Ear cropping is a simple procedure, and only takes 30 minutes under anesthesia, between the ages of 7 to 12 weeks. Surgery is done in the morning and puppy is sent home in the afternoon. When properly performed, there is less pain than a spay or neuter. In fact, the ear leather at eight weeks is so fine they hardly even realize it's been done; healing time is minimal with lifetime benefits.
It is far from being an unnecessary procedure especially carried out in cases of injury or for medical reasons. Some dog owners and their veterinarians emphasize that ear cropping provides the dog a benefit by reducing ear infections while improving the hearing. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim other than the knowledge and opinions from some our reputable Veterinarians who have great success with ear cropping and the hundreds of thousands of cropped eared pets living today. There also is no evidence that supports the claims of having detrimental effects, if this were true than there would be countless reports on dogs suffering as a result of ear cropping being performed, animal rights would be jumping all over this. So with little or no scientific evidence to support either side's claim, one would have to look at the animals that have these surgeries performed, and the knowledge of a Veterinarian that has performed these surgeries as well as the owners and breeders that care for them.
Tail docking and dewclaw removal is normally performed at 2 to 5 days of age without anesthetic being used. When carried out correctly, the procedure causes no more than momentary discomfort as puppy is still a neonate and does not have a fully developed nervous system. When the pup is placed back with its litter-mates, it quickly falls asleep or starts feeding again.
If the puppy is more than 5 days old, the procedure should only be performed under anesthesia, preferably not before 8 weeks of age. Many un-docked adult animals undergo the tail docking procedure out of necessity when their tail has been traumatized.
Research shows that countries that have prohibited ear cropping an/d/or tail docking such as those in Europe, Australia and New Zealand they are not only struggling to save certain breeds but an amendment was made in the united Kingdom allowing veterinarians to dock service dogs only proving that the prohibition on docking was not what was best for certain breeds.
No one should be punished for being trained or wanting to continue these practices let alone be chastised for owning a breed that is docked and/or cropped or dewclaw removed.
APPD believes that pet owners should be able to make animal husbandry decisions based on their own experience and that of the medical professionals they consult, and should not be bound by the values and ethics of radical special interest groups, operating with little practical knowledge of the subject.
APPD also believes that veterinarians should have a choice to perform these surgeries just as they have a choice to specialize in other types of procedures.
WE NEED TO CHANGE things so that the Veterinarian and future Veterinarians have the right to be trained/continue to practice these beneficial elective surgeries.
What happens when a Veterinarian can no longer work with his/her client, but the desire for the docked/cropped and dewclaw removed breed still exists?
If the Veterinary schools were allowed to open the doors and have docking and cropping taught, many of our historical purebred breeds would not need to be subjected to what the animal rights organizations would be calling "BUTCHERY”.
We’re sure that if the choice was presented without facing ridicule or banishment, a skilled Veterinarian would volunteer as a qualified instructor. Politics should never take precedence over the health and well-being of our Purebred dogs.
Protect our Purebreds by allowing our Veterinarians and clients the right to work together for the betterment of the dog.
Either one of two things, the not so scrupulous Breeder who does not bother to do health testing or is ignoring the results, turns elsewhere meaning other than a clinically safe environment; say perhaps someone’s kitchen or basement. In such a clinically unsafe environment this could cause much pain and suffering to animal maybe even death.
The responsible breeder that Health tests and relies on the skills and knowledge of their Veterinarian, one that follows all rules and regulations, now find themselves no longer breeding their once cherished breed. Not because they have given up, but because of lack of interest from the general public or scepticism in owning a d/c/dc breed that is no longer docked or cropped as they are aware of the damage that could result.
Remember that no dogs suffered as a result of being cropped/docked or dewclaw removed by a professional. Legislation is now preventing Veterinarian and client from working together. This has been brought about by groups/individuals with an agenda to eliminate the purebred dog