How Many Toes Do Dogs And Cats Have

[Alfie Overacre]

Sowhy do these cats have so many toes? And just how many toes can a cat have? To get some answers, we turned to two experts: Anita Patel, DVM, a veterinarian and Area Medical Director at IndeVets, and Alejandro R. Caos, DVM, a small-animal veterinarian at The Vets.

Polydactylism is an autosomal dominant trait, with some additional complexities. This means that only one parent needs to carry a gene for polydactyly for some kittens in a litter to be born with extra toes.

In terrestrial vertebrates, digitigrade (/ˈdɪdʒɪtɪˌɡreɪd/)[1] locomotion is walking or running on the toes (from the Latin digitus, 'finger', and gradior, 'walk'). A digitigrade animal is one that stands or walks with its toes (phalanges) on the ground, and the rest of its foot lifted. Digitigrades include birds (what many see as bird's knees are actually ankles), cats, dogs, and many other mammals, but not plantigrades (such as humans) or unguligrades (such as horses). Digitigrades generally move more quickly than other animals.

There are structural differences between the limb anatomy of plantigrades, unguligrades, and digitigrades. Digitigrade and unguligrade animals have relatively long carpals and tarsals, and the bones which correspond to the human ankle are thus set much higher in the limb than in a human. In a digitigrade animal, this effectively lengthens the foot, so much so that what are often thought of as a digitigrade animal's "hands" and "feet" correspond to only the human fingers or toes. Digitigrade locomotion is responsible for the distinctive hooked shape of dog legs.

Plantigrade animals, such as humans, normally walk with the soles of their feet on the ground. Unguligrade animals, such as horses and cattle, walk only on the distal-most tips of their digits. Digitigrade animals walk on their distal and intermediate phalanges; more than one segment of the digit makes contact with the ground, either directly (as in birds) or via paw-pads (as in dogs and cats).

Dogs almost always have dewclaws on the inside of the front legs and occasionally also on the hind legs.[1][3] Unlike front dewclaws, rear dewclaws tend to have little bone or muscle structure in most breeds. It is normal, although not biologically necessary, that certain breeds will have more than one dewclaw on the same paw. One of these dewclaws will most likely be poorly connected to the leg, and is often surgically removed. When a dog has extra dewclaws in addition to the usual one on each front leg, the dog is said to be double dewclawed. For certain dog breeds, a dewclaw is considered a necessity, e.g., a Beauceron for sheep herding and for navigating snowy terrain.[1] As such, there is some debate about whether a dewclaw helps dogs gain traction when they run because, in some dogs, the dewclaw makes contact when they are running and the nail on the dewclaw often wears down in the same way that the nails on their other toes do, from contact with the ground. In many dogs, the dewclaws never contact the ground. In this case, the dewclaw's nail never wears away, and it is often trimmed to maintain it at a safe length.

The dewclaws are not dead appendages. They can be used to lightly grip bones and other items that dogs hold with the paws. In some dogs, these claws may not appear to be connected to the leg at all except by a flap of skin; in such dogs, the claws do not have a use for gripping as the claw can easily fold or turn.[4]

Canids have four claws on the rear feet,[5] although some domestic dog breeds or individuals have an additional claw, or more rarely two, as is the case with the Beauceron. A more technical term for these additional digits on the rear legs is hind-limb-specific preaxial polydactyly.[6] Several genetic mechanisms can cause rear dewclaws; they involve the LMBR1 gene and related parts of the genome.[6] Rear dewclaws often have no phalanx bones and are attached by skin only.[7]

Some pups are commonly sold by breeders "dew-clawed", that is with the dewclaws removed (as by a veterinarian) for perceived health and safety reasons. A few breed standards, such as that for Portuguese Water Dogs, also call for it.

