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Wow! N.S. vets ban cosmetic surgeries on dogs

Krickette April 04, 2010 February 22, 2011

Forums

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/03/25/ns-veterinarians-…" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; [quote] Veterinarians in Nova Scotia will no longer cut the tails and ears of dogs for cosmetic reasons, prompting an outcry from some breeders. ... [/quote]

TheRedHayflinger Thu, 04/08/2010 - 13:55

I've got an australian shepherd who still waves her "butt banner"...when I got her as a 10 week old pup, and took her to the vet for some vaccinations, he asked if I wanted the tail docked too. I switched vets!

Our weim has a docked tail, but it was docked before we got him. He was 3 weeks when we got him...bottle puppy. Momma was bred too young (in my opinion) and wasn't mature enough to handle puppies..she was fine for about 2 1/2 weeks and then started attacking the pups.

then we've got the mixed breed spaniel-like dog who has a "natural" nub...I asked the vet if he had his tail docked and he looked at it and said, nope, he was born that way.

rabbitsfizz Fri, 04/09/2010 - 10:39

Quite a few breeds have natural dock lines, Ozzie's are one, strangely enough!
Surely it is illegal for a Vet to dock a ten week old dog??
Over here, even when it was still legal for you to do it yourself, it had to be done before the eyes opened, and 2-4 days was the norm.
Research shows that pups of this age do, in fact, feel pain more highly than older dogs, they just cannot express it,so the idea that because they do not make a fuss they cannot be hurt goes straight out the window!

vneerland Sun, 04/11/2010 - 10:35

[quote="rabbitsfizz"]Over here, even when it was still legal for you to do it yourself, it had to be done before the eyes opened, and 2-4 days was the norm. Research shows that pups of this age do, in fact, feel pain more highly than older dogs, they just cannot express it,so the idea that because they do not make a fuss they cannot be hurt goes straight out the window![/quote]

I do not dock, no need to and would not want to. I have had one pup that had a mecical need for a (partial) dock and it was indeed done young (by the vet) No fuss at all. I am unconvinced about the remark that they cannot express pain though. Try to get a bitch to lay on a pup, good Lord, you'll hear about it! :o That does not mean that I am an opponent of docking. Just that I do not immidiately subscribe to the theory that they cannot express pain at that tender age.