I recently attended the South Bay Chihuahua Meetup in Milpitas. It was a terrific turnout! The organizers are incredibly organized and friendly. After everyone split up, a bunch of us went to ToGos to have a late lunch while our dogs were by our feet, roaming the pavement, or sitting on our laps. Good Times! As we were chit chatting with fellow Chihuahua lovers, I noticed the dog next to me had some unusual paws — something I’d personally never seen before. When I got home, I googled this oddity. According to Wikipedia, the pet is said to have double dewclaws.
Here’s a picture of the Chihuahua/Greyhound I met this past Saturday.
Apparently, double dewclaws are common in certain breeds such as Saint Bernards, Great Pyrenees’, Kuvasz, but almost any breed can get this recessive gene.
My next question would be whether it’s better to have them removed since it’s possible that the claw would catch onto things and harm the pet. Of couse I’m not the only person who’s questioned this possible hazard.
Dewclaws, both front and rear, can cause a bit of worry in dog owners. Fear that nail will catch on something during a run and be torn off and cause injury to the dog is a valid fear. Some breeders will have them removed before the pup is of age to be placed, but many dogs are left with their dewclaws intact. Dewclaws can be removed from any dog that is eligible to be anesthetized, and it is often done during a spay or neuter (it’s cheaper done at this time too). Dewclaw removal involves removing the entire toe, not just the claw, and cost may increase if the toe is firmly attached.
In any case, if you have a pet that has a dewclaw or double dewclaws, you may want to talk to your vet to see if it’s something you should worry about. I’m sure if the toe is tight against the body and not spread out, with trimming, there shouldn’t be a problem.
I know cats can have lots of toes too. If you have any interesting facts to share, please do! We love learning about new things =)
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