Alternatives to declawing?

[futuredo32]

Just wondering what GOOD alternatives there are to declawing (front and back) a kitty? Soft paws? Anything else?

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[david594]

Soft paws are a decent alternative, but I think the bigger question you have to address is why you want the cat declawed to begin with?

The is a big difference in how you would address the issue if its because the owner is immuno-compromised as opposed to the cat simply tearing up your furniture.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Behavioral modification (yes, you can do this in cats) can also be helpful.....if this is a scratching or fighting issue and not just a claws issue (as david mentioned about an immunocompromised owner)

 

[Angelo84]

Train your cat to let you clip its claws. Most cat nails are clear so you can easily see the quick or just clip the sharply curved part.
Or use a scratching post. Soft paws work but if you can put them on you could just as easily trim the nails.

 

[InfiniVet]

You can also sever the tendons. It is an alternative...just not a good one IMO.

 

[No Imagination]

You can also sever the tendons. It is an alternative...just not a good one IMO.

Ouch, i've never heard of that. For real? That better then declawing? Erghh, sounds horrible, but i guess its better then cutting at the joint.

I personally hated having my cat declawed, and would have rather found him a new home but not many takers on a 8 y/o with FIV - (I couldn't take the cat when I moved, and it was an ultimatum from mom)

 

[futuredo32]

You can also sever the tendons. It is an alternative...just not a good one IMO.

Is this a more humane alternative?

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I don't want to make this question too specific because I don't want to violate the terms of SDN and ask for medical advice.

 

[mdnghtdnc]

Is this a more humane alternative?

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I don't want to make this question too specific because I don't want to violate the terms of SDN and ask for medical advice.

the procedure is called a tendonectomy which just means you are taking out a piece of each tendon that is responsible for retracting and contracting the nail.... a tendon causes less pain than removing the actual bone and nail (as with a declaw)... so from the stand point of pain yes I would say it is more humane however I am still against both procedures unless absolutely neccessary for various reasons. With a tendonectomy the nails are still there the cat can not use them....THEY STILL GROW...and therefore the nails need to be trimmed every two to three weeks depending on how fast they grow. They will grow into the paw pad and cause horrible pain if they are not cut...so this procedure is not for someone who can not trim the nails......The cats seem to have less pain and discomfort and will actually start walking on them the next day sometimes even the day of the surgery wich is uncharacteristic of declaw.


Anyone else have any thoughts....? I have actually seen the nails grow back into the paw pad of some cats.... the doctor I used to work with would rather perform this surgery than the declaw. So this information comes from what she has told me in the past (accuracy ?) never looked it up to check.

 

[InfiniVet]

Personally I don't find one single thing inhumane about declawing a privately owned indoor-only cat.

Both of my kitties are declawed, both of whom I love dearly, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I notice that in America more folks own dogs than cats. Part of the aversion is the fact that claws come with some downsides:
Cat scratch fever.
Shredding expensive furniture.
Kitty's Claws + My Children = Kitty Gotsta Go
Taking the dog's eye out.

I oversaw my kitties declaws, was the tech during the procedure, and managed their post operative care. They walked the same day, but we still pursued aggressive post op pain management. Bandages off in a week. Back to regular litter in a month. Done.

How many more kitties would be adopted if they came pre-declawed? How is this so drastically different than dehorning bulls.

The only drawback I can think of, besides possible medical complications, of which I have not seen yet, is that the cat MUST remain strictly indoors for the rest of it's life.

I do not see ethical complications with declawing cats. The whole argument of cats "losing self identity" or "how would you like it?" is nullified the moment you spend 10 mins around a declawed cat - they have no idea they have lost anything, so there is no psychological loss. And there is no long term pain.

I think it ought to be done more often in attempts to keep folks from either throwing out their cats, or encouraging them to get cats.

 

[david594]

I think it ought to be done more often in attempts to keep folks from either throwing out their cats, or encouraging them to get cats.

