Have you ever noticed the thumb like claw on the inside of your dog, cat or rabbit’s paw and wondered why it is there? Let’s take a look at dew claws on pets, including what they are, if they serve a purpose, common injuries and how to take good care of them.
What are dew claws?
A dew claw is a digit on the foot of many animals including mammals, birds and reptiles. It commonly grows higher on the leg than the rest of the foot and is non weight bearing. Dogs, cats and rabbits are typically born with two front dew claws, but some dog breeds or individuals can have one or more dew claws on the back legs as well.
A dew claw typically contains bones, nerves and a nail and is firmly attached to the paw, like other digits. However, some dew claws, especially those on the back legs in certain dog breeds contain no bony attachment, rather are attached by skin only.
What is the purpose of dew claws?
Dew claws can be quite useful for many reasons. Dew claws can help dogs, cats and rabbits to run, climb, dig or hold objects. When running or climbing, the dew claw can make contact with the ground providing extra traction and stability. Dew claws can also be used to lightly grip, stabilise and rotate items held by their paws such as toys, treats or bones. They can also use their dew claws for digging and provide traction when they jump up onto raised surfaces such as the couch or over objects.
Should dew claws be removed?
Front dew claws serve a purpose so should not be removed unless there is a good reason to do so. In rare cases, when the dew claw becomes severely injured or develops a disease such as a tumour, removal may be advised by your veterinarian. In such cases this process is completed under general aesthetic and requires post operative support such as pain medication, bandage changes, reduced activity and wearing an Elizabethan collar to prevent licking.
If a dog is born with rear dew claws that are only attached by skin, these can get injured or torn more easily than those on the front paws that are firmly attached by bone. Removal of rear dew claws is best discussed with your vet based on your pet’s individual circumstances.
Common signs of a dew claw injury
A quick inspection of your pet’s paw will help you to identify a problem with their dew claw. Common signs of a dew claw injury include:
Curved nail
Chewing or licking foot
Sensitive paw
Inflammation or warmth of the pad, toe or foot
Bleeding or sore on paw pad
Limping or lameness
Reduced activity
Common dew claw injuries and nail problems
Dew claws often cause no problem for dogs, cats and rabbits. However, there are situations when injuries or nails problems can occur:
Overgrown dew claws – as dew claws are higher on the foot, they don’t wear down naturally from ground contact. This makes them more likely to become overgrown. This is very common with less active pets that don’t run, dig or play regularly. Overgrown dew claws can easily catch on things and become torn or broken.
A regular practice of nail trimming can solve this problem. For details on how to trim your pet nails, click here.
Ingrown dew claws – Overgrown dew claws can start to curl around and dig into their sensitive paw pads. This can result in inflammation, sores, bleeding and infection. This is especially common on breeds with longer coats as it makes it difficult to see their nails. Older pets can get ingrown nails due to different growth rates, brittle nails and reduced activity as they age.
An ingrown nail is relatively easy to treat, depending on how far the nail progressed and the extent of the damage to the paw pad. Due to the risk of infection and sensitivity of the paw it is best to take your pet to the vet to have it treated.
Torn, broken or split dew claws – dew claws can easily catch on things due to their position on the inside of your pet’s foot and become torn, broken or split. This is particularly common in highly active pets. It can be quite painful and bloody, often exposing the nails nerves.
Torn, broken or split dew claws require veterinary attention. Speak to your vet about temporary solutions to help stop any bleeding until you arrive. Your vet may need to remove all or part of the nail. The wound will then be cleaned and treated for any infection that may be present. Some pets may require a bandage on their foot, depending on the severity of the wound. Pain relief and anti-biotics may also be prescribed as a precaution against more serious infection.
Infected dew claws – dew claw infections can develop from trauma to the nail itself or from a small cut or scrape on the skin near the dew claw. They can also get an infected dew claw from chewing their paws regularly which can transfer bacteria from their mouth to the nail bed. A pet with an infected dew claw will often lick or chew the effected foot and you may notice blood, pus or an unpleasant smell from the nail bed. An infected dew claw can cause pain, redness and swelling to the area.
Infected dew claws require prompt veterinary attention. Your vet will need to conduct a complete examination to identify the origin of the infection and may need to run additional tests. Treatment will be based on the underlying cause and can include antibiotics along with anti-bacterial or anti-fungal treatments.
Caring for dew claws
Regular nail trims – your pets dew claws and nails should be checked and trimmed every 4-6 weeks. This can vary based on your pets age, lifestyle and breed. For tips on how to trim your pet’s nails click here. If you don’t feel confident trimming your pet’s nails, get in touch with your groomer or vet to do this for you. They can also teach you how to trim your pet’s nails in the future.
Check their paws regularly – inspect your pets dew claws and nails regularly for signs of overgrowth, sensitivity, inflammation or bleeding. Speak to your vet as soon as you notice any abnormalities or issues.
Dew claws can be quite useful helping dogs, cats and rabbits to run, climb, dig or hold objects so it is important to take good care them. If you have any questions of concerns about your pet’s paws, nails or dew claws, call us on 03 8784 4444.