Story published in November 2021
Story published November 9, 2021.
Cats Only Veterinary Clinic put up this billboard on Harkrider St. at Bruce St. in Conway, AR which is around 50 miles from his clinic.
According to an employee at his practice, he does at least 5 declaws a week and they charge $149 for a 2 paw declaw and $298 for a 4 paw declaw. Why does Dr Carlin want more money performing this animal cruelty on innocent cats?
Here’s an ad on the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association’s website that shows that this practice is for sale. Cats Only Vet clinic for sale ad
(There are 8 vet clinics in Conway, AR and 7 of them offer declawing services. St Francis veterinary hospital doesn’t declaw cats. Here’s our story.) Declawing vet clinics in Conway
We reached out to the President of the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Assoc, Dr Jerry Miller, and the Pres. Elect, Dr Marlow Ball and asked them is the Arkansas VMA condones lying about declawing and deceiving cat owners about this animal cruelty. Dr Miller never returned our note and Dr Ball said, “no comment.”
This veterinarian, Dr Stan Carlin, is declawing cats by chopping part their their last toe bone off. He is declawing cats using the old school, guillotine clipper method as he explains here on his website. He says that this method is the right way to declaw a cat. He says that it is a humane option and says, “Declaw Gently” on his website. Dr Stan Carlin’s declaw method
Hundreds of cats in this town are walking around suffering in pain and discomfort because of the bone fragments in their paws like these that were found in a cat who was declawed with the guillotine clipper method. (Not affiliated with Cats Only Vet Clinic)
Cat owners, please learn about the facts about this cruel and inhumane amputation procedure and take the humane route of using sturdy scratching posts, scratching pads, nail trims, deterrents, Soft Paws, etc.
We can help you if you are having any issues. [email protected]
Know the facts. Declawing is animal cruelty. Declawing Facts Vs Myths
Here’s how he says he performs his declaws.
Here’s the story we published about this declawing clinic in 2018. Cats Only Veterinary Clinic
Here is the declawing info that Dr Stan Carlin has on his website that contains may lies. Declaw Information
We reached out to Dr Carlin in Sept. 2021 to ask him some questions about declawing and he never got back with us so our researchers made two short phone calls to Cats Only Veterinary Clinic in Searcy, AR in October 2021 to see how they address declawing.
Our researchers asked for the price of a declaw, how Dr Carlin performs them, if declawing is ok for a cat long term, and if he does them regularly.
Employee 1 said that a declaw is $149 and four paw declaw is $298.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw. Employee said, “Absolutely, the kitties come out great, we watch them for two days to keep an eye on them but I promise we have a really really high success rate. There’s never been any problems or issues.”
They said Dr Carlin is really wonderful and you would love him, “he’s a great doctor.”
We asked if he does declaws regularly? Employee said, “Yep, we have a few here right now” and laughed.
Researcher once again asked if the cats are ok long term after a declaw and the employee said, ” Yep I promise.”
They said it totally depends on the doctor and Dr Carlin is wonderful he’s being doing this for 30 plus years.
Employee 2 said a declaw is $149 and that includes the surgery, anesthesia, 2 night stay, and a 12 hr pain injection.
They said that the way Dr Carlin does it is he goes in and takes the nail at the base. They said, “it would just be like you losing your fingernail instead of losing your whole last digit, which is the way most veterinarians do it, but Dr Carlin just removes the nail at the base.”
Researcher asked, “What’s a base? A bone?”
Employee said, “No, you know how our fingernails go back to the cuticle, that’s how far he goes. He’s just removing their actual fingernail instead of part of their toe.”
Researcher asked what he uses for the declaw. What does he use?
Employee said, “It’s kind of like a clipper that we use to clip their nails.”
Researcher asked if he does declaws regularly and employee said, “We do front and rear declaws Monday through Saturday.” They said and he’s been at Cats Only for over 30 years.
Researcher asked if he does 5 a week and employee said, “at least, some days we have more than one come in. “
When asked if the cats are ok long term the employee said yes and said that the kitties wake up with their bandages on and the next morning they take them off so that “gives them time to clean their paws” and so they can monitor their sutures. They said that most of the cats that are younger like under 2 or 3 years old, the kitten age, are batting around toys and that kind of thing before they go home.