I work at a shelter and I know the vet and a few other people there have said there are studies that indicate that cats who have been declawed are actually more likely to be surrendered. Supposedly there is a higher incidence of behavioral issues causing them to be surrendered.

I don't know the details though, just what I have been told.

 

[Pandacinny]

My shelter vet, who does not support declawing, says that declawed cats do not have a higher surrender rate and that it's a myth that's been debunked. I'll see if I can get a citation from her later.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I can see both sides. Infinivet does make a good point.

As a sidenote....I also find it odd that many people who are so against declawing are so pro spay/neuter.

Spay neuter is 90% for the convenience of the owner (no oops litters, fewer marking/behavioral issues, etc). The 10% of disease prevention is actually becoming outweighed by health *risks* (increased osteosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma risk, increased diabetes predisposition, spay incontinence, osteoarthritic problems in large and giant breeds, does not protect against prostatic neoplasia etc). And as for the population reduction arguement for s/n...studies have shown that "little, unable to place pups" is actually pretty far down on the list of reasons why people give up their animals. The top ones are moving, children, behavioral issues, etc. So, s/n = elective Sx for convenience. Declawing = elective Sx for convenience.

Especially in terms of spaying, that is an invasive surgery. How can people be so against declawing and be so pro spay neuter? They shoot down arguements that people make (" saying that their dog will not be whole without it's repro organs"), yet they make the same arguement (that a cat cannot be complete without its claws, and if you don't want claws don't get a cat). well, if you don't want or cannot deal with puppies or heats, etc should you not get a dog? No. You should get a dog and fix it.

Ok, end rant. Now, that's my logical arguement.

My personal feelings (personal, NOT professional...logically/professionally I have no issue declawing cats) on it are a bit off, though.....I *personally* don't particularly like convenience surgeries, that is why I HATE it when vets give me this horrified look when I say my next dog will remain intact because I refuse to have him/her undergo surgery and have organs removed just for my own convenience, even though that means I need to up my responsibility even more.....but I had to say it because I think people should hear it.

My 2 cents.

 

[No Imagination]

well WHTS,

My problem with declawing my own cat is I felt like I was unable to do my job/duty/whatever to properly care for my cat. Just couldn't get him to stop destroying mom's furniture before I left for school. I didn't try EVERYTHING, but I did everything a full time college student working 60 hr/week could do.

So, my aversion to the procedure is more like my cat had to suffer do to my inability to properly take care of it, and that sucks. With that said, I am a dog person at heart, but my lifestyle wasn't really conductive to a dog at the time, so I adopted a cat.

BTW, what kind of snake is that, I'm getting too old, can't make it out. Looks like a corn variant - or one of those new exotic hybrids? Used to have a very successful leucistic rat snake breeding pair, but got out of it.

 

[futuredo32]

the procedure is called a tendonectomy which just means you are taking out a piece of each tendon that is responsible for retracting and contracting the nail.... a tendon causes less pain than removing the actual bone and nail (as with a declaw)... so from the stand point of pain yes I would say it is more humane however I am still against both procedures unless absolutely neccessary for various reasons. With a tendonectomy the nails are still there the cat can not use them....THEY STILL GROW...and therefore the nails need to be trimmed every two to three weeks depending on how fast they grow. They will grow into the paw pad and cause horrible pain if they are not cut...so this procedure is not for someone who can not trim the nails......The cats seem to have less pain and discomfort and will actually start walking on them the next day sometimes even the day of the surgery wich is uncharacteristic of declaw.


Anyone else have any thoughts....? I have actually seen the nails grow back into the paw pad of some cats.... the doctor I used to work with would rather perform this surgery than the declaw. So this information comes from what she has told me in the past (accuracy ?) never looked it up to check.

Thanks so much.

 

[CatVet2Be]

I work at a shelter and I know the vet and a few other people there have said there are studies that indicate that cats who have been declawed are actually more likely to be surrendered. Supposedly there is a higher incidence of behavioral issues causing them to be surrendered.

