DIY tail docking and dewclaw removal
1 - 20 of 94 Posts
Joined
·
5,345 Posts
I've heard of breeders using nail clippers for the dewclaws and using the powder you use on bleeding nails to seal the wound. There's no way in hell I'd ever do it myself if I were a breeder :x I'd be too scared, plus, if they cried I'd lose it.
Joined
·
2,537 Posts
I would think that just using powder after dewclaws and not suturing would leave an ugly scar! I am interested to know how breeders do it at home too. 
Joined
·
1,905 Posts
Here's a list of videos I found. Some of them are not for the squeamish (like me, for example). Why do I look at these things??
http://tinyurl.com/yhjvzea
http://tinyurl.com/yhjvzea
Joined
·
2,496 Posts
yup; you can always tell a home job vs a vet job on the tail & dew claws, by the big ugly scar!I would think that just using powder after dewclaws and not suturing would leave an ugly scar! I am interested to know how breeders do it at home too.
Joined
·
5,345 Posts
Wow, with the home jobs I'm seeing there's pretty much no blood on both the tails and dewclaws, but blood with the ones done at the vet, and they cried more.
Joined
·
157 Posts
I'm definitely for dew claw removal. It saves you and your pet from more pain later in life...but I could honestly not do it myself!
:crying: I'd cry the whole time.
I'm more interested in tail docking at home...that to me is something that should be done by a vet and sutured closed.
:crying: I'd cry the whole time.
I'm more interested in tail docking at home...that to me is something that should be done by a vet and sutured closed.
Joined
·
1,972 Posts
I think a lot of breeders do the tails themselves b/c it's not easy to find a vet who will do docking and do it properly. Poodles in particular are supposed to have a longer docked tail and I've heard of many vets doing the tails too short. I have no idea who did Harley's tail but it's too long for a Rottie. It almost looks like a Dobie tail.
Joined
·
5,345 Posts
Isn't the standard for poodles to have a third taken off? I hear of a lot of people doing half on half off.
Joined
·
2,686 Posts
The new standard seems to be 1/3 off.... 2/3 on. We measured exactly with the latest litter and the vet used a laser. The tails are perfect. In the previous litter I think we left them too long which exacerbated the already horribly gay tails. Shudder......
I have seen them cut w/styptic powder, cut with a stitch and done with a laser. I'm not sure that there is a noticeable difference in the end of an adult tail.
I have seen them cut w/styptic powder, cut with a stitch and done with a laser. I'm not sure that there is a noticeable difference in the end of an adult tail.
Joined
·
12,183 Posts
The standard for Spoos is two fifths off, three fifths on.
We do it ourselves. My biggest reason is it scares me half to death taking three day old pups to a vet clinic. They are tiny and vulnerable. You can take all the precautions with the babies, but Mama dog has to tag along, and she could bring anything home on her feet.
The second biggest reason is the mess most vets make of the length. They don't breed the breed, so have no clue what the ideal is. Even if you are there instructing them, it is too easy to make mistakes. I have seen way too many Spoos with tails that look like chicken nuggets, and you can fake a too long tail, but if it is too short, an otherwise perfect specimen can be ruined by endiing up with a bunny tail.
We use scissors, and have special notched dew claw scissors for that part of the job. We use silver nitrate sticks to cauterize everything and they go back to their box to nurse clean as a whistle and quite content. I have heard of some breeders and vets that use dog toe nail clippers for the tails, and that makes perfect sense to me.You would want to use only clippers that are new and have never been dulled by actually clipping of toe nails!! We may try this next time.
The dew claws are much easier than the tails, and if you don't dig and just do what you are supposed to do, there is never a scar. It is clean, quick, and the pups let out one quick squeak for each dew and the tail, then they go back in with Mom and the rest of their litter and in five minutes are happily nursing away.
I would challenge anyone to be able to tell the difference on the tails and dews that we have done as opposed to tails and dews a vet has done. It is vital though that everything is sterilized before you begin and between each puppy. We soak the equipment in alcohol between each one, and where we do it has been wiped down with Lysol wipes and misted with Lysol spray. We are very careful, and check everything for signs of infection three or four times a day. I have never had a pup lose weight, but rather gain on the day it is done, which is a good indicator that they have not been traumatized.
