I’m doing this post to make a few points. The big pro-declaw Veterinary Associations like the NYSVMS, AVMA, and all the other state vet associations say that the decision about declawing should be in the hands of the veterinary profession and not the government or social media.
Well my friends. The hard, cold facts are that most of the pro-declaw veterinarians can’t be trusted that they are counseling clients about the humane alternatives, doing it as a very last resort, giving their clients accurate declawing information, and following the guidelines that these veterinary authorities have put out. Lies about declawing by the NYSVMS
We can’t even trust many of these veterinary leaders to practice what they preach.Does the NYSVMS Pres. Walk the Talk?
Here is a story about one of the many very unethical examples of a longtime veterinarian who is deceiving his clients about laser declawing.
Many of you told me about this video that this veterinary hospital posted to Instagram last week. (It has since been taken down) The cat was obviously still under the influence of the drugs from the mutilating surgery that burned off his toe bones and claws.
So I wanted to address your concerns of this veterinary hospital that was promoting its laser declaw on social media.
I went to this animal hospital’s website and found this photo (since the owner of this photo wrote me and said she owns this photo and doesn’t want me to use it I had to take it down. If you want to see the photo of her kitty with the open wounds from the amputations from the declaw then you will have to view it here https://vanloonanimalhospital.com/ Photo of paw on kitty that was laser declawing and is being “treated with laser pulse therapy” [/button] or here on their facebook page button]
AND this appalling declawing information (which they have since taken down)
DeClawing of Cats
Why Declaw?
Safety for our children; 70% of cats sleep with there owners;children frequently wake up with scratches around their eyes leading to concerned parents. Behavior problems are the number one cause of relinquishing pet ownership;high gloss furniture scratches, couches for scratching posts and lace drapes destroyed by claws are not acceptable for some clients.
Is Declawing Humane?
Most of the bad public relations about declawing comes from years ago when laser was not yet employed; we brought the first surgical laser to the LaCrosse area in 2000 and have not declawed a cat without it since. Provided patients are corrected as kittens this is a “very humane” procedure. We routinely see patients playing with their paws right out of surgery. Through the use of laser surgery, local nerve blocks and state of the art pain drugs we are able to make this a very humane procedure…all of our declaws are fully insure, receive antibiotics and follow up pulse therapy laser treatment to further suppress any pain.
I decided to do what I always do and I respectfully reached out to this veterinary practice privately. I called this practice, told them who I was and asked them if I could send them some educational information about declawing. I spoke with the lead vet tech and manager there who said she had 10 yrs of experience in the profession. She told me one of their employees is stupid and posted that video.
I said that it seems you are proud of your laser for declaws and I wanted to educate them about the facts about declawing and lasers for declaws. She said, “You do understand that other clinics do declaws and it’s not just ours right?” I told her yes and what was I supposed to say about that comment.
She then said, “You don’t have to attack OUR clinic.”
I proceeded to tell her that I was respectfully calling to see if I could simply email them some educational declawing information because many people had seen the video they posted to the world about how amazing their laser was for declawing.
She said, “We don’t need your education, we get our education from the AVMA.”
I wanted to ask her one more question since she seemed very offended that I wanted to send her this info. I asked her what did this comment mean that they have on their website, ” Provided patients are corrected as kittens this is a “very humane” procedure.”
She said because a lot of people do it with nail trimmers and we use a surgical laser.”
I told her about the two studies that showed the complications were worse for lasers. (Studies below)
She said, “That’s definitely not what we see since we see this everyday. I’m not supposed to talk to media or anything and I don’t appreciate this phone call because it’s just the internet and if you’re going to believe everything you read on the internet you are going to have a hard life.”
Then she gave me their email and said she is going to end the phone call and then hung up on me.
Okie dokie.
So last week I sent the veterinarian the respectful educational email with the AVMA declawing position, the facts about laser declawing from this veterinary practice [button href=”http://www.arborridgepetclinic.com/the-truths-and-myths-about-laser-feline-declaw-sur.pml” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] Laser declaw facts[/button] , the link to the Paw Project movie link on YouTube [button href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yihVLIkVRzo” color=”green” newwindow=”yes”] Paw Project Movie[/button] , laser studies about complications , told them inspiring stories about vets who stopped declawing and all the positive accolades they received and how more pet owners came to their practice because of their no-declaw stance, and also reminded them about the humane alternatives like scratchers and soft paws that would protect their clients beloved kids, couches, laced drapes, and high gloss furniture.
I never heard back from this veterinarian.
So not only was I accused of “attacking” this practice, I was told to not believe what I see on the internet when they are the ones who are posting this appalling misinformation out to their clients on the internet. Unfortunately this is how the majority of pro-declaw veterinarians operate their practices. According to this vet tech/manager, they do these declaws all the time (she sees them everyday) and the believe it is humane.
They say they are following the AVMA’s educational info so maybe they are going by what the AVMA says about declawing. The AVMA even says that chopping off cat’s toes with a guillotine chopper is “humane.” Here is a screenshot from the obituary from the AVMA.org about the unethical vet who invented declawing in the 50’s. 
I also emailed the AVMA to see if they send this kind of educational declawing info to veterinary practices. I will update the story if they answer me. They will probably send my email to all the veterinary associations, warning them about me, instead. [button href=”https://citythekitty.org/dear-david-how-did-you-overcome-goliath/” color=”red” newwindow=”yes”] AVMA Sends My Email To Veterinary Associations[/button]
Laser studies from PawProject.org Levy, et al. (1999), found that complications (bleeding, limping, swelling, infection) were generally worse in the laser onychectomy (declawing) group, compared against blade onychectomy in the first 2 days after surgery. Laser declawing can result in 4th Degree burns (burning of the bone).
Robinson, et al. (JAVMA 2007), found no difference in limb function after 48 hours between the laser and the scalpel onychectomy groups. Sadly, one cat in the laser group “had signs of depression and was reluctant to walk on day 2 after surgery…and was euthanized.” Disturbingly, 12 days after the surgery, at the conclusion of the study, declawed cats still showed evidence of pain.