I've heard the same statistics from rescue groups and shelter workers. Many of the declawed cats have problems with innapropriate urination which is the number one reason why someone gives up a cat. I've also noticed through my own experience that declawed cats are much more likely to bite and personally I'd rather deal with a cat scratch than a cat bite.

Behavioral training is possible, it just takes consistenceand patience. I believe that if you get a cat you shoul know the pros and cons and be prepared to be responsible with your pet. Immuno-compromised owners aside I feel it's petty to choose your furniture over your animal and put them through a painful procedure that provides no physical benefit to the animal. Spaying and neutering have physical benefits, declawing is solely for the owner.

I'll pop in later with some behavioral techniques that have worked for me (I'm on my lunch break and have to get back to work). And for the record I have 6 cats and a newish couch that have learned to coexist peacefully. It is possible.

 

[chris03333]

the procedure is called a tendonectomy which just means you are taking out a piece of each tendon that is responsible for retracting and contracting the nail.... a tendon causes less pain than removing the actual bone and nail (as with a declaw)... so from the stand point of pain yes I would say it is more humane however I am still against both procedures unless absolutely neccessary for various reasons. With a tendonectomy the nails are still there the cat can not use them....THEY STILL GROW...and therefore the nails need to be trimmed every two to three weeks depending on how fast they grow. They will grow into the paw pad and cause horrible pain if they are not cut...so this procedure is not for someone who can not trim the nails......The cats seem to have less pain and discomfort and will actually start walking on them the next day sometimes even the day of the surgery wich is uncharacteristic of declaw.


Anyone else have any thoughts....? I have actually seen the nails grow back into the paw pad of some cats.... the doctor I used to work with would rather perform this surgery than the declaw. So this information comes from what she has told me in the past (accuracy ?) never looked it up to check.

Tendonectomies, in many cases, end in severe chronic osteoarthritis in the long run so not better, or more humane, in my opinion

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

My problem with declawing my own cat is I felt like I was unable to do my job/duty/whatever to properly care for my cat. Just couldn't get him to stop destroying mom's furniture before I left for school. I didn't try EVERYTHING, but I did everything a full time college student working 60 hr/week could do..

yeah , I totally understand that. A good friend of mine's parents had two cats, and one of them had really bad redirected aggression...it would\ attack and scratch up the other one whenever it saw something outside it didn't like (like another cat, dogs, etc....other than that it was a fine cat). They tried training, reconditioning, trimming claws, soft paws, drugs, everything, and ended up getting her declawed because they couldn't bear to take it to a shelter.

There are definitely cases in which declawing IS the right answer and it helps both the animal and the owner when resources are spent.


BTW, what kind of snake is that, I'm getting too old, can't make it out. Looks like a corn variant - or one of those new exotic hybrids? Used to have a very successful leucistic rat snake breeding pair, but got out of it.

Noooo no fancy schmancy corn variant (no offense to cornies, though, they ARE pretty)

They are western Hognose snakes Good ole wild types! They both work as therapy snakes for a child phobia project here at Tech that a lot of vet students enroll their animals in to help kids be less afraid of dogs, cats, exotics, etc. They are sweeties.

They get shot out west all the time because they look like rattlesnakes, but they are completely harmless and play dead when threatened.

See: rattlesnake

vs hoggies:
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/keden/Hognoses.JPG


I have a leucistic rat, too!!! He isn't really well bred (a little bit of bug eye) and has some behavioral issues, but is overall a great snake.

 

[No Imagination]

I have a leucistic rat, too!!! He isn't really well bred (a little bit of bug eye) and has some behavioral issues, but is overall a great snake.

Wow, small world. I lost my male about 2 years ago, but my female is doing great, going on 9 years old. When I got out of breeding, the bug eyes had just reached my radar (although I read reports that they've been around since the beginning).

