Cut price cruelty

Here is a revolting veterinary practice that epitomizes all that is corrupt in the USA veterinary world as regards declawing cats. Regular readers will know how fond I am of quoting that miserable excuse for a declaw policy on the AVMA site, “Declawing of domestic cats should be considered only after attempts have been made to prevent the cat from using its claws destructively or when its clawing presents a zoonotic risk for its owners The AVMA believes it is the obligation of veterinarians to provide cat owners with complete education with regard to feline onychectomy.” blah..blah..soft soap etc etc and yet this practice, The Eads Animal Hospital in Tennessee not only advertises reduced price feline laser declaw but actually recommends that kittens are declawed between 4 and 6 months at the same time as neutering. it goes like this:

Feline Laser Declaw
The surgical laser is used when performing all feline declaws. It decreases the amount of bleeding and pain that can occur and promotes a quick return to normal activities. The recommended age for declawing is four to six months and can be performed at the same time as a spay or neuter.

Now if I understand the AVMA statement correctly (and let’s face it it’s not hard to get is it?) declawing, or onychectomy, should be considered only AFTER other attempts have been made to prevent the cat using it’s claws destructively….right? How come then this site goes on to say this “Cats spend up to 40% of their time scratching in a destructive manner. Many owners choose to have their cats declawed to protect their furniture or other household items". So now we have a recommendation that kittens can be declawed as young as four months, and we are also provided with a reason to have our kittens mutilated. “Cats spend up to 40% of their time scratching in a destructive manner” On who’s say so? Define destructive! Who knows if the scratching is destructive, and if it is who knows how many of those cats if provided with scratching posts wouldn’t have been as happy to scratch them as anything else, and who know's if those cats have any stimulation or are bored and frustrated enough to scratch the furniture just for something to do, and what’s this “up to 40%”? That could easily mean 1%,10% or 39% couldn’t it? How can a sweeping statement like this be used as pure advertising spiel for a veterinary practice? What about misrepresentation of facts for own gain?

They then go on to say “Declawing is an alternative to relinquishment, outdoor housing or possible euthanasia for many cats.” How so? This is painting a very bleak picture; it’s making it sound as though there are no cats with whole and healthy paws, they have all either been declawed, relinquished, kicked outside or killed. What about a really outside the box idea…..don’t get a cat in the first place! This really worries me though because there is absolutely no mention of keeping a cat the way it comes, complete with claws, there are no practical alternatives given, no mention of claw clipping or the dreaded soft paws even, the only words that are used are relinquishment, outdoor housing and euthanasia. This is almost like brain washing or subliminal suggestion in my opinion.

Of course it suits this and other equally money grabbing practices to imply that the only good cat is a declawed cat, were they to follow the AVMA guidelines and actually offer complete education to would be declawing owners then they would lose out on a profitable “service”. Once they realized the reality of what they were intending for their cat I’m sure many more owners would react with horror and decide against it, rather than book what sounds like a pussycat manicure and find out when it’s too late that it was in fact amputation of Pussycat’s toe ends. And there is nothing more final than amputation. No going back, no surgical glueing on of those offcuts.

“Using a surgical laser for declawing, rather than using scalpel blade dissection, has been proven to greatly reduce the pain, infection and bleeding experienced by cats. Recovery time has also been reduced with the use of the surgical laser. It is reported by some veterinarians to be the only humane method for declawing.” Again, it’s this greatly reduced pain, infection and bleeding, the point that those of us who hate and detest everything about declawing cats keep trying to make is this..there should be NO pain, infection or bleeding, this is a procedure which is wholly owner elective (with a little persuasion from your local vet) it is never an emergency life saving operation, it isn’t necessary for the cat’s well-being so what is this casual acceptance that any pain, no matter how much reduced, is acceptable? It is totally avoidable, unnecessary, unproductive pain – why can’t they see that? And for goodness sake what about this “It is reported by some veterinarians to be the only humane method for declawing.” They know, they actually KNOW that other methods are inhumane, and yet they’re always banging on about cats “back to normal” after a period of recovery so how is laser declawing humane? Does it not remove the toe ends? We know it bloody well DOES, so it is NO LESS inhumane than a chopping axe!

They also mention special litter “A special litter is recommended to use 10 – 14 days after surgery. Yesterday’s News is a litter made from recycled newspaper that decreases dust and reduces the potential for infection.” What’s the betting they also sell it? And note it only reduces the potential for infection (for infection read gangrene!)

Here’s the thing though, here is the emetic, this will make you puke, retch and reach for a bowl!

Here’s the December special promotions folks
Promotions
December Promotions
Featuring Felines

10% Off Feline Front Declaw

25% Off Feline Wellness Blood Work

Free Yesterday’s News w/Declaw

Free Kitty Toy w/Feline Exam

How disgusting is that????????? Buy a declaw at reduced price and get a bag of litter free?

And can you believe they say this
“Our goal is to treat our clients as we would treat our families, and to treat our clients’ pets as though they were our own. Our clients and patients are the heart of our practice and the reason we are here. We strive to enhance not only the lives of pets, but the owners’ lives as well.”

I don’t know how they think they are enhancing the lives of cats by offering cut price deknuckling!!!!!!

Boycott the Eads Animal Hospital, Eads,Tennessee