Greyhound dog breeds forum. Russian greyhound. Knock Kennel Club. Dewclaws

The wolf's claw is a rudiment in a dog that represents the fifth toe. Dewclaws are not a pathology, but a norm physiological development. Normally, all dogs have five toes. And just the fifth finger is a sign of rudimentary atavism inherited four-legged pets from their distant ancestors. Amputation of the dog's fifth toes is required if your pet participates in exhibitions or competitions. Then, according to the breed standard, you can decide on.

What is the fifth finger needed for?

No matter how trite it sounds, a wolf’s claw is a simple rudimentary appendage. But in some dogs it simply does not appear, as long-term selection takes place, affecting the purity of the breed. The rudiment does not appear in Catalan Shepherds, German Shepherds, mastiffs, Dobermans.

There is no functionality in the fifth finger, although it is attached to the limb, has phalanges and can be movable. He doesn't spoil appearance and does not interfere with the dog in any way.

Should my dog's fifth claw be removed?

Many dog ​​breeders don't know whether to remove the toe or not. If your dog does not participate in exhibitions and does not qualify for certain breed standards, then in this case you do not have to undergo a painful and unpleasant procedure. You should contact a veterinarian in the following cases:

• The vestigial finger often becomes inflamed;
• It interferes with the dog when jumping or running;
• Do you want to achieve high standard breeds

The wolf claw is removed through surgery. Most often, the procedure is performed on puppies no older than seven months. It is done using local anesthesia. At this time, the owner can stay close to his pet, thereby calming him down.

After the procedure veterinarian puts stitches. not complicated. It is enough to treat the surface of the wound with alcohol or other antiseptic drugs. During the first days, you need to carefully monitor the dynamics of healing. The wound should be clean. If there are abscesses, suppuration, or excess cerebrospinal fluid in the suture area, then it is worth contacting a veterinarian for an additional preventive examination.

Try to change your bandages as often as possible. After the operation, the dog comes to normal condition in about a week. A wolf claw can be removed on one or both paws. Most often, dogs of large massive breeds have problems with an extra toe. In any case, before the procedure it is better

There is a 6th toe on the puppy's back paw. The mutation will affect the mental and physical development dogs?

Answer

Veterinarians are aware of cases of anomalies in the development and structure of dog limbs, including extra fingers. The standard dog paw has four short toes with claws and pads. Small pads are located near the fingers, the large one is on the metacarpal bone. If you find a fifth or sixth finger on your pet, do not be alarmed. Polydactyly - translated from Greek, polydactyly - is an atavism, a sign of the type and class of a creature, which was used by the ancestors of the animal in the distant past. When the need for an additional finger was no longer necessary, it disappeared. Ancestor domestic dog- a wolf, from him the pet receives atavisms.

Polydactylism is a common phenomenon in the canine community. Veterinarians call such toes, found in four-legged animals, dewclaws. Usually found on the front legs, in some breeds on the hind legs. Sometimes polydactylism is a sure sign of purebred breeding; for the absence of profitable toes, they are removed from the ring.

Polydactyl species include:

• Greater Pyrenean mountain;
• Briard (long-haired French shepherd dog);
• Beauceron ( short-haired shepherd– French);
• Icelandic shepherd's;
• Spanish and Pyrenean mastiffs;
• Bracco Italiano;
• husky;
• Catalan Shepherd.

The rudiments of the listed rocks help maintain stability during sharp turns and when moving on rough surfaces.

Functions

Extra finger (vestigial, wolf claw) vital important function does not carry.

A vestigial finger is not a pathology. Located above the foot. The front toe has three phalanges and is therefore firmly attached to the paw. The wolf claw of the hind limbs looks like a fold of skin, sometimes looks physically developed. There are no phalanges. The finger leads to injury to the animal, because It is attached to the paw with one skin and during training or play it gets caught or comes off.

To operate or not?

Veterinarians advise depriving a dog of “greetings” from wolf ancestors during puppyhood. The procedure for removing a rudimentary claw is quick and painless, and is easily tolerated by puppies. On the third, fourth or fifth day, take your newborn baby to the veterinary clinic. Qualified veterinarian under local anesthesia carefully cut off the dewclaw. Surgery will take approximately thirty minutes. For a newborn puppy, special self-absorbing sutures are placed on the wounds.

