Loua's dew claw nail...

[Black Labbies]

Somehow Loua badly cut her left dew claw nail last week. There is a small sharp piece of nail still attached, the rest is dangling. Vet app't this week (they couldn't' get us in sooner). So we're being very careful. If it breaks off on its own, we'll deal with it then.

They're going to have the cut her nail near the top of her swollen thumb and it will bleed a lot, hence us not doing this at home. And, although Loua is very sweet and lets us touch her all over for checking her, she doesn't want us touching this nail. She has put her mouth/teeth on my hand 3X and I then tell her "get your mouth off my hand and only licks" - which she does. Her mouth is her defense and we get that, but at the vet's I'll suggest they muzzle her.

Poor Loua .

[Berna]

Oh no, poor Loua, that's no fun! I hope she feels better soon. Cookie has all sorts of nail injuries, once he ripped the whole nail off (that bled like crazy, eventually got infected, ended up on antibiotics, the nail grew back at some point), but funny enough, he never injured his dew claws.

[smartrock]

Poor Loua! I don't think we've ever had much of a dew claw or nail injury here, fortunately. I can envision her cautioning you with her mouth, though so it must be painful.

[barry581]

My first Lab, Ella, cracked a toenail in half doing retrieves over one of the many stone walls that surround fields in the Cotswolds. It looked horrible with lots of blood and the quick exposed. Took her to the vet and he got a pair of clippers and cut it off just above the break. Thankfully it healed up with no issues.

Hopefully Loua will heal up quickly!

[Black Labbies]

This is Loua's first dew claw nail injury, Ursa has a weak dew claw nail and has cut it 4 times. Once she had to go to the vet for them to cut it off, we've been there, done that and know what needs to be done for Loua.

Yes, Loua puts her teeth on my hands gently and she listens to what I tell her ("I know this hurts you, but get your teeth off my hands, I'm trying to help you"), but I don't know what she'll do to a stranger, so better safe, than sorry.
This was Ursa's mostly severed dew claw last summer. They cut it off at the blood line near her thumb.

[Snowshoe]

Poor girlie. Two of my dogs had them and they are set back, up higher on the leg and always found them more difficult to get at for nail trimming. Cats too, that nail takes extra maneouvreing of the foot and my hands. No problems with either dog that had them though, lucky maybe. Get better soon Loua.

[SunDance]

Poor Loua...that's really got to hurt.

A friend of mine's black mix used to tear her dew claw all the time until they finally just removed it. Hers was a real dangler and awfully prone to injury.

Our first Lab had his without incident during his lifetime. The only other pup I've had with dewclaws was Danny (he wouldn't have had them if I'd known that they had to be removed practically at birth). As it was, he never had any issues either.

Good luck with your lead-up to the vet appt. (and her healing afterward).

[Black Labbies]

Update on Loua.

Loua fixed her dangling dew claw nail herself! We checked it again this evening and the bigger, dangling piece of nail has fallen off! No bleeding or oozing! What was left was the smaller, sharp piece, which we trimmed a little and Loua didn't put her mouth on my hand, but licked it after I told her "you're such a good girl, all better!"

We worried for nothing, lol. Thanks for your replies and well wishes .

[Berna]

That's great news! Way to go Loua! And no more dew claw troubles!