victoriabunny Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 My lovely lurcher Charlie keeps hurting his dew claws (the fleshy ones on the back of his front legs which don't actually have a nail coming out of them - don't know if they are official dew claws or not, but you know what I mean!). The problem is, he has such long skinny legs that the fleshy pads stick out a lot, and when I throw his ball for him he goes tearing after it and skids to a halt, which rips the skin off his dew claws The poor dog's done it a few times now and then has to spend days only walking on his lead and wearing a buster collar so he can't lick them, which makes him miserable. I don't know what to do - I could just not throw his ball, but he is seriously obsessed with it and as soon as I let him off his lead he's asking for the ball to be thrown and gets such pleasure out of it - he could seriously play fetch all day! I am very careful to only throw his ball for him on grass but even so he still hurts his legs. Is it possible for the claws to be removed? I think he's just going to keep injuring them otherwise...anyone had any experience of this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 I didn't have that with my lurcher, but have heard of it, I understand that you can get them taken off quite easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 The dew claws are usually at the side of a dog's front paw. (D in the photo) Do you mean the pad at the back? (E in the photo) If you mean E then these cannot be removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I was talking about the dewclaw... 'D' in your picture. Not sure which one victoriabunny meant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Sorry Claret, I should have put at the beginning of my post that the question was for Victoria. I have a feeling she means 'E' as her description is "fleshy ones on the back of his front legs which don't actually have a nail coming out of them" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surferdog Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 We have this problem with Roxy who actually does have claws on her dew claws (?!) They don't wear down naturally in the same way as her other claws and despite getting them trimmed regularly she is always catching them and hurting herself. I really wish I'd asked for them to be removed when she was spayed but I was worried it was unnatural and cruel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriabunny Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 Hi, thanks for the pic! I meant "E" - I know it's not strictly a dewclaw but I don't know what else to call it! Charlie's are really prominent on both front legs and he's always catching them. I wouldn't want him to have an op just to remove them, but I'm wondering if he ever needs surgery for anything else if it's worth asking for them to be done? Like you surferdog, I obviously don't want to do it if it's cruel though - but he is always taking the skin off them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Victoriabunny, what you are talking about are definately not dew claws. E is the dog's carpal pad and as far as I am aware it cannot be removed. Maybe you could get some advice from your vet about how to harden them up to stop them being ripped so easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickled egg Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I agree with Gamebird - this is the carpal pad and cannot be removed. However, I think you can get protective rubbery bandage things (obviously I have no idea what they are called!) to stop your poor lurcher hurting himself. I think they are used by agilty dogs and in flyball etc and with mountain rescue dogs. i guess a google search may help. good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hils78 Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 oooh I can help with this one! We had a similar problem come into the vets. I think that the vet advised trying to toughen up the pad with surgical spirit but as Pickled Egg said get hold of some rubberised bandage from the vet - shouldn't cost much for a box of the stuff. Its usually comes in bright different colours & won't adheare to the dogs fur but sticks to itself easily just wrap a bit around before you go out & chuck it away when you get in. Any Vet should sell you a roll to have a go - shouldn't be more than £1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 http://www.horseactive.co.uk/shop2.php?category=Horse+Care+Products&subcat=Bandages+-++Injury+%26+Wound&gobutton.x=19&gobutton.y=12 The stuff you are looking for is called vetwrap click the link and scroll down You can get other generics which are similar but vetwrap is the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickendoodle Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 We used leg wraps for our labradoodle who had exactly the same problem see http://www.dogbootsactive.com/dogpag/support.htm He seemed to grow out of it at about 18 months old - dont know if his pads hardened or if his jumping became more sensible. He did look very smart in them though - this company make them to the size of the dogs legs and there is no sticky bit actually on the pad. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 I pm'd Victoriabunny about similar legwraps last month. They seem to do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriabunny Posted July 19, 2008 Author Share Posted July 19, 2008 Thanks for all your replies. I ordered Charlie some leg protectors that Gamebird recommended, and I'm just waiting for them to arrive! Hopefully they'll stop him hurting his poor legs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
