Working Whippets ??

[mally]

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I've just seen an advertisement in my local paper advertising whippet pups. It said coursing /working lines. They are full pedigree kc reg etc. I phoned just to see what lines they were. I asked if they had been dewclawed and was told they didn't need to be removed. We all know how long a dog is on the sidelines with damaged dewclaws. I believe all whippets dewclaws should be removed. They don't need to be working to damage them. If they do cause problems in an older dog the vets charge £50 ea for there removal. and the scar tissue left often causes more problems.

Dewclaws are simple to remove within the first three days of a puppies life the vets don't charge too much.

I saw a coursing bred dog last week he was a real picture, until i saw he still had his dewclaws, i wouldn't give him the time of day as a working dog.

I would welcome peoples opinions on the subject. I know some people may disagree with my comments. everyones comments are welcome.

 

[dawn]

I believe all whippets dewclaws should be removed.

Totally agree with you. Dew claws serve no purpose and a lot of us have seen what happens to dogs that still have them and they get torn, the pain and suffering they feel.

If they are removed early the pups feel no pain and so IMO all whippets working or not should have them removed as a preventative measure against injury.

 

[*Lesley*]

Mine had there dews off when puppies but one of Sienna's grew back which I had to have removed by the vet as an op because it was growing abnormally, one of Callie's has also grown back twice (w00t) the first time it fell off and now is back again as it is causing no problem so far I keep it short and strap it for coursing but if it becomes a problem then I'll have it removed but would rather not unless I have to, I think the root must still have been there with both.

I agree that it is much better to remove them, as even if they don't work they are as likely to rip them off running round the woods and I wouldn't want that to happen as it could cause a lot of damage and it must be very painful for the dog

 

[Martina]

Totally agree.

One of my italian greyhounds has not ben declawed and man..! - how many injuries we went through already. And not only during lure coursing - a simple cat case turned into bleeding nightmare as well.

I have a whippet pup who has been declawed - which I am very pleased of - and IMO it also looks more 'pleasing to the eye..' 8)

 

[OEH]

I've got one who's dewclawed and one (rescue) who isn't and boy do I wish she was. Nothing serious yet (touch wood) but....................

 

[beaker]

my (normally sensible )vet wouldn't remove my litters dew claws and didn't accept it was a preventative measure so i had to take them to a different one, arguing that they would only take them off if necessary and under general aneasthetic as an adult. :rant:

when i got Otis he still had his on, after a year of him snagging and ripping them i booked him in with my vet to have them removed, duly took two day's off work and did the necassary pre op fasting, arrived at the vets at specified time in the morning only to be met with a vet nurse trying to cancel the op as they didn't agree with it :angry: after a bit of a rant(from me) they took him in. i went to pick up a very subdued and pained dog in the afternoon leaving over £200 worse off.

how can a 10 second job when a pup is asleep be concidered worse than a major, very painfull op as an adult.

 

[Pennymeadow Whippets]

We here at Pennymeadow agree that the dogs should be Dewclawed,running dogs are domesticated these days not like when they used to be wild with climbing and hunting on their own.At first i did think it was cruel, like cutting a new babys thumb off, but with seeing it done at a very early age and it not seeming to bother the pups, i find it acceptable and for the best.

SUE :thumbsup:

 

[Roedeane]

:rant: Having seen the damage caused by dewclaws in several different breeds, I am amazed at vets' reluctance to remove them at 3 days old. Is it perhaps they are hoping for a large payment when at a later date the dog is operated on for injury??? 2 years ago my vet did a litter for me, then 12 months later refused to do them. I immediately found another vet who I now see with all my dogs as they see over 200 working dogs and appreciate the damage that can be done :thumbsup:

 

[Paula Roberts]

Our first whippet had her dew claws on and she suffered every time we ran her when we started to breed our own we always make sure they are removed. I have heard of lots of vets who wont take them off as they class it the same as tail docking and is only cosmetic but i suppose theyll get more money when the dogs get older and keep ripping them off.

 

[Esthermax]

we looked after a friends whippet, who still had dewclaws on, all he did was jump off the sofa & catch one, what a mess he was in, with blood everywhere & in so much pain just seeing a dewclaw now makes me cringe.

 

[Max&Smokey]

As with all things in life the people that tend to complain havn't seen it done, dont work their animals and basically dont understand the issues. Whippets get enought cuts whilst out and about without leaving a claw to catch on everything.

 

[Janimal]

My very first whippet also had her dewclaws left and they caused nothing but trouble from the start. I raced her twice weekly in those days and they always bled and anyway the problem got so bad at around 8-9 months - she had to have them removed, which was a more serious operation at that age for her. anyway she came through it and never had any more problems.

Ive had 3 other whippets since then and they have all had their dew claws removed soon after birth with no ill effects.