Attention! The procedure is not performed on puppies between seven days and 12 weeks of age. Wait until the cub grows up. Grown-up dogs are operated on general anesthesia, required post-operative care. Main point care - make sure that the dog does not lick the wound or tear at the stitches. Sutures are removed one week after surgery.

Rudiment: it cannot be removed and left

If you find rudimentary limbs in your pet, consult your veterinarian to see if they are a sign of the purity of the breed. If the fingers are not necessary for the pet, decide whether to remove them or not.

If you decide to operate, don’t do the operation yourself. Self-removal often provokes blood loss and causes painful shock. The operation is performed by a qualified veterinarian. Be sure to check with the blade when to remove it. Puppies older than seven days are not subject to the procedure. We'll have to wait until the cub is thirteen weeks old.

Remember, for dogs of sporting breeds the rudiment must be removed to facilitate grooming. Some dog breeders advise not to remove vestiges of dogs swimming in water.

Summarizing the above, we draw conclusions:

• dewclaws are not a mutation, but an atavism that does not affect the physical and mental development animal;
• in certain breeds (Mountain Pyrenean, Briard, Beauceron, Nenets Laika, Catalan Shepherd) the rudiment is considered a sign of purebred;
• the claw on the front paws is not removed;
• The operation is optimally carried out in puppyhood - at 5-6 days or after 12 weeks, in a veterinary clinic;
• adult dogs undergo the operation painfully;
• Veterinarians advise that pets undergoing grooming must undergo surgery (cocker spaniels, black and Yorkshire terriers, schnauzers, poodles), cosmetic procedures easier to perform;
• The claws on the “fifth toe” must be trimmed.

Regardless of the breed and age of the dog, it has five toes on the front limbs and four on the hind limbs. However, often hind legs fifth toes (dewclaws) can be seen. In most cases, dewclaws can be seen in outbred animals.

What is the significance of the fifth toe in dogs?

Currently, the presence of fifth toes in puppies is an atavism (a feature that existed in the distant ancestors of dogs - wolves, the need for which is absent at this stage of evolution).

Availability dewclaws is not a pathology, and in some breeds, for example, the French Shepherd, Gyrenees, Nenets Laika, it is considered a sign of purity of origin.

For hunting breeds the fifth finger can become a serious obstacle when moving through forests, thickets, tall grass.

Dewclaws can get caught on branches, grass and other obstacles, causing the dog to suffer painful injuries. In this regard, veterinarians recommend removing dewclaws.

What do fifth toes look like?

On the forelimbs, the fifth toes fit tightly to the paws, have three phalanges and look fully developed. Dewclaws on the front paws are removed extremely rarely, because... it doesn't interfere with the dog's Everyday life and does not contribute to injury. On hind limbs dewclaws can be fully developed or have the appearance of a small fold. Most often, the fifth fingers consist of one or two phalanges. As a rule, the fifth toes of puppies on the hind legs are strongly protruded and tend to cling to obstacles when walking, which is why injuries occur in the animal.

Do fifth toes on puppies' hind legs need to be removed?

Removing the fifth hoop on the hind legs of dogs is not a mandatory procedure. The decision to remove the fifth toes is made by the owner of the animal. Most four-legged owners are in no hurry to remove dewclaws from their pet. For dogs that do not take part in hunting or in exhibitions and are companion animals, there is no urgent need for surgery. However, sometimes owners decide to undergo surgery because... dewclaws create an obstacle when cutting, bathing or combing the coat.

Owners of show breeds typically remove their puppies' fifth toes a few days or weeks after birth. A dog with dewclaws may not be allowed to participate in exhibitions, because... this is considered a serious defect.

There are also medical indications to remove dewclaws:

Gangrene;

Tissue necrosis;

Osteosarcoma;

Osteomyelitis.

How is the fifth toe removed?

Very often, surgery to remove fifth toes in puppies is performed within the first seven days after birth. So that the puppy does not experience pain, used local anesthesia. If the puppy's dewclaws were not removed in the first week of life, you should wait until he reaches three to four months of age. If the owner decides to remove the fifth toes at a later age, it becomes necessary to use general anesthesia, which can negatively affect the dog’s health in the future. When removing the fifth toes of an adult animal, difficulties may arise due to the strong attachment of the phalanges to the bones of the metatarsus.