It is becoming illegal in some provinces and states for vets to do it, so more breeders are going to have to learn how. Until the CKC and AKC makes it the norm for Spoos to be shown with undocked tails as in Europe, some breeders will need to continue to do it, and they may have to begin doing it themselves.
We do it ourselves. My biggest reason is it scares me half to death taking three day old pups to a vet clinic. They are tiny and vulnerable. You can take all the precautions with the babies, but Mama dog has to tag along, and she could bring anything home on her feet.
The second biggest reason is the mess most vets make of the length. They don't breed the breed, so have no clue what the ideal is. Even if you are there instructing them, it is too easy to make mistakes. I have seen way too many Spoos with tails that look like chicken nuggets, and you can fake a too long tail, but if it is too short, an otherwise perfect specimen can be ruined by endiing up with a bunny tail.
We use scissors, and have special notched dew claw scissors for that part of the job. We use silver nitrate sticks to cauterize everything and they go back to their box to nurse clean as a whistle and quite content. I have heard of some breeders and vets that use dog toe nail clippers for the tails, and that makes perfect sense to me.You would want to use only clippers that are new and have never been dulled by actually clipping of toe nails!! We may try this next time.
The dew claws are much easier than the tails, and if you don't dig and just do what you are supposed to do, there is never a scar. It is clean, quick, and the pups let out one quick squeak for each dew and the tail, then they go back in with Mom and the rest of their litter and in five minutes are happily nursing away.
I would challenge anyone to be able to tell the difference on the tails and dews that we have done as opposed to tails and dews a vet has done. It is vital though that everything is sterilized before you begin and between each puppy. We soak the equipment in alcohol between each one, and where we do it has been wiped down with Lysol wipes and misted with Lysol spray. We are very careful, and check everything for signs of infection three or four times a day. I have never had a pup lose weight, but rather gain on the day it is done, which is a good indicator that they have not been traumatized.
It is becoming illegal in some provinces and states for vets to do it, so more breeders are going to have to learn how. Until the CKC and AKC makes it the norm for Spoos to be shown with undocked tails as in Europe, some breeders will need to continue to do it, and they may have to begin doing it themselves.
Joined
·
12,183 Posts
BTW....the entire process for both dews and the tail for each puppy takes about three minutes.
Joined
·
2,054 Posts
I leave this to the professionals , it is worth every penny .. Husband goes in with them to be sure that the tails are docked where we want them. Dr Jerry listens to everyone hearts and checks them over for cleft palete as well as a thourogh check of mom.. WE ask before going if there was any sickness there , such as distemper parvo or anything else contagious.. They are very careful there..He puts a stich in everyones tail with a flap of skin so there is no bald spot there., and he removes the littlepiece of bone on the dews.. I would not EVER DREAM of doing my own tails and dews
Joined
·
12,183 Posts
Personal preference I suppose. I would never dream of taking three day old pups to a vet clinic where most of the dogs that walk through the door are there because they are sick.
Joined
·
12,183 Posts
I don`t agree. Our puppies never have a scar any bigger than if the vet did them. Very clean, very small.
Joined
·
12,183 Posts
That is likely because they are in familiar surroundings with familiar smells, and it isn`t cold and clinical. We snuggle the babies before and after.
Joined
·
1,905 Posts
Hard to argue with that reasoning.
Joined
·
1,165 Posts
I personally feel it should not be done at all. The only exception would be unattached dew claws.
But if I were a breeder who docked/dewed I would have my Vet do a house call.
But if I were a breeder who docked/dewed I would have my Vet do a house call.
Joined
·
2,496 Posts
Touché! Well ok then, I can still spot most home jobs compared to vet jobs! lol. That is, I haven't seen the nasty big scars or bald tails from a vet done job, only home jobs. If it was a neat lil scar I have never really assumed it was done by a vet, it's more that the messy ones I've always assumed they were done at home!
Joined
·
12,183 Posts
Well, I am sure some people should not be doing their pups themselves, but I am sure too that some vets should not be doing them either. If someone wishes to learn how to do it, they should have a mentor (in my case, helping my Mom over many years helped me) show them what to do and not just attempt it without watching and helping someone who has done it before.
1 - 20 of 94 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!