dew claw removal

I have a new adoptee, a dog who was loose on the highway and has been through some hard times physically. He was in the shelter 6 months and for having so many scars, he was not the cutest dog there. Anyway, he is mine now and he is the best dog in the world! They named him Dignity because he suffered his problems with so much tranquility. He came in with hundreds of puffed up ticks, and each one left a round scar.

The point of my post is this. Dignity is going to be anethesized for a deep ear cleaning. The vet suggests that his rear dew claws be removed because they stick out so far. I am thinking why spend the extra money etc.; he survived being wild without hurting them.

Any advice?

on all four feet. His were bony dewclaws. Because he was an adult dog when I got him I decided to leave them intact as I understood their removal could be quite painful. However, as the dog aged they became loose and began to sag away from his leg. They would catch and tear on different things leaving a bloody and painful injury. They could even catch and tear in the dog's own coat as he scratched. The vet recommended their removal and I did that with dentals. I never regretted doing it. It was painful for a week or so while the dog healed. However, I don't believe the pain from the surgery was greater than the pain from the injuries.

We got her when she was about twelve weeks old. Her dewclaws stuck out, and we thought they might stick out more as she grew. We had them removed when she was spayed. I don't think it was especially hard on her. She hated wearing the lampshade, though. She would have worn it regardless, because she was spayed. She is five now, healthy and happy.