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All Creatures Animal Hospital Mislead Us

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by Michael

Stock photo - copyright Stockxpert

Stock photo - copyright Stockxpert

All Creatures Animal Hospital mislead us because their advice on when cat declawing should or could take place is contradictory and subtly encourages the declawing of cats in using what I consider to be "weasel words" (misleading language designed to subtly trick us). I analysis their paragraph entitled "When should declawing be considered?" below.

Note: The veterinarians at All Creatures Animal Hospital have apparently removed a page from their website that stated that declawing insures a satisfactory relationship with the cat and that all cats should be declawed that spend 50% or more of their life in the house. If they had that page on their website it tells us quite a lot about their thoughts on declawing cats (make lots of money out of it!). I get the strong feeling that declawing cats is one of the most profitable procedures carried out by American veterinarians.

"Declawing is a drastic..solution..declawing may be the only option if the pet is to be kept in the home. This might be the case where the cat continues to damage the furniture"

This statement first implies that declawing (in being a "drastic" step to take) should be a last resort (in line with AVMA policy - it should actually never happen but for the time being I will work within the distorted rules as set out by the AVMA). Yet contradicting that they go on to state that where furniture "continues" to be damaged it can or should be carried out. As cats are always liable to damage furniture to a degree then declawing is liable to happen a lot. The sentence also hints at attempts to train a cat to stop scratching furniture ("continues") but because the number of cats that are declawed is so high (20+ million or about 40% of all domestic cats) we know that little or no effort is put into alternatives to declawing. The sentence is heavily contradictory and misleading.

"..or where the cat causes injuries to people during play or handling. Even the slightest scratch can have serious consequences (cat scratch fever) when a member of the household suffers from a severely debilitating disease"

This is plain scare tactics to encourage declawing cats. The overall incidence of cat scratch disease (CSD) in the USA is 0.038%1 and the cause of being scratched will invariably be due to the carelessness of the human. This might be because of play that is too rough for the cat. A cat simply reacts and most cat scratches will be caused in play with us. In fact most cases of CSD involve children2 (and not people "suffering a severely debilitating disease") unsurprisingly. It is down to their parents to teach them how to play with a cat. So it is in our control to stop this happening. The answer is not declawing the cat. These veterinarians don't discuss that. I wonder why?

When you ball together these factors:

  1. very low incidence of CSD
  2. it is caused by our behavior
  3. low percentage of people with a severely debilating disease and who keep a cat
  4. most cases of CSD concerns children
  5. the illness often is mild

It is fair to say that All Creatures Animal Hospital mislead us in providing an unbalanced viewpoint designed to encourage us to declaw our cats by frigthening us.

"In some cases the issue comes down to whether the owner should be able to keep their cat and have it declawed, or whether it should be removed from the home."

Once again All Creatures Animal Hospital mislead us. Firstly people are more likely to relinquish declawed cats than intact cats. The decision whether to keep a cat should be made before adopting a cat having all the information presented without bias (and therefore don't ask a USA veterinarian). The question we should ask is, "Am I able to care for this cat for the rest of its life without in any way inflicting any procedure upon it that is against the cat's interests?" If the answer is, "no", we should buy a large fluffy teddy bear instead.

Veterinarians have a duty to inform us in an unbiased manner. They are in a position of trust. When they mislead they are in breach of that trust and in doing so they perpetuate the mutilation of our innocent and vulnerable companion cats in complete defiance of their solemn oath.

All Creatures Animal Hospital have two branches one at 1894 Ohio Pike, Amelia, OH 45102 and the other at 8451 Beechmont Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45255.

All Creatures Animal Hospital mislead us to Declawing cats

notes

1

2 http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/cat_scratch.html

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All Creatures Animal Hospital Mislead Us

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Feb 05, 2010 Anyone who declaws a cat...
by: Bob

should have the first digits of each of their own fingers surgically removed so they don't have to trim their own nails anymore. It would be more convenient, and that's the idea, right?? It's exactly the same as declawing a cat. I've said it before, people who declaw their cats are in essence putting their furniture before a living creature. A living creature that they claim to love. I have an antique 1939 GE console radio that has cloth over the speaker and yes, my cats got to it. Guess I'll have to replace the cloth and move it to a room that they don't frequent. And cat scratch fever? I play with my cats all the time, and my boys can get rough. They like it when I roll them on their backs and rub their bellies... they wrap their paws around my forearm and dig their claws in while they gnaw on my wrist. Leaves scratches EVERY time. Never had an infection yet. I live in America, near Pittsburgh. Most of the people I've talked to about declawing didn't even know what the procedure consisted of. One lady who was considering it was horrified and changed her mind immediately. So one thing that needs to be done is to educate people about the reality of declawing. I have to say though, that there are a few vets around here that will not declaw an animal. They're on board, so maybe there's hope yet.

