# Lucy drags her rear feet/claws



## SirLancelot (Oct 23, 2013)

Lucy is 10 months old, came from great lineage and has fantastic genetic history with her parents and grandparents. For probably the last 7 months at least we've seen that when she walks, her rear legs cant outwards noticeably (i.e. elbows point inward and toes point more outward). She has no problems walking, running, or being generally active and absolutely loves walks. I don't know if this directly attributed to her rear legs' gait or not, but she drags her claws when she walks. With our laminate flooring in our home it's very pronounced and it's impossible for her to sneak up on anyone. 

Regardless, due to the way she walks and drags her rear claws, we saw for the first time today after a 1-2 mile walk on a local paved trail that she basically ground down 2 of her nails on each rear foot, causing them to bleed slightly. She didn't display any discomfort at all, but this is the first time we've seen this. 

This would strike me as abnormal, but being our first GSD I'm not sure if many of you experience this. I can't think of anything to do to help with it as it's connected with the way she walks, but wonder if some dog booties might help protect her rear feet or even help force her to walk differently? 

Thoughts?


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

Degenerative myelopathy comes to mind but isn't she way too young for that? I don't know much about it, only that dragging feet and filing nails down is a symptom 

If you curl her back foot under, like put it down nails first, will she uncurl it?

ETA if she doesn't then it can be DM or some spine neurological stuff. Just to point you somewhere.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

post a picture please to see her angulation. Side shot good.


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

It could be MANY things...as simple as too much rear angulation..etc.
Before you make yourself crazy with the thought of a terminal illness or handicap....post a picture or mini video, and perhaps there might be a more obvious reason..... JMO


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

I didn't know that too much angulation can cause nails to go bloody. so how is it fixed in those cases?


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## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

It sounds like she is cow hocked.


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

yeah it does from her description of the legs meeting in the middle so to say but I never knew that can cause bloody nails


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

quote OP 
"Lucy is 10 months old," and 
"probably the last 7 months at least"

so the dog has been walking this particular way since she was 10 to 12 weeks of age . That has to be a conformational problem. Too young for a degenerative disease .

quote OP "she drags her claws when she walks" and "today after a 1-2 mile walk on a local paved trail that she basically ground down 2 of her nails on each rear foot" 

Again most likely a conformational problem . 
No period of suspension. Excessive angulation , lack of connective tissue strength, loose dog , poor foot construction? poor nails as in being shelly?

need that picture. post a pedigree , the ancestors may give you insight as to what to expect as an adult


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

does it look like this when she walks
like shes tired almost
and the back is arched in the middle?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJOCvwBA_kA


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## SirLancelot (Oct 23, 2013)

my boy diesel said:


> does it look like this when she walks
> like shes tired almost
> and the back is arched in the middle?
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJOCvwBA_kA


Very very similar to that, although she doesn't have a pronounced back arch like that.


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## SirLancelot (Oct 23, 2013)

lalachka said:


> yeah it does from her description of the legs meeting in the middle so to say but I never knew that can cause bloody nails


The ground-down nails come from her dragging her rear feet a bit as she walks. I'm assuming it's connected/related to her stance while she walks. I don't see it when she runs, but just walks.


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## SirLancelot (Oct 23, 2013)

GSDAlphaMom said:


> It sounds like she is cow hocked.


So, practically speaking, what does that mean? Anything I should do or that I can work on with her?


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

Sorry to hear about your dog. Until you figure out what to do for her you can put soft claws on. I use them for one of my dogs. When she was going for longer walks I found plastic tubing at the hardware store they got over them, unfortunately they wear down fast.
https://www.softclaws.com/soft_claws_dogs/home.html


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

SirLancelot said:


> The ground-down nails come from her dragging her rear feet a bit as she walks. I'm assuming it's connected/related to her stance while she walks. I don't see it when she runs, but just walks.


yeah and the walk can be caused by many things. I was thinking neurological but it seems like it can be something simple. 

can you curl her foot and see if she uncurls it? and see how long it takes


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

sirlance i suggest you do go ahead and get a vid
in another post you mention her back toes point_ inward_?
if so that is not cow hocked

a video could help us see better what you mean by how shes walking
get one of her walking and one of her running or combine walk/run into one vid

is she a german show line pup?

i have some ideas of what could be going on but it could be she is just showing typical laxity that many larger breed puppies tend to have longer than small breed pups

that said the nail dragging is not quite what i would consider normal 

have you asked your vet? if they brush it off you might consider having a neuro eval although in this case i doubt it is brain neuro but more like spine neuro


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

yeah spine neuro is what I was thinking or DM. but she's so young and supposedly from good genetics so I'm hoping this means no DM

I thought she said toes were outward and elbows were inward. 

in any case, yeah a pic or video. and also try to curl the back feet under


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

not dm 
not at all
dogs start showing signs of dm past 5-6 yr if not later


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

my boy diesel said:


> not dm
> not at all
> dogs start showing signs of dm past 5-6 yr if not later


I didn't know there are no exceptions to that but I did think she's too young for it


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## KVBB (Dec 22, 2011)

What is DM?

I have a almost 9 yr old German Shepherd. I recently noticed that after long walks, I can hear him drag his nails on his left hind foot on the ground. He has been diagnosed at having arthritis in his back legs, nothing too serious, but he does take medication for it.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

a picture is worth a thousand words 

pedigree?


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

KVBB said:


> What is DM?
> 
> I have a almost 9 yr old German Shepherd. I recently noticed that after long walks, I can hear him drag his nails on his left hind foot on the ground. He has been diagnosed at having arthritis in his back legs, nothing too serious, but he does take medication for it.


degenerative myelopathy


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## KVBB (Dec 22, 2011)

lalachka said:


> degenerative myelopathy


Thank you!


