Declawing Paul

Well folks here we have another stupid statement, but this should carry a red for danger warning because he is a vet! He has the honour of being the latest “pimp” on the Hall of Shame and rightly so. Here’s what he’s had to spout:
“In twenty years of practice, I have found few procedures that elicit such polarizing opinions and is more misunderstood, than the issue of feline declawing.
(The “is more misunderstood” are his words and grammar, that doesn’t inspire much confidence if he can’t even string a proper sentence together does it? So Paul if you’re reading this, it is ARE misunderstood, OK?) Now folks, how do you reckon we are misunderstanding? What is there to misunderstand about amputating a cat’s toes? If they’re gone they’re gone, so I think we’ve pretty much got the idea what declawing is all about.
“Several European countries have outlawed it and several counties in California are attempting to illegalize it as well”. Hmm I wonder if he wonders why those nasty European countries have outlawed it and why even his fellow countrymen are trying to “illegalize” it (is that really a word?) That adds up to an awful lot of people who misunderstand declawing Paul, are you absolutely certain it’s not you who is the one who doesn’t comprehend what it’s all about!
Moving on, he says “ With the advent of laser technology and greatly improved pain control, I do not understand the opposition to a procedure that is arguably responsible, more than any other procedure, of improving the quality of life for millions of cats by allowing them to live in our homes as indoor pets.”
Well it’s quite obvious he DOESN’T understand isn’t it? There are several issues here Paul me old fruit, the first one being this greatly improved pain control, what that says to me is that cats are being given stronger pain medication (and anyone who’s taken the real I-AM pain killers know how woozy and nauseous they make you feel) because someone has realised that cats in the past have suffered greatly with post op, and sometimes long term, pain.

Next the poor misguided chap states that declawing is “arguably” responsible more than any other procedure for improving the quality of life for millions of cats by allowing them to live in our homes as indoor pets”.
Well yes I’ll argue with that, I’d say that declawing is responsible for millions of cats being killed, crippled, dumped and surrendered over the years. Did someone mention that this procedure has been available for approximately 30 years or did I dream it in a nightmare? Well taking into account that he has written millions in the plural, even two million cats declawed over the last 30 years works out at 66,666.666 a year (quite a co-incidence that, isn’t that the Devil’s phone number?) and that means that declawing is UN-arguably responsible for AT LEAST 666,666.66 front claws going into surgical waste bags per year and thousands more back claws too. But Dear Old Declawing ALLOWS them to live in “our” homes as pets (not in my home except over my dead body!) HUH! What he should have said is declawing allows them to crap in those homes, pee in those homes, bite the humans in those homes, be shut in the basements of those homes, and many a time be kicked out of those homes, or taken out in a body bag! Declawing also allows humans to worship at the shrines of couches and drapes, until they’re crapped on at least. (Which reminds me, totally off topic; this morning I saw someone justifying declawing by saying she doesn’t want to be scratched to death! To death? Blimey that must be one great big moggie missus!)
Now then the next part of his perspective is rather interesting
“It has been my experience that properly performed laser declawing is no less humane than any other surgical procedure, leaving no physical or psychological scars and produces pain-free, healthy cats unaware that they have been declawed.”
So! Paul have you been declawed? If not how can you know that laser declawing produces pain free healthy cats? Huh? After all, you say it has been your experience – YOUR experience, well I beg to differ it is the CAT that experiences the pain, how the hell do you know if the cat has physical or psychological scars? And how do you KNOW the cat doesn’t feel phantom pain in the ghost toes? It is a well-known fact that amputees can still feel a missing limb and have very real pain from it. How do you know that those cats’ stumps don’t ache? And where on this Earth do you get the idea that cat’s are unaware they have been declawed…my giddy aunt I think they will definitely notice the post op pain and blood, especially if they’re crammed into an Elizabethan collar to stop them trying to chew at the bandages to get to the wounds, and I think they will notice they don’t walk the same anymore, they will certainly notice they can’t plug in and have a good stretch anymore, or scratch an itch, or hook a toy or a juicy piece of meat and then of course there is getting into that litter box and having to scrape the contents with those poor sore paws. Oh yes, they’re aware of it all right Paul lad. You obviously see cats as dim-witted lumps of fur that don’t know their arse from their elbow but here’s the news…cats are intelligent, they know things we don’t know and they most assuredly know when their toes are gone!
Just a word about this no-less humane than any other surgical procedure tripe as well, most other surgery is either to save a life or to neuter the cat, no-one would argue with any of these procedures because they are necessary, declawing is cosmetic surgery and unnecessary and THAT is what makes it inhumane.

“Proper anesthetic protocols greatly enhance the success of any surgical procedure. This is particularly true with declawing. The combination of xylazine, ketamine, acepromazine and buprinorphine provides an excellent combination of sedation and analgesia. It produces a gradual, peaceful recovery and reduces episodes of emergence delirium occasionally seen with shorter lasting anesthetic protocols!”
Now this bit frightens me to death, lets look first at Xylazine, here are some facts about it
Within the first 3 to 5 minutes after intramuscular or subcutaneous injection, vomiting can occur. Since vomiting following xylazine administration is known to occur in cats, it is commonly used to induce vomiting when necessary. Adverse effects of xylazine include muscle tremors, seizures, slowed heart rate with partial heart block and slowed breathing rate. Increased urination sometimes occurs in cats. Despite appearing completely sedated, animals can still move, even kick, bite or scratch, in response to sharp auditory stimulation.
HERE for the link to this
ANIMALS CAN STILL MOVE, EVEN KICK, BITE OR SCRATCH IN RESPONSE TO SHARP AUDITORY STIMULATION. And what about sharp scalpel, laser or guillotine stimulation eh?

