How is declawing a cat done? Have you ever wondered how a cat is declawed? Cats need to have their claws removed for different reasons, such as keeping them from scratching furniture or protecting them from injury.
Declawing is a controversial procedure that has been debated in both the veterinary and animal welfare communities for years.
Throughout the years, many methods have been used to declaw cats, such as utilizing hand-held guillotines and laser surgery.
The most commonly used method of declawing today is surgical amputation of the third phalanx (the distal portion) of each toe.
This is generally done by using an electric scalpel or laser to remove the affected claws one at a time under general anesthesia.
If your cat needs its claws removed, it is important to know how it will be done and what risks are associated with it.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the process of cat declawing so you can make an informed decision on whether this procedure is right for your pet or not.
How is Declawing a Cat Done?
Declawing a cat involves amputation of the ends of their toes, which is an irreversible procedure.
This procedure is sometimes necessary to prevent cats from excessively scratching soft furniture and rugs.
If you are considering the declawing operation for your cat, here’s how the process works:
The Procedure
Declawing is a major surgical operation that requires anesthesia and various other treatments before and after surgery.
During declawing surgery, your veterinarian will use either laser or scalpel techniques to remove the tips of your cat’s toes.
The good news is that this procedure can be done quickly and carried out with a small amount of pain for the animal involved.
As always, it’s best to have the procedure performed by a qualified vet who understands what needs to be done and takes appropriate steps to minimize any discomfort experienced by the animal throughout.
Aftercare
De-clawing cats has potential side effects such as impaired balance from not having claws, behavioral problems because they can no longer defend themselves effectively, or infection caused when bacteria becomes trapped in their paws due to scar tissue formation during healing.
So, after surgery it’s important for you to properly care for your pet’s paws with antibiotic drops or salves to help prevent infections.
Another post-operative step includes making sure your cat doesn’t bite at the bandage on its paw or lick excessively at its wounds until they heal completely.
You’ll also need to keep up their activity levels at home while they recuperate – too much rest may encourage unhealthy weight gain while lack of movement could lead to complications such as muscle atrophy.
Follow Up Appointments
Your veterinarian will likely set appointments in weeks following surgery so they can make sure everything is healing correctly.
Depending on how well things are going you might request additional follow-up visits if further complication arise or just general checkups once enough time has passed after successful recovery from de-clawing.
It’s also important that you bring your pet in for regular annual checkups regardless so the veterinarian can monitor any changes suggested by those visits as needed for more attention related issues concerning his overall health status going forward in life without claws.
Conclusion
Deciding whether or not to declaw your cat ultimately boils down to personal preference; however it should never be taken lightly because it carries serious risks and aftercare requirements if done improperly or too late into adulthood when their bones are harder making recovery much more difficult than with younger kittens who were able skipper those inconveniences altogether.
As such seeking professional advice throughout this process by highly qualified professionals is imperative for successful outcome!
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