|
|
|
|
|
|
| Don't Declaw | Little Shelter |
                                    
|
You Can't Declaw with Love - Paul Rowen, D. V M., Carole Wilbourn Declawing may protect your furnishings, but it does little to protect your cat. If your cat were to be declawed, the operation is generally performed as follows: The cat is given a general anesthetic The fur around the feet is clipped A tourniquet is placed around the leg The nails are rinsed with alcohol The amputation of the nail is accomplished with a guillotine nail cutter, which cuts across the first joint and may involve the foot pad The toes are then bandaged tightly to prevent hemorrhage. The bandage is removed two to three days post-operatively. There is an alternate procedure in which the nail is removed completely and the skin is sutured over. The procedure is not as common as it is more time-consuming. Immediate Complications Physical Complications Because a general anesthetic is necessary, there is the danger of an adverse reaction. If the bandages are put on too tightly, the foot may become gangrenous and necessitate amputation of the leg. When the bandages are removed, many cats will begin to hemorrhag~thus requiring rebandaging. Emotional Complications Upon recovering from the anesthetic, your healthy cat wonders why his feet are throbbing and bandaged. After the bandages are removed, he wonders what happened to his claws and why it hurts when he walks. Later Complications Physical Complications In many instances, the entire nail bed was not removed and one or more claws will begin to regrow. The claws that do not regrow are usually misshapen and quite useless. Because a cat's nail is brittle or the trimmer is dull, the bone may shatter and cause what is called a sequestrum, which serves as a focus for infection and continuous drainage from the toe. This can only be corrected by a second general anesthetic and surgical procedure. Emotional Complications Frequently, a cat becomes very distrustful of his owner and/or veterinarian. with rare exception, the declawed cat is the most difficult to examine and treat. A declawed cat is more apt to bite if he feels threatened. It doesn't take much for him to feel nervous. The origin of many chronic physical ailments including cystitis and skin disorders can be traced to the period immediately following declawing.
|