Soon as I have more time, I am thinking about getting back into breeding, it was a lot of fun, educational, and enjoyed it - Wanna try something different then the Elaphe's - Maybe give the Cribo's a shot! Gotta check if there still endangered - and I know their a lot of work, we'll see.

Always nice to meet another herp'er

 

[CatVet2Be]

WhtsThFrequency, that picture of the rattler is incredible! Is that one you took?

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

No, I wish!!

I'm not the luckiest field herper. I have some good pictures of copperheads, queensnakes, cottonmouths and such, but haven't gottena rattler yet. A good friend of mine is crazy. He finds them all the time *jealous*

I submitted that linked pic of the hoggies to my class's "cutest pet contest"...they didn''t win (it was rigged, I tell ya!! )

 

[Nexx]

I've heard the same statistics from rescue groups and shelter workers. Many of the declawed cats have problems with innapropriate urination which is the number one reason why someone gives up a cat. I've also noticed through my own experience that declawed cats are much more likely to bite and personally I'd rather deal with a cat scratch than a cat bite.

There should be no biological/behavioural reason for a cat to inapp. urinate due to a declaw. Also, many cats are declawed because they may have a problem with scratching/biting and you take away at least one of those 'defense' mechanisms and can get along much better with your cat. Also it is typically much harder to get a cat to bite, than it is to have it scratch/swat (depends on the cat though)

Just popping in to say that this may be a bit skewed of an anecdotal perspective.

I'm a firm believer that if an owner requires their cat to be declawed for them to adopt/keep it, I will perform the procedure. I'd rather see a cat have a good home and be on good pain management than to not see it get a home.

I personally have a bit of a problem child cat who is a swat/biter so he was declawed a month after getting him. It took me about a year before I could even get him well enough for me to trim his hind nails without shoving him in a pant leg. He's got a bit of an anxiety issue, but does well in a stable environment--it was interesting when I had to drop him off to live with my parents when I moved overseas. Although I think I'm never getting him back now, they've grown quite attached to the weirdo.

 

[sofficat]

As a sidenote....I also find it odd that many people who are so against declawing are so pro spay/neuter.

Spay neuter is 90% for the convenience of the owner (no oops litters, fewer marking/behavioral issues, etc). The 10% of disease prevention is actually becoming outweighed by health *risks* (increased osteosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma risk, increased diabetes predisposition, spay incontinence, osteoarthritic problems in large and giant breeds, does not protect against prostatic neoplasia etc). And as for the population reduction arguement for s/n...studies have shown that "little, unable to place pups" is actually pretty far down on the list of reasons why people give up their animals. The top ones are moving, children, behavioral issues, etc. So, s/n = elective Sx for convenience. Declawing = elective Sx for convenience.

Especially in terms of spaying, that is an invasive surgery. How can people be so against declawing and be so pro spay neuter? They shoot down arguements that people make (" saying that their dog will not be whole without it's repro organs"), yet they make the same arguement (that a cat cannot be complete without its claws, and if you don't want claws don't get a cat). well, if you don't want or cannot deal with puppies or heats, etc should you not get a dog? No. You should get a dog and fix it.

Ok, end rant. Now, that's my logical arguement.

My personal feelings (personal, NOT professional...logically/professionally I have no issue declawing cats) on it are a bit off, though.....I *personally* don't particularly like convenience surgeries, that is why I HATE it when vets give me this horrified look when I say my next dog will remain intact because I refuse to have him/her undergo surgery and have organs removed just for my own convenience, even though that means I need to up my responsibility even more.....but I had to say it because I think people should hear it.

My 2 cents.