The procedure for removing dewclaws in dogs is simple and non-traumatic. Both puppies and adult dogs suffer from this surgical intervention easily. Before the operation, the veterinarian performs anesthesia (local anesthesia is used for puppies in the first week of life, and general anesthesia is used for older ones). Only sterile instruments are used for the operation. When suturing a wound, the veterinarian most often uses self-absorbable material, thus saving the dog from the need to remove stitches after 7-10 days. The whole procedure takes no more than 30 minutes.

It is very important that puppies' fifth toes are removed correctly and completely. If the toe has well-formed joints and they are not completely removed during surgery, as the puppy grows, a defect will appear on the hind leg. Because of this, it is very important that fifth toe removal surgery be performed by a professional. Many puppy owners do not see anything complicated in the operation and carry it out at home. However, this is fraught various complications, ranging from painful shock in a puppy, ending with improper removal of fifth toes, which may result in the need reoperation in adulthood. In the veterinary clinic, all necessary sanitary and hygienic measures are carried out aimed at preventing infection from entering the wound - the office is prepared for medical procedures, disinfection surgical instruments. In addition, if there is allergic reaction on the components of anesthesia in a hospital setting, the doctor will be able to provide the animal with necessary help. Therefore, you should not risk the puppy’s health and carry out the procedure for removing dewclaws yourself.

Care for dewclaws

If the owner of the animal decides not to remove the dewclaws on the hind legs of his four-legged friend, you should know the rules for caring for such fingers. Basic care is carried out in the same way as for other dog fingers - it is necessary to trim the nails in a timely manner. In addition, you should carefully ensure that the dog does not injure its dewclaws during active games outdoors, hunting or during a regular walk. If the claws on the fifth toes grow incorrectly, causing discomfort to the animal, or the dog often injures the toe, you should consider the procedure for removing the dewclaws.

The decision to remove the dewclaws must be made by the puppy's owner. In this case, you should take into account the dog’s lifestyle, the likelihood of participation in exhibitions, the breed, and also consider whether the dewclaws will interfere with regular grooming (haircuts, combing, etc.).

For many people, a dog is an equal member of the family that requires care and attention. Once upon a time they were faced with a choice: to have a four-legged friend or not. With the advent of a small pet, all doubts disappear.

Dog breeders are ready to constantly take care of their animal. And the situation related to dogs, which is described in this article, requires special attention. But first, you need to answer the question: how many fingers do dogs really have (including yours)?

How is a dog's paw constructed?

A dog is a digitigrade animal, which means that it is the toes that cope with more load during walking and running than the heels.

A dog's paw has 4 toes. But there are breeds of animals that can have 5 or even 6 fingers. These “extra” fingers are called dewclaws. Most often found on the hind legs, and sometimes on both legs at once. This is due, first of all, to the fact that most breeds of this animal originated from the wolf (huskies, hounds).

Atavism is the appearance of an extra toe on a dog’s paw. It is possible that wolves are also susceptible to this feature, but they are not under supervision, and it is impossible to say for sure about this.

There are as many toes on the hind paws as there are toes on the dog's front paws. Unlike people, they cannot move them, but they still have mobility. Animals walk as if on tiptoes, thanks to which they are able to quickly change the direction of running.

Why does an extra finger appear?

Experts say that the appearance of an extra toe in a dog is a manifestation of atavism. Atavism is a biological process of manifestation in an animal of signs of the class or group whose representatives participated in breeding of a given organism. Over time, these signs lose their functions.

If we talk about how many fingers most dogs should have, then according to the law of biology - 5, perhaps, like a distant genetic ancestor - the wolf. This means that the appearance of an extra finger is a natural pattern.

There is still a debate among experts about why some puppies develop such a toe and others do not. There is an opinion that this is due to the fact that the sign of the appearance of an extra element is a suppressive process. And if you cross a male with five fingers with a female with a normal paw, then the puppies will most likely be born like the father.

You cannot judge its health by how many toes a dog has on its paw. The presence of a “fifth” finger is not considered a pathology; only proper and careful care is required.

Is the fifth finger useful?

