Wednesday 16 December 2009

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

6 comments:

  1. "the only humane method for declawing" - wonderful oxymoron there. What a bunch of bastards. Poor little kittens are only just learning to use their claws at 4 months. As for "40%" of time scratching" are those cats scratching desparately at the door to escape their lazy, cruel declawing owners? I bet they are.

    Great outing of an unethical veterinary practice Babz. Those vets should be struck off for deliberately misinforming clients and mutilating animals for profit.

    In the AVMA comparison study on laser declaw, it was found that the post operative complication rate was much higher for the cats who had the laser amputations.

    I'm sure the free kitty toy is tremendous compensation for having ten bone amputations.

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  2. This practice should be shut down! What an abomination of the highest degree. It just made me sick to read what some clinics will do to bring in a buck. Perhaps they should adopt a quote from the AVMA and add, "This practice is only advertised now since our clinic needs the money badly! This is our last resort to balancing our budget"

    How cruel and unacceptable! Thanks for bringing this to our attention. It is a flagrant disregard also for the puny AVMA wording about declawing. Grrrrr.

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  3. Discounted declaw and a free bag of litter? How disgusting. I'd like to deknuckle every person associated with this Eads Animal Hospital. I'll even give a bulk discount and throw in some free bandaids.

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  4. Hi guys, I phoned Eads Animal Hospital hoping to talk to the administrator (her name is Tammy - it would be) but she wasn't available so I asked the receptionist why the hospital was promoting declawing (December promotions 10% of front declawing!). "What are Americans doing?" I said. "This must be in breach of AVMA policy surely?" She hung up.

    They don't care. It is a way of life; deeply ingrained. I think we need to take more action to move this along.

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  5. Well done Michael! But what a typical reaction, I wonder if she'll tell the boss and the offer will be removed. I agree to any action proposed because it is sickening to read about practices like this who cash in on ignorant or selfish owners.

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  6. I agree we need to take more action ! But how ? I'll agree and help all I can if anyone knows what we can do.

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