That is very interesting. Thank you for your thoughts. I am one of those who have my cats spayed/neutered but not declawed. I never really thought that s/n is very similar to declawing. You are told your entire life that altering your pet is for the better health of your pet. I mean, I have seen quite a few pyometras and prostate cancers, but I guess I have seen a lot more arthritis and obesity and diabetes. I guess it is just really easy to link pyometras to having a uterus than to link diabetes to not having a uterus. I guess as of now I am still against declawing and for spaying and neutering. Even if you are a good owner, your pet can still escape despite your best efforts and can end up pregnant (or getting someone else pregnant). Especially with HBC- majority of those cases are intact males lookin for that gal in heat somewhere in your neighborhood.
Anyways, thanks for your insight, it'll definitely be something that I'll keep in the back of my mind and consider every time this debate comes up.

One more thought- there are some health benefits to spaying and neutering. Are there ANY health benefits for declawing?? (I'm talking about the individual's health, not the whole argument of 'it's the cat or the claws)

 

[InfiniVet]

There is a health benefit to declawing, actually its technically Public Health since it's zoonosis - Cat scratch fever. So if you've got kids, elderly folks, or any other immunocompromised individuals in your house its certainly a consideration.
I suppose its also a health benefit (indirectly) for other animals in the house, if Ms. Kitty isn't armed with razor blades.
As for Ms. Kitty herself? Hrmm...can't think of any health benefits outside of trauma to the nail bed from scratching. Ever see a loopy kitty fighting sedatives repeatedly scratch until their nails bleed? I have. Not nice to watch.

 

[sofficat]

There is a health benefit to declawing, actually its technically Public Health since it's zoonosis - Cat scratch fever. So if you've got kids, elderly folks, or any other immunocompromised individuals in your house its certainly a consideration.
I suppose its also a health benefit (indirectly) for other animals in the house, if Ms. Kitty isn't armed with razor blades.
As for Ms. Kitty herself? Hrmm...can't think of any health benefits outside of trauma to the nail bed from scratching. Ever see a loopy kitty fighting sedatives repeatedly scratch until their nails bleed? I have. Not nice to watch.

So basically... no (there are no benefits for that patient)
I wasn't talking about special situations and owners (immunocompromised people, etc).
Why does Ms. Kitty have to have razor blades? It is possible to cut nails every week and prevent them from being very sharp.
I don't count 'events that can happen while drugged' as a health benefit for declawing. They can also gnaw on things until their gums bleed... does that mean we should remove their teeth? (i know- stupid question, that was the point )

 

[sumstorm]

There should be no biological/behavioural reason for a cat to inapp. urinate due to a declaw. Also, many cats are declawed because they may have a problem with scratching/biting and you take away at least one of those 'defense' mechanisms and can get along much better with your cat. Also it is typically much harder to get a cat to bite, than it is to have it scratch/swat (depends on the cat though)

As a trainer, I have seen this happen a number of times, but I believe it is due to exposing the cat to dusty, small granule litter before the feet are healed well enough, which may be uncomfy for the cat. Or, possibly, due to trying to scratch litter with relatively freshly declawed toes. If the cat things litter box = pain, they may start avoiding it altogether.

One thing I do advise owners of, before they declaw, is that a cat without claws may resort to teeth faster. This is especially true with children that often are handling pets inappropriatly with parents who seem to think a pet should tolerate everything and anything a child does and who fails to supervise interactions.

I have seen some terrible declaws done by experienced vets, so I would have a hard time with a declaw if I hadn't previously observed the procedure done by that vet to assure that I found it acceptable. I have also seen the results of poor declaws. Also, just like any other procedure, recovery, discomfort, and pain vary between animals.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

You are told your entire life that altering your pet is for the better health of your pet.

It really depends on the individual animal. For example, I would never, ever recommend spaying or neutering a giant breed like a Dane until at least 1.5 to 2 yrs old because of the problems with growth plate closure and proper muscle/bone ratio as they grow. In a Golden Retreivers, we'd have to look VERY carefully at the dog's lineage (if available) to determine cancer risk, as s/n has been linked to increased risk of hemangiosarcoma, an exceedingly common cause of death in Goldens.

