What Are Dew Claws?ĭew claws are often called a dog's thumbs and big toes. Both the front and rear dew claws need attention, and regular trims when the dog gets its nails trimmed are required.įailing to trim the rear dew claw regularly can lead to health issues if they get too long and hinder the lab’s ability to walk freely. It’s also important to remember the dew claws during grooming. However, as many other breeds do, not everyone knows as much about these dogs, including that they do not have rear dew claws on each of their paws. These characteristics make them excellent pets but also prime candidates for hunting assistance. Labrador retrievers are known for their friendly and playful personalities and willingness to assist humans in hunting or fishing. It is extremely uncommon for a Labrador to be born with dew claws on both the front and hind legs. Treatment will be based on the underlying cause and can include antibiotics along with anti-bacterial or anti-fungal treatments.All labs have dew claws on their front legs, and it's possible for a Labrador also to have them on the back legs too. Your vet will need to conduct a complete examination to identify the origin of the infection and may need to run additional tests. Infected dew claws require prompt veterinary attention. An infected dew claw can cause pain, redness and swelling to the area. 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. They can also get an infected dew claw from chewing their paws regularly which can transfer bacteria from their mouth to the nail bed. 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. Pain relief and anti-biotics may also be prescribed as a precaution against more serious infection. Some pets may require a bandage on their foot, depending on the severity of the wound. The wound will then be cleaned and treated for any infection that may be present. Your vet may need to remove all or part of the nail. Speak to your vet about temporary solutions to help stop any bleeding until you arrive. Torn, broken or split dew claws require veterinary attention. It can be quite painful and bloody, often exposing the nails nerves. This is particularly common in highly active pets. 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. 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. Older pets can get ingrown nails due to different growth rates, brittle nails and reduced activity as they age.Īn ingrown nail is relatively easy to treat, depending on how far the nail progressed and the extent of the damage to the paw pad. This is especially common on breeds with longer coats as it makes it difficult to see their nails. This can result in inflammation, sores, bleeding and infection. Ingrown dew claws – Overgrown dew claws can start to curl around and dig into their sensitive paw pads. For details on how to trim your pet nails, click here. Overgrown dew claws can easily catch on things and become torn or broken.Ī regular practice of nail trimming can solve this problem. This is very common with less active pets that don’t run, dig or play regularly. This makes them more likely to become overgrown. Overgrown dew claws – as dew claws are higher on the foot, they don’t wear down naturally from ground contact. However, there are situations when injuries or nails problems can occur: Common dew claw injuries and nail problemsĭew claws often cause no problem for dogs, cats and rabbits.
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