Dec 31, 2009 To Evelyn
by: Ruth

THANK YOU very much, declawing is banned here in England too but we are helping our USA friends work towards a ban there also and hopefully Canada will follow.
You can help us by signing our petition if you haven't already;

http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=4312

THANK YOU if you have.You can also help by passing it on to as many people as you can.At the last count we had signatures from over 50 countries and although some people have said it's a waste of time and effort, it has been used at the recent city meetings in California to help convince the voters how many people are against declawing.
I can't understand how anyone professing to love cats can have this cruel operation done to them.
X for the top of Shadow's furry head
Kattaddorra signature Ruth

Dec 30, 2009 Love from Down Under
by: Evelyn G

Yet another reason why I'm thankful I live in Australia. Declawing is banned over here, except in medical circumstances where it is the ONLY option. I've only been a cat owner a few months but the thought of someone doing that to my Shadow makes my skin crawl.

To those of you working to stop this practise in countries where it is acceptable, Shadow and I send you lots of love and hugs.

Dec 24, 2009 Mutilation Nation
by: Jan Plant

Alas, I find myself residing in a country that can not hear the cry of it's own children being abused.Why would I believe that they would have anymore compassion for an animal.It's actually quite disheartening.And we are the more intelligent,superior species?Truly?
The vets at this hospital need to be taken into there own OR's and made to perform this exact procedure on each other! Oh wait,how could they?Their fingers would be amputated and that would pose a problem.But at least THEY could use a wheelchair.
What's that clinics name?"All creatures great and small,We're gonna Mutilate them all"?Disgusting!
Sorry,got on a bit of a rant.
I am very glad that not all vets will do this procedure.Some actually do care and love animals.Is there anywhere where I could get a look at the vet's Hippocratic oath? Or is it the Hypocrite's oath?
Keep up the good fight! We'll ban it yet!

Dec 24, 2009 All Creatures, Great & Small
by: Finn Frode, Denmark

The motto of that hospital is great - except for the fact that they are into the business of molesting the very same creatures. I've added a couple more lines:

All Creatures, Great & Small.
The Lord God made them all.
So if you truly love your pet,
don't have it changed by a declawing vet.

Feel free to use that, ACAH. 😉

Dec 24, 2009 There's big money in declawing cats
by: Barbara

Look at this quote "But fighting against an industry, where individual vet clinics can net $100,000 a year from this procedure alone, is a difficult proposition"
from this article in the Examiner.com November 12th examiner.com,/a>

Dec 23, 2009 Yet another bunch of lies to "justify" animal cruelty
by: Anonymous

Thank you Michael for bringing this clinic to the attention of the public.

Their original article promoting declawing was actually featured under the "Feline Wellness" section of their web site! I was so incensed by the blatant lies spouted and the lack of any behavioural advice whatsoever, that I wrote to them to express my contempt for their total disregard for the welfare of their patients. Whilst they may have now altered their web site, I'm disgusted that they still continue to promote the mutilation of cats' feet.

They should be ashamed to use the line "All Creatures, Great & Small. The Lord God made them all" in their advertising banner. They certainly do not promote the acceptance of animals the way that the Lord God made them. Lord help any poor animal which is unfortunate enough to be a patient at this clinic!

With callous attitudes likes theirs towards patient welfare, a nationwide ban in the USA on declawing cannot come fast enough for my liking.

Michele S. (UK)

Dec 23, 2009 Profit over all other
by: Laura

Once again, the almighty dollar clouds judgment and compromises ethics. Vets can earn a good living without declawing, but I guess the temptation of high profit margins are too much for these weak individuals. With dollar signs flashing in their heads, of course these unscrupulous vets are going to mislead the public. How else can they convince the public that disfiguring a beloved family pet is the right thing to do? Disgusting.

Dec 23, 2009 Rubbish
by: Barbara

I can’t get my head around the comments “declawing may be the only option if the pet is to be kept in the home”, and “or whether it should be removed from the home” do (some) cat owners in the USA not come to love their cats as a member of the family like we do? How can they make calculated decisions as to whether to mutilate the cat or get rid of it? They might as well debate giving their child colostomy surgery to prevent the distasteful side effects of child owning or shoving it in an orphanage!

To use the example of cat scratch fever being a danger is, as has been said, plain old fashioned scare mongering, cat scratches are largely avoidable and mostly deserved, and if one is scratched by a frightened, ill or feral cat then surely compassion should dictate the treatment of the cat, NOT surgery.

This biased information is plainly against the AVMA joke policy, all that actually should be allowed on veterinary websites is that if anyone is having problems with destructive clawing behaviour then they should contact their veterinarian for educational material to help them solve their problem in a NON-surgical way.

Watch out for the contents of you Christmas Crackers, I hear the theme for the joke this year is the AVMA policy on declawing.