Moving on to Ketamine
For aggressive cats unable to be restrained for injection, ketamine can be sprayed into the mouth or eyes. Adverse effects of ketamine include increased blood pressure, elevated heart rate, respiratory depression, vocalization, erratic and prolonged recovery, spastic jerking movements and muscle tremors. In rare instances, ketamine has been shown to induce seizures. When given intramuscularly, ketamine injection can be painful.
HERE for the link to this

Acepromazine
Acepromazine causes hypotension due to decreased vasomotor tone. It may change heart and respiratory rate, and thermoregulatory ability allowing for either hypo- or hyperthermia. Acepromazine is usually less effective if given after the animal is excited. It provides no analgesia and the tranquilizing effect of the drug can be overcome unexpectedly particularly by sensory stimulation. Occasionally, animals (particularly cats) may have a paradoxical response to acepromazine and become excited, or aggressive.
HERE for the link to this

Buprinorphine
Buprenorphine is 30 times as potent as morphine
HERE for the link to this

Yes, I know I have only picked out some things to illustrate my point, but the links are there to be checked out. My God what a potent combination, have you seen the side effects? Two of them can cause seizures, one can cause slow heart rate while another can cause elevated heart rate, and yet another can make it go either way. One is also used to induce vomiting in cats, one is less effective if given when an animal is already excited but it can ALSO cause excitement. Now I would imagine a cat in a veterinary hospital is bloody terrified never mind excited! And imagine being that cat, scared stiff and struggling to get away and along comes someone and sprays you in the bloody eyes!!

Would any of you decent intelligent people want that mixture of muck introducing into your cat’s system?

God help us the man says it produces a gradual, peaceful recovery and REDUCES episodes of emergence delirium, that is always assuming they don’t kill your cat by under or over stimulation of the heart, choking to death on vomit, having a seizure, or getting over heated or too cold. Or that it doesn’t bleed to death.

Laser technology offers three distinct advantages over conventional declawing techniques. First the heat generated by the laser has an antibacterial effect. This effect combined with the superior hemostasis achieved with lasers, (resulting in less intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage) greatly reduces post operative bacterial infection.
Oh well, let’s all cheer for LESS hemorrages and REDUCED infection shall we?
Secondly, tourniquets are not required when using lasers. Eliminating tourniquets reduces ischemic necrosis and cell death, thus reducing pain and increasing the speed of recovery.
He’s damning himself out of his own pen! Lasering REDUCES those horrible things and it REDUCES pain, he is admitting that there is still danger of 1. The death of a cell or group of cells in contact with living tissue. 2. The local death of cells resulting from, e.g., loss of blood supply, bacterial toxins, or physical or chemical agents.
And by stating that lasering REDUCES pain he is not only admitting that the cutting method causes pain but also that there is STILL a measure of pain associated with lasering.
Thirdly, laser technology provides exceptional analgesia. I did not believe it until I experienced it first-hand. Despite the denial in some academic circles that lasers provide significant analgesia, any veterinary surgeon proficient in the use of lasers will testify to its profound analgesic properties.
Come on Paul, don’t give me that experienced first hand rubbish again, have YOU had for example a finger end removed by laser? No I didn’t think so. What you mean is you have first hand experience of clinically observing the level of pain a declawed cat wakes up with. And what about the veterinary surgeons who are NOT proficient in the use of lasers HUH?? What about the learners? The bunglers? The BUTCHERS out for quick bucks?? The only thing profound here is your imagination.
Seeing a kitten (observational science) normal and often playing the day after the laser declawing is more convincing than any double-blinded, Koch-postulate confirming study. The analgesic effect of laser has made it indispensable in my operating room, especially for more painful procedures, such as orthopedics and amputations.
Well he’s got me with the Koch-postulate study, I Googled it and it’s gobbledegook to me. I’m nort sure even who he reckons is double blinded but my vote would be that it’s him. But this observational science, well that’s a posh term for watching something isn’t it? Seeing a kitten NORMAL? Normal is having claws mate, having CLAWS! I hope the poor little blighters DO play the day after the op, but what with that cocktail of anaesthesia and the toeless paws I have my doubts.
AHA!!! He extols the virtues of laser declawing and then goes on to say it’s indespensible for MORE PAINFUL PROCEDURES SUCH AS orthopedics and AMPUTATIONS! What is declawing? Amputation of the toe ends – got you Paul, with your own pen you’ve said that declawing is a more painful procedure! Another case rested.
Not all indoor cats require declawing. You do surprise me Paul, but there again two synonyms for require are “want” and “call for” so I suppose you’re right in a way if you put it thus: Not all cats WANT declawing or not all cats CALL FOR declawing. I think you underestimate though Paul, I think it should be NO indoor cats require declawing.
It is comforting to know that in cases when it is necessary to maintain the integrity of the human-animal bond, that we have an effective, humane surgical procedure. Please can someone pass me a bucket? Sickly sweet words… “it’s comforting” isn’t that nice? Humane? Isn’t that rubbish?
I encourage any vet that performs declaws and is not using lasers, to strongly consider this technology. And I encourage him to boil his head.
I also invite any person that remains skeptical about the claims I have made in this article, to visit our hospital and follow a declawing case from admittance to release. No thanks!
As it is often said, "Seeing is Believing." Yes I know, at least we agree on that. I’ve seen the pictures and I’ve watched the videos and I DO believe that declawing is EVIL

Sorry it's so long, to those of you who ploughed on to the end - thank you for reading it and thank you for caring!