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## lalachka (Aug 13, 2013)

KVBB said:


> Thank you!


no problem )))) hopefully this isn't what your dog has


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

kvbb if you have a vet that is experienced with german shepherds they should be able to tell the difference between dm and hip issues


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## John C. (Mar 6, 2013)

Unfortunately, I have some experience with this and what you describe _could_ be signs of a neurological problem. To be clear, I'm not saying that she definitely has a problem, or even that it's likely she has a problem, merely that it is a possibility. Have you consulted your vet? You might also want to think about consulting with a specialist - they would probably be able to tell in a few minutes if it's a neurological or spinal issue.

Good luck.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

OP not participating in discussion so how does one help them.


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## Maxil (Jun 1, 2014)

Vicky has a rear dew claw as well and the doctor insists on removing it and that's the reason why he did so sometimes it hurts them and it keeps disturbing them when they move


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

This has been going on for 7 mos & you haven't taken her to the vet?

We can't dx via keyboard, it's all just speculative. Could be a disc problem, fwiw.

I think she needs to be seen by the vet asap. Unless I missed it in one of the posts, it sounds as if she's not been seen or xrayed.


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...h-old-lucy-has-hip-dysplasia.html#post5646530

in this thread the op says he asked his vet and the vet said the dog stands normally
not sure about walking but if you take your dog in and the vet says nothing is wrong you then assume, well nothing is wrong :shrug:

of course we are now all saying it is not normal for a pup to drag her toes so perhaps they are doing something about it now
just sayin that your post is a little rude and it would be helpful to look back at their previous posts


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

my boy diesel said:


> http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...h-old-lucy-has-hip-dysplasia.html#post5646530
> 
> in this thread the op says he asked his vet and the vet said the dog stands normally
> not sure about walking but if you take your dog in and the vet says nothing is wrong you then assume, well nothing is wrong :shrug:
> ...


If the pup is dragging her rear toes, it's not normal & time for a 2d opinion. I didn't see anything mentioned about xrays, which should have been done.

My suggestion is that the OP take the pup to another vet. How do you dx a hip or disc problem by the way the dog "stands"?


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## ChetsDad (Nov 9, 2013)

I have an


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## ChetsDad (Nov 9, 2013)

Sorry, not sure what happened with that first post. I have an 11 month old that has been scuffing his back nails for awhile too. He recently had knee surgery to repair a torn ACL. I brought this up with the surgeon and she checked him for DM and other things, all were fine. We are doing physical therapy now and the therapist told us it a most likely due to two things, the fact he had a bum knee for awhile and that he is lazy. : ) She gave us some exercises to do, one of which is taking some broom handles or PVC, setting them on some shoes, so they are raised about 3 inches off the ground and having him walk over them a certain amount of times each day. It forces him to pick those back legs up and it has been making a difference. This is our first GSD too, aren't they wonderful! Good luck with everything!


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

they cannot diagnose a disc problem without the use of an mri but an x ray could show if there is narrowing where the disc would be
that said i think it is just a variation for a show line pup but i could be wrong
only way to tell is to see pics and a video of his movement 
but yes i agree a 2nd opinion would be better


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

I wish the OP would get involved --- there may be an underlying disease which needs to be addressed. 
Symmetric Lupoid Onychodystrophy | Dermatology for Animals - Part 1 or yeast or fungal problem or some dietary deficiency , lacking quality protein, zinc, selenium , silica , essential fatty acids, natural vitamin E , vitamin B 3 niacin .
In rare cases there can even be tumors under the nail.

****'s nails: Symmetrical Lupoid Onychodystrophy (SLO) is a painful condition causing dogs' nails to slough.(HEALTH) - Whole Dog Journal

In the standard it says the nails should be dark (black) strong , arched . 
For a working breed the foot is very important . 
Nails should not be flaking or splitting , soft , which you see in pale or striped nails . 

The dog may be dragging the rear feet because of some swelling or inflammation in the foot or nail bed .

Grooming and keeping the nails at the proper length prevents damage to the nail which invites problems . 

even if the OP hasn't read this at least it opens the discussion for others


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

or the dog has a heart problem and gets fatiqued after some exertion ----- or the dog was dehydrated and had ataxia


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## DStrass (Mar 22, 2020)

SirLancelot said:


> Lucy is 10 months old, came from great lineage and has fantastic genetic history with her parents and grandparents. For probably the last 7 months at least we've seen that when she walks, her rear legs cant outwards noticeably (i.e. elbows point inward and toes point more outward). She has no problems walking, running, or being generally active and absolutely loves walks. I don't know if this directly attributed to her rear legs' gait or not, but she drags her claws when she walks. With our laminate flooring in our home it's very pronounced and it's impossible for her to sneak up on anyone.
> 
> Regardless, due to the way she walks and drags her rear claws, we saw for the first time today after a 1-2 mile walk on a local paved trail that she basically ground down 2 of her nails on each rear foot, causing them to bleed slightly. She didn't display any discomfort at all, but this is the first time we've seen this.
> 
> ...


Hi- my 5 month old pup is doing the same thing. Can you tell me what the outcome was? I know this is a few years old and a shot in the dark but it’s worth a shot. 
Thank you


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## BigOzzy2018 (Jan 27, 2018)

carmspack said:


> a picture is worth a thousand words
> 
> pedigree?


What does a pedigree have to do with the dogs issue? A video would be the key and a vet visit


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

DStrass said:


> Hi- my 5 month old pup is doing the same thing. Can you tell me what the outcome was? I know this is a few years old and a shot in the dark but it’s worth a shot.
> Thank you


Not only a 6yr old post, but this user has not logged on in over 5yrs.


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