If your pet is found to have an extra finger, then there is no need to sound the alarm; this phenomenon is not abnormal or pathological. This feature is acceptable, and in some cases is the norm. Certain dog breeds have a fifth toe, such as hounds, huskies, or Beaucerons. Such an element, so to speak, speaks of purebredness and thoroughbredness.

For dog breeders who are keen on hunting, the presence of a dewclaw in a pet is only an aesthetic problem. During a hunt, a dog has to move much faster than in normal living conditions. IN in this case the extra element on the paw interferes with running in tall grass or thickets. A protruding finger clings to grass, mud, snow and twigs in every possible way, making walking difficult.

Should I remove the wolf feature or not?

Is being done surgical removal, the difficulty of which depends on how many toes dogs are considered to have extra, and on how many paws. The procedure is simple and painless. Dogs easily tolerate surgery, which is performed under local anesthesia in half an hour.

It is important to know that surgical removal is not performed on newborn puppies. It’s better to wait until the little dog’s body gets stronger.

Such a procedure is not required condition for dogs with five fingers. Most dog breeders are in no hurry to remove this aesthetic problem, and they are not particularly interested in how many toes a dog has. It is better to remove extra toes on the front paws, as opposed to the hind paws, because they fit tightly to the skin and interfere with walking.

There are cases when dogs refused to move at all, and the whole problem was that fingers with untrimmed claws interfered with running and caused pain.

Hygiene issues

Paws require special care, no matter how many toes a dog has. Hygiene issues become important when dogs live in the same premises as their owners. The animal must be walked twice a day in any case. weather conditions, and these are bacteria, dirt and dust.

Dirt, dust and fine particles capable of being absorbed into skin covering and harm your pet's health. This means that it is not enough to simply wipe the dog’s paws with a dry cloth; a thorough wash is necessary.

Only proper and regular care will ensure good health for your pet.

What is a rudiment?
Vestigial organs are organs that are underdeveloped or have lost their main function during the process of evolution. These include, for example, the tailbone, wisdom teeth, muscles auricle, appendix ( appendix cecum), cervical ribs and including dewclaws in dogs. Normally, dogs have five toes (the fifth is considered vestigial) on their front paws and four on their hind paws. However, some dogs have a fifth toe on their hind feet, and sometimes two extra toes, which are known as dewclaws. Scientifically, this phenomenon is called polydactyly (Polidaktylia; Greek many + daktylos finger).

dewclaw- This thumb in dogs, located just above the foot. More often it occurs on both paws at once. Its presence is due to the fact that the wolf took part in the origin of many breeds of hunting dogs. The appearance of extra toes on the hind legs of dogs is an atavism (a feature characteristic of distant ancestors, but absent in nearby ones). Such a finger bears no functional load. It can look like a small rudimentary fold of skin or like a fully developed finger. As a rule, dewclaws do not have a second phalanx (sometimes the first one) and are attached only to the skin, and therefore are very often injured. The “extra” fifth finger on the forelimb has three phalanges (short tubular bones, forming the skeleton of the fingers) and is firmly attached to the limb. It is rarely removed, usually at the request of the dog (puppy) owner, especially in breeds that require constant grooming (fox terriers, poodles, schnauzers). Another type of polydactyly is observed in pharaoh dogs - the appearance of dewclaws, visually altered toes, on the front paws. They are usually located above the main toes and look like a wart. But, if you look closely, you can see that this new growth has villi, similar to the villi on the paw pads. Sometimes the false toe has an underdeveloped claw.

• Briard.
• Nenets Laika.
• Beauceron (French Shepherd).
• Catalan Shepherd.
• Mountain pyrenees dog(Pyrenean Mastiff).

• It is best to remove dewclaws in three to six daytime. Sutures are often made of self-absorbable material. In this case, there is no need to remove them. If using non-absorbable suture material, then withdrawal occurs on 7-10 days. In some cases, no stitches are placed at all.
• Puppies older than one week are no longer operated on. You should wait 12-16 weeks and only then perform surgery. In puppies older than 12 weeks and in adult dogs, the operation is performed under general anesthesia. If the joint is not formed and the finger is attached only to the skin, surgery can be performed under local anesthesia. Sometimes a finger has bones and formed joints and these need to be removed completely. Therefore, the operation should only be performed by a veterinarian!

Bibliography:

Information and photos from the website of the nursery Litlar's New were used.