At some point most TT owners have had to deal with a torn dew claw. It just one of those hazards that these little guys have to contend with, they are low to the ground, agile, super fast and typically fear nothing. The result is when chasing a ball or any other object they can be prone to tearing the dew claws and at times they won’t even help or show signs that this has happened.

Today Dawn chased the ball 3 times to run a  total distance of 15 metres and she ripped her right dew claw. The only sign it happened was her licking her foot when she reached the top of the stairs. Then the tell tale signs of blood dripping from the foot.

It’s relatively easy to treat, if the nail is completely off and hanging then take it all the way off. If it’s just bleeding then you can pad and wrap the foot, they heal fast so its normally a big issue. The nail will grow back, it may be malformed at first but eventually after clipping it will start to grow out straight. Use some antiseptic solution if you have some before wrapping. This does not constitute vet advice, always seek the advice of a vet, if you’re not near  a vet this is step one before you get to your vet.

Consider full dew claw removal. This is a point we usually make to our new puppy owners, at some stage you will usually be desexing and during that procedure it’s a quick couple of cuts and sutures and you can remove this potential hazard from your TT life forever. Discuss with with your vet.