Declawing Advice From An AAHA and AVMA Veterinarian
Interviewer; Our next question is from Larry, he writes, “My wife wants to get our cat declawed but I heard it’s inhumane”, is it safe to do this or should we leave it as it is?
Dr Nelson; Big discussion I’ll give you a kind of just a thumbprint of both sides some people consider it amputation & you’ll hear all kinds of extreme descriptions of it that are completely wrong & then there are other people that say ahh it’s just like trimming their nails, that’s wrong too.
Not every cat should be declawed but a lot of them have to be because they’re indoor cats & the older people don’t want to be scratched & the don’t want their house ruined & things like this. I’m Just gonna say discuss it with your veterinarian, he or she is the expert in it. There is some discomfort but it’s fairly brief, but not every cat, unless they’re having a problem should be declawed either.
Interviewer; Especially if your cat goes outside at all, it takes away some defenses.
Dr Nelson; Even declawed cats can climb trees & things like this but does take away on their defense, just don’t let them outside.
JAVMA Gives A Platform to AVMA Vet Who Claims Declaw Method is Painless and Uses No Pain Meds
“Because the method described by Dr. Yoon preserves the flexor process of the third phalanx and the attachment of the flexor tendons to this process, it may, theoretically, provide some benefits over procedures that involve removal of the third phalanx in its entirety. However, outcomes of this procedure, particularly long-term outcomes, still need to be studied. Comment by Kurt J. Matushek, DVM, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA)
He drew up the solution and euthanized that sweet declawed kitten in a matter of minutes.
The vet never mentioned the real reason for the kitten’s behavior, which was the horrible pain in her toes from that declaw surgery. He drew up the euthanasia solution and euthanized that sweet declawed kitten in a matter of minutes.
I cried for that kitten for weeks afterwards. I felt the pain, fear, and suffering every kitten and cat endured because of those declaw surgeries for the whole of my career.
Colorado Veterinary Medical Association Fights The Declaw Ban in Denver. Here’s Why.
November 5, 2017 the Denver City Council unanimously passed the anti-declaw bill and then on November 13, 2017 the City Council unanimously approved the anti-declawing ordinance. Declawing is illegal in the city of Denver!
The Colorado Veterinary Medical Association is the only organization that fought to stop this bill so their vets can keep declawing cats.
My team of researchers did a survey of vet practices in the city of Denver after the Denver City Council voted 11-0 to ban declawing. I wanted to see how the vet practices in Denver address declawing and if word had gotten out that declawing was going to be illegal.
My researchers posed as cat owners who were checking on a price to get their cat declawed. This research was conducted from Nov. 7-9, 2017.
Many AVMA Vets Declaw Cats And Give NO Pain Meds. Here are two examples.
This vet, Dr Donald St Ledger, a 40 yr American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) member vet, who went to University of Illinois has been and is STILL declawing cats of any age on 2 and 4 paws and NOT USING ANY PAIN MEDS at Albion Veterinary Clinic in Illinois.
It Still Haunts Me
He was an orange and white splotched kitty with a huge personality matched only by his massive purr. A love bug to everyone who came in and playful. He tolerated having ears and tail tugged by special needs children that came to visit and would purr and snuggle despite it all. He understood they just didn’t understand and that they just wanted love the same as he did. He was the heart of the shelter and the staff and we all had a special place for Magic.
“I feel like I have failed you”
I received this sad note from an awesome woman who really cares about the welfare of cats. It’s really sad that this cat cruelty and abuse is happening in around 80% of veterinary practices in America. It’s hard to believe that all those declawing vets took an oath to EASE the suffering in animals yet are causing it by amputating the toe bones and claws in around 5000 cats a DAY in America.
American Association of Furniture Protectors, The Cash Friendly Organization
“The declaw procedure is a surgical removal of the claw. Contrary to rumors and misinformed sources, declawing is not the removal of any of the actual toe itself, just the claw.”
Dr. Julie K. Broshar, AAFP CAT FRIENDLY, Purr-Sonal Care Cat Clinic, Waterloo, Iowa
We Must Educate The Old School Veterinarians About Declawing
June 2017 I’ve come to the conclusion that we are the ones who need to educate the old school vets about the truth and facts about declawing. The younger vets that are deceiving cat owners about the facts about declawing, most likely know the truth but don’t want to lose the income from amputating cat […]
“They Don’t Act Like Anything Has Happened”
In June 2017 this veterinary practice posted this photo of two kittens with bloody paws, who were just declawed and said on the caption, “When the two siblings were “fixed” and declawed the day before, but they don’t act like anything has happened…”