Pet parents inquire about tail docking, ear cropping and removing dewclaws. It sounds so benign like part of basic puppy care. When we talk about what these procedures entail, most pet parents say, “Well, I don’t want to do that to my dog”. Let’s talk about these procedures so we have a better understanding before signing your pet up for surgery.
The history of ear cropping, tail docking and dewclaw removal goes back in history for certain working breeds. Hunting dog’s ears were cropped and dewclaws removed to minimize injury during hunting. For guard and fighting dogs, cropping ears and docking tails served to minimize injury and prevented attacker from grabbing ahold of the tail. Later in history, even when these breeds were no longer used for these purposes, pet owners continued physical alteration for aesthetics. Physical alteration appears to have emerged for a variety of perceived advantages (substantiated or not) but for some breeds it was purely for esthetics.
What is tail docking?
Docking is the removal of portion of a dog’s tail. When puppies are days old, the tail’s blood supply is constricted with a rubber ligature until the portion of the tail falls off. An alternate procedure involves removing the tail with surgical scissors or scalpel. The length in which the tail is docked is specified by the breed standard.
Is tail docking painful?
Tail docking is usually performed without anesthesia or analgesia when puppies are days old. Some proponents claim that puppies do not feel pain due to underdeveloped nervous systems. The intensity and duration of pain from such a young puppy is difficult to qualify and quantify, but their vocalization and crying during the procedure suggest that they are painful.
Are all dogs with short tails docked?
The feeding guidelines suggested from your dog food bag may not be appropriate for your pet. Your pet’s breed, age, life style, and medical condition will need to be taken into consideration to formulate the energy requirement for your pet. Your veterinarian can help you find the right type of food and calculate the correct amount to feed your pet to achieve the ideal body weight.
What is ear cropping?
Ear cropping is the surgical removal of part of the ear pinna (ear flap) under general anesthesia to modify its shape of a droopy ear to stand erect. Surgery is usually performed at 6-12 weeks old. In larger breeds, after the surgery, the ears are bandaged in an erect position for weeks to months to help the ears stand upright.
Is ear cropping procedure painful?
Because the animals are under general anesthesia, they don’t feel pain during surgery. However, post-operative discomfort and pain will necessitate pain control. Post-operative complications such as bleeding, scar tissue and infection are possible.
What is a dewclaw and do dogs need it?
A dewclaw is the first digit that is positioned on the inside of the paw off the ground (looks like thumbs). Some dogs have front and back dewclaws, some have front only, and some have double dewclaws. Because the dewclaws do not touch the ground some people claim that they have no function, while others believe that it provides important function for climbing and agility, and they use the front dewclaws to hold objects when chewing or eating.
What is dewclaw removal?
Dewclaw removal is the removal of the first digit when the puppy is days old. The area is numbed with a local anesthetic, removed with a surgical blade and sutured or glued.
If dewclaw removal is not done during the first few days of a puppy’s life, then it can be surgically removed during the spay/neuter procedure under general anesthesia.
Does the dewclaw need to be removed?
Dewclaws do not need to be removed unless it is medically necessary. Some puppies have dewclaws that are floating and do not have any bone attachment. In these cases, there is increased risk of the dewclaw getting caught on something and possibly ripping off. If there are physical deformities to the dewclaw, your veterinarian will recommend surgical removal. In hunting dogs, some people believe that removing dewclaws decreases possible injury working through thick vines and shrubs.
What do veterinarians think about this?
Most veterinarians believe that any surgical procedure is not necessary unless it is medically needed, and follow the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines: The AVMA opposes ear cropping and tail docking of dogs when done solely for cosmetic purposes. The AVMA encourages the elimination of ear cropping and tail docking from breed standards.
Now that you know more about these procedures, you can make a more educated decision about your pet’s health. Seek advice from your Carrollton veterinarian if you have any questions about tail docking, ear cropping or removing the dewclaws from your pet.