It also depends on the owners and how willing they are to take the extra steps needed with having an intact animal (which in all honestly, isn't too hard). If they don't want to deal with it, of course I'd fix the animal, but I'd have a long talk with them about instead of "great idea, let's do it!!" I mean, it IS surgery, and elective at that. Plus, all of this has to be balanced with the fact that you cannot rely completely on owner compliance in anything. So it's a mess.

Canine s/n protects against mammary cancer, true (even though mammary cancer is very rare to begin with) and pyometra, and prostatic hyperplasia (NOT prostatic cancer) and perianal adenomas...and like you said, can cut down on wandering....

Keeping a dog intact reduces the risk of certain other types of cancer (much more common ones), spay incontinence, endocrine disorders, etc...so IMO it is a wash in terms of health.

But honestly I am of the opinion that s/n isn't something to just say GO on (just like declawing shouldn't be). I know this was a little OT but its something that I think the upcoming veterinary community really needs to investigate.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

parents who seem to think a pet should tolerate everything and anything a child does and who fails to supervise interactions.

That is the greatest bang-head-against-the-wall issue in the world for me. I was taught as a kid that if I was bothering the dog and the dog bit me, it was my own fault because I did something the dog didn't like and I shouldn't do that. Nowadays, the dog gets sent off to be euthed for being "aggressive" *rollseyes*

 

[sumstorm]

Did we have the same parents? My were firm believers that if I got hurt by a pet, I was the one in trouble! I hold the same standard in our home. Obviously, some individual animals don't belong with children at all, but children need to learn how to behave around animals.

I was returning from a 4 day search for missing hikers on the blue ridge with my shepherd. We were taking a break at a rest stop when a 6 year old literally tackled my shepherd. Came running out of the picnic areas from behind me. Lucky for me my shepherd is as stable as they come, but the mother was snapping pictures and talking about how 'cute' it was. I had some very cross words for her about the dangers of her child doing that, not to mention how disresepctful it is. Neither of us were in SAR gear, and we were no where near my marked vehicle. We had spent at least 30 hours on our feet in the past couple days, not to mention over 8 hours of drive time, and my dog shouldn't have to deal with the additional stress of a tackling child.

 

[r00]

Train your cat to let you clip its claws. Most cat nails are clear so you can easily see the quick or just clip the sharply curved part.
Or use a scratching post. Soft paws work but if you can put them on you could just as easily trim the nails.

I agree here... we have a kitten up for adoption at a clinic that I volunteer at and she is still wary around people and we clipped her nails yesterday no problem... get a good hold on her, scruff her and clip away... done...

 

[david594]

I know everyone here is making some valid arguments against spaying and neutering. But have studies ever been done on altered animals on hormone replacement drugs and their relative risk of cancer?

 

[InfiniVet]

One thing I do advise owners of, before they declaw, is that a cat without claws may resort to teeth faster.

This is my only problem. It's a totally reasonable conclusion, but its completely baseless. Its a case of humans projecting onto animals.
Cats don't realize they're without claws. The whole "declawed cats bite more" is completely & utterly hogswash in my experience thus far, it really truly is. If this were true, no one would ever (and rightfully so!) declaw.

re: immunocompromised being a special circumstance...but is it such a rare situation? The very old & very young & the very sick (or have AIDS). Its quite a reach for us strapping healthy 20 somethings, but I'm not convinced its a 'special circumstance' when you're talking demographics of pet owners.

Other than that, I really cannot advocate a health benefit for the pet, and I really cannot advocate every cat ought be declawed.

Im also 100% with WTF on s/n, but I never talk mention my position on it because I know s/n will likely be a large part of my bread & butter.

 

[sofficat]

re: immunocompromised being a special circumstance...but is it such a rare situation? The very old & very young & the very sick (or have AIDS). Its quite a reach for us strapping healthy 20 somethings, but I'm not convinced its a 'special circumstance' when you're talking demographics of pet owners.
.

I never said it was rare, but it is a special circumstance. Most of the cats and kittens that are declawed are not because the owner is very young, very old or very sick, so I put immunocompromised under special circumstance.