Based on stop-action photographs, veterinarian M. Christine Zink of Johns Hopkins University believes that the entire front foot, including the dewclaws, contacts the ground while running. During running, the dewclaw digs into the ground preventing twisting or torque on the rest of the leg. Several tendons connect the front dewclaw to muscles in the lower leg, further demonstrating the front dewclaws' functionality. There are indications that dogs without dewclaws have more foot injuries and are more prone to arthritis. Zink recommends "for working dogs it is best for the dewclaws not to be amputated. If the dewclaw does suffer a traumatic injury, the problem can be dealt with at that time, including amputation if needed."[2]

Hoofed animals walk on the tips of special toes, the hooves. Cloven-hoofed animals walk on a central pair of hooves, but many also have an outer pair of dewclaws on each foot. These are somewhat farther up the leg than the main hooves, and similar in structure to them.[12] In some species (such as cattle) the dewclaws are much smaller than the hooves and never touch the ground. In others (such as pigs and many deer), they are only a little smaller than the hooves, and may reach the ground in soft conditions or when jumping. Some hoofed animals (such as giraffes and modern horses) have no dewclaws. Video evidence suggests some animals use dewclaws in grooming or scratching themselves or to have better grasp during mating.[citation needed]

Many kinds of bacteria (germs) are found in the mouths of dogs and cats. One common group of bacteria are called Capnocytophaga. These germs sometimes cause opportunistic infections, which means under the right conditions they can cause an infection, such as in a person with a weakened immune system.

Most people who have contact with a dog or cat do not become sick. People with weakened immune systems who have difficulty fighting off infections are at greater risk of becoming sick if they're bitten.

If you have been bitten by a dog or cat, wash the bite area right away with soap and water. Call your doctor or go to an urgent care clinic. Even if you don't feel sick, dog and cat bites can cause a Capnocytophaga infection and other diseases like Pasteurella, Bartonella (cat-scratch disease), or rabies.

Other Capnocytophaga germs can also be found in human mouths and cause the people who have them to get sick. People who have weakened immune systems get this type of infection more often than healthy people.

Most dog or cat bites do not lead to a Capnocytophaga infection or any illness. But you should take precautions if you have contact with animals, especially if you have a condition that puts you at higher risk of infection. These conditions include:

Some people notice their dogs using their dewclaws to grip their bones and toys better. Dogs can also use them to scratch their eyes, pull themselves out of water, and even steady themselves. Breeders also believe that these claws might help them make quick turns and dig into the ground easier.

Since the gray wolf, an ancestor of modern dogs, does not have a dewclaw, many people wonder how dogs ended up with them. While no one can be certain, many believe that it results from ancient breeding practices because it provides dogs with many advantages.

Several large breeds that farmers use to tend livestock in mountainous regions have developed dewclaws on the back legs, which might help them maintain more solid footing. Breeds with rear dewclaws include the Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Beauceron, Briard, Estrela Mountain Dog, Icelandic Sheepdog, Portuguese Sheepdog, and Saint Bernard. Many of these dogs have more than one dewclaw on each rear leg.

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Unless your dog is having problems caused by the dewclaw or the extra appendages, then there is no need to do anything about them. Often the dewclaw is attached by bone or sometimes it may only be attached via skin. Keeping the toenail trimmed regularly will keep it from causing any rubbing or sores to the rest of the leg and foot, and it will keep it from being caught on anything. These polydactyl toes can be removed surgically to keep them from causing any problems to your dog.

Some owners of dogs that are non-working dogs or who are not involved in dog shows have the dewclaw removed as it is a simple surgical process and your dog will recover quickly from it. But if you dog is a show dog, some official bodies require the dog to be registered with the requirement that the dewclaw(s) are present. A number of ancient shepherding dog breeds were polydactyls and, as stated above, it can be an advantage in snowy conditions. The Great Pyrenees is the most known polydactyl canine and can even have six hind toes. This is one condition that is not a great concern for your dog.

If your dog does have surgery to remove any extra toes/dewclaws, the down time is remarkably small. Once it has been removed, stitched if needed and dressed, your pet will require little recovery time. Just ensure the dressing remains clean and care for it once your dog is home. Keeping the dressing dry and cared for as advised by your veterinarian will avoid any infection from setting in.

In addition to their toe digits, cats have rubbery pads on the bottoms of their paws that provide cushioning and protection from the elements. They even have special pads that provide extra traction. Each digit has a claw made of keratin that cats use when hunting and climbing.

Kitties have scent glands in their paws that allow them to leave behind pheromones full of information other cats can interpret with a quick sniff. Pheromones communicate information about their health and reproductive status. A great deal of communication between cats occurs through exchanging these chemical markers. Cats often scratch, not only because it provides a stretch but also because it leaves behind pheromones.

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