My dog's rear dew claws bleed. How to care for them without removal?

Question

We rescued a dog that still has her rear dew claws and they keep catching on objects and bleeding. Is there anything we can do besides having then removed? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 21 lbs

Anna M., DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Shandy's rear dewclaw is all of a sudden doing a lot of bleeding, she may have a broken nail that needs to be addressed - if a nail is split/broken, then the broken portion needs to be removed, and depending on how connected it still is to the rest of the nail, sometimes this needs to be done at the vet with mild sedation and a local block (they'll numb the affected toe first so it doesn't hurt). Otherwise, if this was meant as a more general "big picture" question rather than a sudden problem, the most important thing to do is keep Shandy's nails as short as possible, especially the dewclaws prone to bleeding. Since rear dewclaws don't get worn down by walking, those nails can get quite long and hooked, making them more prone to getting caught and torn. Some people have luck with placing booties over those feet if you can find some that cover the dewclaws without the top part of the bootie rubbing on the dewclaws. Otherwise, if they're consistently causing a problem, surgical removal might be the best option. Hope this helps.

My dog's rear dew claws bleed. How to care for them without removal?

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