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Tail Docking and Ear Cropping
Tail docking and ear cropping are
performed either to meet certain show
standards or simply to improve the appearance of an animal. They bear
no relation to health.
In regard to docking tails, the amount of tail to be removed depends
either on show requirements for the particular breed or on personal
preference. The best age at which to perform the operation is when the
animal is a couple of days old, although it can be done at any time
during the animal's life. At the very early age, however, the operation
is very simple, is accompanied by very little pain or hemorrhage, can
be performed without anaesthesia, requires no sutures or bandages,
results in very rapid healing, and seldom has any undesirable
consequences. At a later age at least local anaesthesia is necessary,
bandages and sutures are required, some pain and annoyance are
invariably encountered, healing is slower, and infection, though quite
uncommon, is much more likely.
As for ear cropping, the amount of ear to be removed also depends
either on show requirements for the particular breed or on personal
preference. The best age at which to perform this operation depends
both on the breed and on the animal's state of health. The best time to
operate on Danes, Dober-mans, and Boxers is when they are ten or eleven
weeks of age. Bostons, Bull Terriers, Toy Manchesters, and others may
be operated on when they are four to six months of age, if the
conformation of the ear is the usual one for the breed concerned. If
the conformation is unusual, it may be necessary to operate at an
earlier or at a somewhat later period.
Ear cropping is a major surgical operation, performed under general
anaesthesia. In some techniques the cut ears are merely bound with
adhesive tape, without the use of sutures. But the more common approach
is to stitch the cut ear, and after a couple of days to have them bound
in wire splints until healing is complete and the stitches can be
removed. A third technique, which the author prefers, is to stitch the
ears with a dissolvable suture material and then paste them together
in a standing position on top of the head. The latter technique
requires no bandaging and all the aftercare can be performed by the
owner. This method is also accompanied by the least amount of
discomfort to the animal.
Often the ears will not stand after healing is complete. But if the
operation was properly performed, the ears will stand erect after the
cartilage develops. If the ears do not stand by the time the animal is
nine or ten months old, it is unlikely that they ever will. In such
cases no amount of taping, rolling, or stretching will do any good, and
only corrective surgery can remedy the defect.
Dogs that have their ears cropped must be in a vigorous state of
health, because good health will result in proper development of ear
cartilage which is essential in causing the ear to stand erect; poor
health might result in deficient development of ear cartilage, in
which case the ear might never stand erect. If it is determined that
the animal's health is not as good as it might be, it is advisable to
get the animal into proper condition before the ear-cropping operation
can safely be performed.
Tail docking and ear cropping are at best inhumane whims of fancy.
While it is true that these operations do often improve the appearance
of an animal, they also seem to give it an artificial freakishness. It
is hoped that we can some day arrive at standards based on the natural
attributes, and not have to resort to cosmetic surgery. The issue will
come to a head only when an informed and sufficiently outraged
dog-loving public will raise its voice toward the abolition of these
barbarous and unnecessary practices.
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