 

[EqSci]

You are told your entire life that altering your pet is for the better health of your pet.

It really depends on the individual animal. For example, I would never, ever recommend spaying or neutering a giant breed like a Dane until at least 1.5 to 2 yrs old because of the problems with growth plate closure and proper muscle/bone ratio as they grow. In a Golden Retreivers, we'd have to look VERY carefully at the dog's lineage (if available) to determine cancer risk, as s/n has been linked to increased risk of hemangiosarcoma, an exceedingly common cause of death in Goldens.

It also depends on the owners and how willing they are to take the extra steps needed with having an intact animal (which in all honestly, isn't too hard). If they don't want to deal with it, of course I'd fix the animal, but I'd have a long talk with them about instead of "great idea, let's do it!!" I mean, it IS surgery, and elective at that. Plus, all of this has to be balanced with the fact that you cannot rely completely on owner compliance in anything. So it's a mess.

Canine s/n protects against mammary cancer, true (even though mammary cancer is very rare to begin with) and pyometra, and prostatic hyperplasia (NOT prostatic cancer) and perianal adenomas...and like you said, can cut down on wandering....

Keeping a dog intact reduces the risk of certain other types of cancer (much more common ones), spay incontinence, endocrine disorders, etc...so IMO it is a wash in terms of health.

But honestly I am of the opinion that s/n isn't something to just say GO on (just like declawing shouldn't be). I know this was a little OT but its something that I think the upcoming veterinary community really needs to investigate.

I think pet overpopulation needs to be taken into consideration in addition to the pet health risks/benefits (which is the whole point of s/n in the first place). When we recommend s/n as a rule, the big picture is that less intact animals are out in the world to breed, which is a good thing considering the 6 million euth'd merely because they are in excess of the demand. Exceptions should certainly be considered, but I think at this point they are. If someone comes into a clinic who is well-educated and understands the risks and benefits of s/n and has decided to keep their pet intact for good reasons, I don't know any vet who would give them a hard time. On the other hand, if someone comes into a clinic who isn't sure that they want to s/n because 'Butch is a MAN' or 'Fluffy is so sweet and I want her to have puppies to show my kids the miracle of life', then they are obviously not educated and the odds are they would not be responsible enough to have an intact animal. While there are people out there like you that understand what it means to have an intact animal, fact is that 99% of pet owners just don't, so I think recommending s/n as a rule is a good thing.

I guess my point is that I would rather s/n a few dogs that could've gotten away with being intact, than I would leave intact a few dogs that create a few litters of unhealthy, homeless puppies. It's all about the big picture, IMO.

On a side note, I never really considered NOT having my dog neutered. But if I had I would've done it anyway. I think his life is better for it - if he was intact, his off-leash time would be drastically reduced, he wouldn't be able to play with any dog any time, etc. Yes, I suppose it is for my convenience, but my convenience directly affects him. I can't have him on leash or watch him constantly while I'm riding, so if he was intact he would lose the privilege of having free-roam at the barn because there are many neighboring dogs. Anyway, it's a personal choice and I certainly don't look down on anyone who responsibly makes the decision to keep their pet intact, but I believe s/n should be recommended as a rule to the general public.

 

[InfiniVet]

Beautifully stated Eqsci.
It really all comes down to responsibility in the end eh?

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I also agree completely. I don't like "shot gun" approaches on any subject. Many things need to be taken into consideration, whether it be declaw or s/n.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

But have studies ever been done on altered animals on hormone replacement drugs and their relative risk of cancer?

I don't think so. But it would be interesting. If the question is "is it really the hormones causing it"....in terms of bone problems the effect of sex hormones on bone growth/plate closure/etc is well documented. And other studies were very carefully matched cohort studies (hemangio ones, etc) so it would be very difficult for a variable large enough to cause a hugely disproportionate cancer risk to sneak in (>5x more likely in some hemangio subsets)