The employee said, “So it really doesn’t affect them the way a lot of people think it does.”
Researcher asked if he takes the bone off and the employee said no and asked if he cuts the bone and the employee said, “No. He just takes the nail.”
Do the cats have any problems? “No mam, I’ve been her almost 4 years and I haven’t seen any cats come back with any problems, no behavior issues, they still use their litter box, as they normally would and things like that.”
When asked if declawing is bad for cats the employee said, “No, I had my cat front declawed by Dr Carlin a couple years ago.” They said that their cat will even pretend like he’s scratching the scratching post and said it’s like he doesn’t even know his claws are gone.
The employee said he was declawed when he was 4 years old and he is 6 now and still makes biscuits and plays with toys.
Researcher asked if Dr Carlin has an age limit for a declaw and the employee said, “No, we would declaw a cat if they were 12, we would do a blood panel to make sure their kidneys, liver, and heart are ok to withstand the surgery.”
The employee said a four paw declaw for $298.
Mr Carlin also will declaw older cats as this says on his website. 
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We wanted to once again look into how the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association President’s practice addresses declawing.
The President is Dr Jerry Miller and he works at Veterinary Health Center.
The employee said they only do the “front claws” and said it’s cheaper to do the spay and declaw together. A spay/declaw is $283.
They said they have two vets, Dr Miller and Dr Copland, who do their declaws regularly. When asked if the the cats are ok long term from a declaw the employee said yes and also said that it is really painful for the cats.
The employee said the doctors use either a scalpel or clipper, depends on which one they prefer.
They said that Dr Miller is excellent and has been a vet for 30 years.
Another employee was asked if a declaw is ok long term for a cat and she said every cat is different and it’s not something they suggest that you do but they will do it to the front claws.
They said it is cutting off part of their finger and that’s up to you. They said most of their cats do just fine but there can be complications with anything. They said they have had some cases where there are complications but for the most part they are ok. This employee said Dr Miller does declaws regularly.
They said that they don’t suggest you do a declaw but if people ask for it then they will do it. They said that they do not do the back claws.
Not one mention of the humane alternatives from either employee.
Liles Animal Clinic, Searcy, AR
They don’t declaw because they say it’s too hard on the cat. It’s cutting off your finger at the knuckle. Dr Liles decided to stop doing declaws.
Apple Farm Veterinary Hospital, Beebe, AR
They do not declaw. They said that it is an amputation and is painful and can cause arthritis, issues with litter box, it can make the cats more aggression and could bite.
Searcy Animal Clinic
They said that Dr Jordan does declaws whenever he does a spay. He uses a scalpel and does them regularly. When asked if the cats are ok long term they said yes.
Wadley and Watson Veterinary
Dr Wadley does their declaws with a clipper and they do several a month. They said that he uses a little tool that clips the first joint off. A spay/declaw is $227.
When asked if the cats are ok long term the employee said that the cat is going to be in the house for the rest of their life it’s not going to hurt, they say they are ok to go out, but that they wouldn’t let them out.
If they are older it takes a bit to get over it more so than the younger ones. The older ones chew the sutures. They said that you need to use special litter, Purina’s Yesterday’s News, and they have it for sale.
Researcher asked if they have an age limit for the declaws and they said, “We can do it when they are older, it’s just a lot harder on them.”
Westside Veterinary Clinic.
Employee asked, “Do you want the front paws or all four?” A spay/2 paw declaw is $327 and a spay/4 paw declaw is $363.
They said that Dr James Hoffman does the declaws with a clipper and he has been in vet med for 20 years.
When asked if declawing is ok long term the employee said they don’t hear any complaints long term from their clients. Cats stay 2 nights and they give injectable pain med each day and don’t give take home pain meds.
They said there’s a possibility that the cat might limp, it’s very sore for them since they are amputating the first digit of their foot, so they might limp a couple days after the surgery, and it’s like taking the first part of your fingers off.
Honey Hill Animal Hospital
Employee asked, “Front only?”
A spay/2 paw declaw is $265 and a spay/4 paw declaw is $310.
They have 4 doctors who do their declaws. They use a scalpel. When asked if they are ok long term, they said yes and said that lots of people have declaws done.
