Documentary on Tails and Dewclaws
Hello! I have made this page as a documentary on docking tails and removing dewclaws. I often get asked how this is done, so I decided to help people better understand the process. My very first litter of Dobermans, I took the entire litter to the my veterinarian to have these procedures done. Needless to say, it was the last. As my step-daughter and I waited in the waiting room, we could hear each puppy squeal and scream in pain. We actually had to walk out of the building until they were done. At that point, I vowed to find a more humane way to do things. I did research and spoke to some breeders and found that this was something that could be done here at home, and in a less painful way. I couldnt bare to know that my precious babies had to go through that sort of trauma. Some people think that the vet is the only option, and for some it is, but I myself took matters into my own hands and found a much better way to do things. Not only is this process less painful, but it saves you from disturbing the puppies surroundings, and exposing them to disease and viruses that may be floating around the vets office. Its less stressful, less painful and safer.
Before I begin, I would like to explain exactly WHY tails and dewclaws are removed. A dobermans tail is very thin and straplike. They dont have the long, plush hair to protect it from injury. Studies and reports have shown that in Doberman Pinschers, there is a high incident of tail injuries, whether they are breaks, bruises or sprains. A Dobermans tail does not have very much of a curl to it, therefore its easily caught in closing doors, whacked from furniture and injured from trees, jaggers and just about anything they would swing it against. Also, if an intruder were to break into your home and he and the dog would tangle, theres not much there to grab hold of when the tail is docked! Now for the dewclaws.....Dobermans are a very active breed. They love to run, romp and play and those danged dewclaws often tend to get caught on carpet, shrubbery, brush, leashes etc. Its probably pretty painful to have a dewclaw bent back or even torn. Its only connected by a thin peice of cartilage. Therefore it is best to have them removed to prevent such injuries. Ok, onto the documentary!
HERE ARE THE SUPPLIES I USE:
1. BETADINE SOLUTION- This is to disinfect and help healing.
2. ALCOHOL- Kills the germys, cleans any bacteria
3. BACITRACIN- Antibiotic to help speed healing
4. SURGICAL SCISSORS- To remove the dewclaws
5. REGULAR SCISSORS- To cut the nylon cording ( you dont want to use the same scissors!)
6. NYLON CORDING- to band the tails
7. CUTICLE SCISSORS- To cut the "tough" ones if needed.
8. PAPER TOWELS- To clean any blood or excess dressing
STEP ONE: Choose your first puppy and locate the dewclaw. You need to place your thumb just below the dewclaw and pull the skin back a little bit to pull the dewclaw out and up. Also, apply pressure with your thumb and forefinger to stop the flow of blood from reaching the dewclaw area
STEP TWO: Take an alcohol wipe and thoroughly clean around the dewclaw. Then take your surgical scissors and place them at the very base of the dewclaw and snip! Quick, easy and virtually painless. The puppies rarely even make a peep or squirm. Keep even pressure on the leg for about 30 seconds. Then take another alcohol wipe and press it against the area where the dewclaw was just removed. Then apply a big gob of bacitracin to the area, then release the pressure. All done! Repeat process with the other dewclaw.
STEP THREE: Clean area with alcohol and apply bacitracin 3-4 times a day.
Now onto the tails!!
STEP ONE: Place the puppy on its back and pull the tail down so you can assess where to place the cord. The AKC standard calls for the tail to be docked at the second vertebrae. I look for the rust on the underside of the tail and place the band about 1/4 inch below down into the rust area. Take an alcohol pad and thoroughly clean the entire way around the tail where you will be placing the cord. Estimate your area of cording, and then tie the cord loosely onto the tail and slowly move it up the tail to the desired spot. Once you are satisfied, tie the cord into a knot. It has to be snug, and NOT TOO TIGHT! If you get it too tight, the puppy will let you know! If you make a mistake, or the tail looks too long or too short, all you need to do it cut the cord and start over.
STEP TWO: Take your Betadine solution and totally saturate the newly placed cording. This will prevent any infection as the tail grows. Some people will actually soak the cording in the Betadine soultion and then tie it, but I experimented with that ahead of time, and I found that you cannot get your knot as tight with the betadine on it, so I always apply it afterwards.
STEP THREE: You are done! Painless and no stress! You can even do this while the puppies are suckling, as it causes them no pain or discomfort. Puppies grow quickly, and by the 5th day after the tails are banded, they will be completely off. When a tail comes off, you need to clean the end of the stub with betadine solution and apply bacitracin 3-4 times a day until a scab starts forming.
bravenet.com