As dog owners, we often get so focused on preventatives for our dogs that we forget about ourselves. If you're going to be in the places that make your dog need tick preventatives, then you need to put some on yourself as well. I found this out the hard way.

Saya

Not sure which be best to do Saya only has front dew claws which don't seem bother her when we walk in the woods she doesn't run in the woods much only once to chase a squirrel.

With tick thing I use advantix II I plan to try essential oil stuff and put it on her bandana for extra repelling power.

I agree with you Dave. I go walk the dogs in the trails and before I go I spray tick stuff on my pants and socks and also have socks over the pants too. Usually after our field walk I'm already done with yard work so I take shower right away.

Nothing worse then a tick crawling on your neck, in your scalp or attached to you.

There was a tick in my scalp once longest night trying to find it.

tjbart17

Totally in agreement with Dave and Nicole. I found one crawling on my neck last year. I freaked!! I had gotten home early from work and wanted to get in a hike before it got dark. I loaded up the water and Koda but forgot my tick preventative. Nothing gives you the EBGB's more than finding a tick on you!!!

WrylyBrindle

LOL @ tara- "EBGB's" I have never seen it written that way...

ttddinh

@tjbart17-- what's egbg?

WrylyBrindle

What the rest of us call the "Heebie-jeebies" or "feeling Creepy!"