Would you consider this Plastic Surgery? (On Animals)

[alltoofamiliar]

I heard that those Sharpe (sp?) dogs have to have face lifts sometimes coz they get infections in their eyes coz the skin falls over them but thats with the animals welfair in mind so I think thats OK.

My jack Russel had his tail docked when he was a puppy before we got him. I heard they tie someting round it really tight until it just drops off His tail is just a little stump now that wiggles when he's excited, its quite cute actually but I'd never have it done to a dog of mine. My bf's dog is a pain in the arse with its tail it knocks everything over, drinks, vases, food etc. I looked after him over the weekend and I left the gas fire on while I went the loo and when I came back I could smell singing, when I looked at the dog his tail was smoking, dosey thing had caught it in the fire!! He was fine though, just singed some hairs!!

But anyway, back to the point. I don't think owners should do anything to their pets just to make them look 'better' its cruel and unnecessary.

We had a Sharpei (may he RIP) and we had to have his eyelids lifted. He eventually went blind because of all the eye infections that he went through!

[Karistiona]

Aw alltoofamiliar that's such a shame, Sharpei(s?) are gorgeous. Our dogs are very high pedigree, but they're au naturale, and it's really lovely. My mum and her friend took one of our dogs to Crufts (one of the biggest dog shows here in the UK) and she said it was so lovely to see the deerhounds looking like normal loved dogs in amongst all the other show dogs that were made up with ribbons and powdered and painted and all sorts.

[snakebread]

I think tail docking and ear cutting are mutilations that are perpetuated by the AKC and other breeding groups--horrible!

But I kind of see how the "thumb claws" can get in the way. My mutt has prominent "thumb pads" or dewlaps or dew pads or whatever, and he keeps cutting the underneath area and it gets infected and painful. I heard some working breeds have thumb claws that get caught in undergrowth when they hunt and tear off, so it's theoretically better to cut them when they're young (in the same way circumcision is theoretically better because boys don't wash well.)

But for REAL cosmetic surgery, I heard that neutered male dogs can have silicone implants (like breast implants but smaller) in their scrotom to make them look like they still have testicles. Now that's CRAZY!!!

[drama_queen]

My Poodle still has his tail.I refuse to have it docked off.This made me sick

The most common docking procedure is simply to cut the tail at the appropriate length with sterile scissors and then to stitch the skin over the resulting wound for a clean finish. This is done without anaesthetic as newborn puppies cannot be put under general anaesthetic... very painful.

A second, less common, procedure is to dock puppy tails the same way lamb's tails are docked: with elastic banding. An elastic band is tied very tightly onto the tail at the appropriate length and left there for five to seven days. This serves to cut off all blood supply (and nerve sensation) to the end of the tail. At the end of that time, the end of the tail will often fall off, no differently than an umbilical cord on a baby. Done properly, this is a painless and humane way to dock a baby's sensitive tail.

[mklady]

We had a Sharpei (may he RIP) and we had to have his eyelids lifted. He eventually went blind because of all the eye infections that he went through!

Pekingese are bad for eye problems too. My mom bought one from a pet store who was marked for clearance because he had a nasal deformity and was never going to be "of value" and would never have his papers. He was about $70. Well, not only does he breathe funny and snore loudly, he has skin allergies and digs and scratches all the time and loses his hair, he also smells hideous and needs to be bathed every week using baby shampoo and he is blind or close to it because his eyes are apparently sensitive as well. And, because his eyes stick out to far, he always has dried goop all over them. It is quite gross but he is the sweetest thing for being a peke. But, the real kicker for me was when my mom got a call from the pet store saying his papers were in, she went and got them and didn't say a word to them about what was told to her when she bought them. She wanted to see where he had been bred and his value. Amazingly, he was supposed to have sold for $900 and comes from a pretty good line. Could you imagine spending that kind of money for a dog (ridiculous) only to have him develop all those problems? Which are common peke problems, but usually not all at once.

[gunny]

dogs with cropped ears can hier 4x better than when left floppy. as for there tails dog can have suveir fractures and infections
and people that have their dogs ears cropped are not stuped

[moomies]

Is it neccesary that your dog hear 4 times better? If they didn't have naturally pointy upward ears, that means they weren't meant to be that way, that's just human interference. I don't think it's worth the pain of surgery and what not. Maybe if you have a hunting dog or guard dog. But most dogs are just domestic pets that you keep at home for company. I don't believe that any surgery is necessary unless medical and for health purposes.

[DitaPage*]

Oh i saw something on tv about this- some guy had the excess fat on his dogs neck (you know that jiggly bit) removed and they showed the dog afterwards running around and the guys like- "See how happy he is! He was so depressed before". SERIOUSLY, would the dog know any different?

[McJag]

My standard poodle has not been docked or dewclawed and I would not consider it! He is quite fine-only occasionally do I even realize the dewclaws are there-they have never snagged on a thing. His tail goes straight up most of the time -he is my heart!

[WickedHo]

Is this a record?? Is this the oldest thread ever to be necro'd??

[shedevilang]

I have Pit bulls and I refuse to cut there ears in this breed most people cut them in case they fight(or to fight them) to keep them from being ripped off. I've been told that cutting a dogs tail can affect their balance. I say leave them alone they have ears and tails for a reason lol because jesus made em that way(as my son would say)

[Dean James]

I know there was a flap over the pekingese that won Crufts and his alleged plastic surgery on his face folds. Apparently he had his nostrils enlarged so he could breathe better or something and that got everyone all riled up.