Why does my dog have 5 fingers on his hind legs?
Have you ever wondered how many fingers a dog has?You may never have known exactly. Dogs have 5 toes on the front legs and 4 on the hind legs.
- However.
- And this is a particularity.
- We can find in some breeds the genetic malformation to possess.
- Do not worry if this is your case.
- Since we will share with you all the information you need to know what this inherited disease is due to.
- And what you need to do.
Continue reading this Animal Expert article and find out why your dog has 5 fingers on its hind legs.
The fifth finger is found on the hind legs of dogs in the genetics of a number of specific breeds and with very specific reasons of adaptation to the environment.
Mastiff and Sao Bernardo breeds can have this peculiarity: they have their origin in the mountains and extreme places, where a good step is essential, it is thought that this claw that can be seen on the hind legs can serve to give them more Although this fifth finger on its hind legs it is actually different from the rest and weaker because it offers less support than the rest, there are two reasons for its real usefulness.
Although in some cases we can give genetic explanations, there are more breeds of dogs in which we can find the fifth finger and in these it is considered an authentic malformation, a genetic defect in the breed that must be removed if it is a puppy.But be careful, this should be recommended by the veterinarian.
The German Shepherd, the rottweiler and even small breeds like Yorkshire and poodle can present this extra finger on their hind legs.
The problem with the fifth finger is that it does not attach to the leg in the same way as the other fingers, on the fifth finger there is only one union through the skin and muscle, no bone, this can lead to health problems:
If our dog, for its qualities, is a potential candidate for competition, it should be noted that:
When the dog is still a puppy, it is recommended that the vet be consulted as soon as this fifth toe is detected to remove it from its hind leg as soon as possible, this will avoid problems and will be less traumatic for him when dealing with a dog.
In dogs over 6 months the surgery is not mandatory, if we do not see any obvious discomfort and we have decided not to operate it we must pay attention to the evolution of the fifth finger, but if it pains you should consult the veterinarian:
Finally, we advise all owners to take special care and to monitor and care for their dog so that the problem does not have serious and painful consequences.Maintaining a solidarity attitude and consulting the veterinarian whenever you need it will ensure that your dog has a better quality of life.All this will contribute to a healthy and happy dog!
If you have a cat, read our article on the number of fingers of a cat!
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Hereditary Diseases section.