Bald Knob Veterinary Clinic
Dr Wright is the only vet who does their declaws with a clipper and does them regularly and quite often. They said that they clamp them and clip them off. Declaw is around $120 for two paws. A four paw declaw is $150.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term. The employee said for awhile it will hurt them and they will have to learn to re-walk and walk without them there, they said it hurts them pretty bad at first but they normally get over it pretty quick.
Searcy County Veterinarian, Marshall, AR
Dr Blair does their declaws with a scalpel. A spay is $85 and it’s $20 extra for a two paw declaw. Just a declaw is$45. They said they do declaws quite often. When asked if it’s ok for a cat long term, they said they have never seen one come back with any problems.
Beebe Veterinary Hospital, Beebe, AR
$230 for a spay/declaw. They have 3 vets who do the declaws and they use a scalpel and do them regularly. When asked if the cats are Ok long term, they said there are nerves there so it’s like cutting your fingers off so there’s always a possibility they could end up with some sort of nerve damage but that’s the risk of surgery in general. Their cats have been ok.
They said if you want laser then AAHA Animal hospital, All For Pets in Cabot, AR does the laser declaw.
All for Pets, AAHA Accredited animal hospital in Cabot, AR
The employee said they like to wait until they are 6 months old. They talked about how they do a blood screening test, anesthesia, pain meds, cold laser, recovery care, cone is $445 for the spay.
Employee asked, “Are you wanting to do front declaw or all four?” A spay/2 paw declaw is $613 and a spay/4 paw declaw is $722.
They said that Dr Teresa Durham does their declaws with a laser. She has been in practice since 1995 and does declaws regularly.
Researcher asked if a declaw is ok for a cat long term and do they have any limping issues? “Oh definitely, we haven’t had any issues like that.”
Employee was asked if laser is better and they said a declaw is very extensive and can’t say it is less painful, but it makes cleaner cuts and they do laser therapy after that promotes healing. They said that the laser therapy takes down inflammation and they bandage them up and recheck them. They use dissolvable sutures that take about 90 days to dissolve.
They provide three days of take home pain meds.
Researcher asked if cats are ok long term from a declaw and employee said, “110%, we haven’t had any issues with any declaws” and they have worked there 5 years.
Researcher asked even with the 4 paw declaw. “Usually we recommend you do the front two, that will protect any furniture or them trying to scratch you.” They said that way they have those back claws for any defense they need if they get out. They said, “ But of course if you want to do all four, we will definitely do that for you.”
Cleburne County Animal Clinic Heber Springs, AR
Employee was asked for the cost of a declaw and they asked, “Just for the front?”
They said that Dr Cato does their declaws and it’s $368 for a 4 paw declaw. He has done a lot of declaws they said.
Researcher asked how he does the declaw and they said he completely pulls the claw out and cuts them out and sews them.
Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term and employee? They said as long as you keep them indoors. They said it’s not something that they highly recommend doing and a lot of people do it because of scratching their furniture.
North Hills Animal Hospital, Sherwood, AR
Employee said they don’t do declaws after 3 months old. Dr Scott Campbell does declaws regularly with a laser. Researcher asked if the cats are ok long term? Employee said, “Yes, they should be.”
Bellevue Animal Clinic, AAHA Accredited Animal Hospital, Little Rock, AR
Employee said that a spay/declaw is $620. They said that Dr Tad Marvin does the declaws regularly and uses a scalpel and they use a laser after to help with healing. When asked if a cat is ok long term from a declaw, they said, “If it’s done correctly.”
Here’s our 2020 story about declawing vet clinics in Arkansas during the worst part of the COVID crisis.
We did a quick cold call survey of the vet practices of the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association’s Board of Directors and district leaders on March 27th and March 30th and asked them if they are still performing elective procedures including neuter/ spay/declaws.
Most of the declawing vet practices in America were still using much needed PPE (masks, gloves, and gowns) to declaw cats and perform elective procedures despite national efforts to conserve this protective medical gear and despite the calls from the AVMA, state veterinary associations, healthcare organizations, hospitals, and state officials, to cease all routine surgeries and services.
Read our story and you will be shocked at what we found.
Declawing during the COVID crisis
Please sign our petitions and help us end this animal cruelty. Petitions
Always take the high road, be polite, and educate.