# Snapped dew claw



## Cinnamontoast (6 May 2016)

I know what I want to do, but wwyd? Bear has snapped his dew claw on his fore. It's quite firmly attached, but clearly snapped and is sticking out at a right angle. If it snags on something and rips, it will be very painful, so it needs removing. Would you cut it (I have a proper dog nail clipper) knowing it will hurt and bleed but it would be quick or would you just take him to the vet tomorrow and hope he doesn't yank it off overnight? Helmet will be on, of course. Either way, I want pain relief for him.


----------



## Fiona (6 May 2016)

Bandage it up with vetwrap tonight and vet tomorrow morning.  

Our first jrt did the same  

Fiona


----------



## Amymay (6 May 2016)

Fiona said:



			Bandage it up with vetwrap tonight and vet tomorrow morning.  

Our first jrt did the same  

Fiona
		
Click to expand...

Yes, that's what I'd do.


----------



## Alec Swan (6 May 2016)

If it isn't bleeding,  then there'll be no blood-flow,  and if no blood-flow,  then no sensation.

Do you have a decent pair of nail-clippers?  Snip it off and save a vet's bill!  

Alec.

ps,  What helmet?


----------



## Cinnamontoast (6 May 2016)

It's clearly painful, it's attached. Liking the vet wrap idea, at least it won't catch on anything.


----------



## Murphy88 (6 May 2016)

Alec Swan said:



			If it isn't bleeding,  then there'll be no blood-flow,  and if no blood-flow,  then no sensation.
		
Click to expand...

If it's snapped high up and still attached you'll have to cut through the quick to remove the snapped portion, so it will hurt and it will bleed probably! Depending on where/how it's snapped, sometimes I do just cut through these with the dog awake, but usually away from the owner with a nurse holding and a muzzle because they don't like it - but it is over quickly. If the nail attachment to the nail bed is affected and the whole nail needs pulling out I normally sedate. I think vet wrap then vet tomorrow is a good idea; not sure I'd be brave enough to do this to my own dog, think I'd delegate to a colleague!


----------



## Pinkvboots (6 May 2016)

The same happened to my dog a few months back I did bandage but she pulled it off, and the next day it just fell off by its self, yes it was sore but after a few days she was fine I just made sure it was clean.


----------



## Leo Walker (6 May 2016)

Mine did this, it bled a little and he was very distressed if we even tried to look at it, although he is a whippet so a bit dramatic at the best of times! I vet wrapped it and within 48 hours the quick had receded and the snapped bit dropped off. I did speak to my vet just after it happened and they were happy for me to do that. He had snapped it just slightly above the quick. If it had been higher up then I would have gone straight away and had them deal with it.


----------



## splashgirl45 (7 May 2016)

my lurcher did this a little while ago, it was snapped right at the top so very painful and bleeding.  I took her to the vet and they put some numbing cream on the base with a bandage over the top .., I had to wait for half an hour for it to work, the vet said if it was sore when he touched it he would have to sedate but it was ok and then they clipped it off and bandaged her. . she was bandaged for a couple of days and then it was ok...


----------



## Cinnamontoast (8 May 2016)

It was snapped right at the top. He was sedated and is all wrapped up. This is the first time at the new vets: she was going through his history and he's snapped this claw twice, had a penetrating injury to his axilla, X rays when the other vet thought he'd broken his leg, a sliced open pad that was really horrific. I said you want to see the 13 year old's list!! She must think I'm an animal abuser, the amount of injuries they've had. No wonder the OH prefers walking in nice flat fields! 

 I've never had Metacam before, I syringed it, just to see if I could, he's such a good boy! 

I wrapped a plastic bag round the bandage today so he could stare at the fish-the front paws are always just in the water.


----------



## Fiona (8 May 2016)

Glad to hear you're all sorted 

Metacam is great stuff. We've had it after spays. 

Fiona


----------



## Slightlyconfused (8 May 2016)

Fiona said:



			Bandage it up with vetwrap tonight and vet tomorrow morning.  

Our first jrt did the same  

Fiona
		
Click to expand...


Our collie had both of his removed in the end as he kept doing it. 

Glad you are all sorted


----------



## {97702} (9 May 2016)

You havent trained your dog properly CT (tongue in cheek of course!) - my greyhound pulled her dew claw out by herself when she did this, saved me a fortune in vets bills   Glad all is sorted


----------