Dec 23, 2009 A brilliant article !
by: Ruth aka Kattaddorra

Another brilliant article Michael. In my opinion the vets topping up their bank balances by declawing cats, some even promoting this mutilating operation, are running scared now.
Too many people are finding out the truth about declawing and starting to put two and two together as to why so many declawed cats have problems.As not only do the vets make money from the initial operation, they make more from when the cat returns with stress illnesses, arthritis, behavioural problems etc.
Nine times out of ten a person asking about declawing is shocked to discover it is the amputation of the last toe joints!
People need educating, not encouraging to disable their cats.
Yes cat scratch fever is just an excuse, I've been scratched numerous times,sometimes by feral cats in danger, which we had no choice but to handle, and had no ill effects,in fact the worst injury I had was from a bite from a frightened cat.A cat bite is far far worse than a scratch, but surely no vet would dream of removing a cats teeth incase he bit someone !
People who can't accept cats as they come, should just as Michael says, get a teddy bear instead. Vets should not encourage people unfit to care properly for a cat, by misleading them about a very serious operation to adapt them.

Dec 23, 2009 Not All US Vets Encourage Declawing
by: Gail (Boston, MA USA)

Thank you, Michael, for posting this article. To be fair, not all U.S. vets encourage declawing a cat for any reason, other than life-threatening and those are far and few in between. That being said, unfortunately, you are correct in saying that it is a money-maker which is why several organizations like the ASPCA are trying to pass laws banning this despicable practice.

Our local shelter is a 100% no-kill/100% all-volunteer organization who absolutely forbids declawing. They also do background checks on potential adoptees, do home checks and work very closely with people to ensure the animal's well-being - even removing animals if deemed necessary. Our local vet also turns away business to anyone who wants to declaw their pets. If he deems there is a medical necessity (and he has very strict standards), he will send the patient to the animal ER hospital who also don't practice declawing unless it's medically necessary for a second opinion. ( )

That hospital in Ohio is an absolute disgrace. Their practices are the type that legislation is currently being worked on regarding the ban. Their total disregard for its patients is an embarrassment in the U.S. This is precisely why there is a groundswell of support to ban this practice and with enough of an outcry here, hopefully this law will be passed sooner rather than later.

Comments

All Creatures Animal Hospital Mislead Us — 2 Comments

  1. I could NEVER have my beloved, sweet (shorthaired Exotic-Persian cat) declawed because I couldn’t stand the thought of the physical pain involved & potential emotional trauma…Two of my formerly “nice” upholstered kitchen chairs are now close to having near BALD spots from all the looong fibers he’s shredded, & then I dutifully trim them off…Of course, I don’t like it, but it’s a small “price” to pay… I’m happy to report that after having bought a really cute, horizontal, “chaise lounge” scratching piece from Chewy.com that it’s greatly reduced his chair scratching…g r i n s
    Btw, 20 years ago I adopted a GORGEOUS, longhaired female who I’d heard had been “returned” to the shelter numerous times by previous adopters…I could hardly believe it…’Mrs. Beasley’ was one of THE most affectionate, (loved EVERYBODY) sweet girls who routinely ran down the hall to greet me everytime I came home…I quickly realized why this darling loving cat had been having problems finding her “forever home” …She wouldn’t use the litter box (& I experimented w/ all the numerous box types AND the whole gamut of all the different litters) with any regularity…(She even occasionally peed on my purses & shoes???) By the time our Vet finally figured out what the problem was after all her lab work always came back normal & there were no apparent health-related reasons for avoiding her litter boxes, I was STUNNED & so saddened…The fact that this sweet girl had been declawed sometime before she landed in the shelter…& not only on front feet, but her BACK FEET as well, was determined to be related to her…or, “our” problem…She probably experienced great pain upon entering her litter box right after her dreadful surgery…Although her pain & discomfort eventually went away…her assoc. with “p a i n + l i t t e r b o x” never left her…I could never EVER abandon her (how could I???) so I spent the next approximate 14 YEARS, on my hands & knees, scrubbing carpet, but it truly worth the effort & inconvenience…
    Current EMOTIONAL turmoil…My cousin & her husband adopted their cat from a local shelter, & they instantly fell head over heels in love with ‘Laura’…She is their “child”…Sadly, my cousin is now in complete kidney failure 4 years later, & in order for her to be Registered on the Nat’l. Kidney Transplant list (the final effort to try & save her life…Her Dr’s & the Transplant Team have informed her she absolutely HAS TO…no “ifs, ands, or buts,” have ‘Laura’ declawed…front AND back… since the risk of ANY infection from even a MINOR scratch to my cousin could now
    have devastating consequences…Since they can’t bear the thought of declawing ‘Laura’or permanently giving her up, they’re desperately trying to find an alternative in a relatively short amount of time…
    Thank God, this all too common & barbaric “act” has become such a BIG Int’l. story of such interest, that now more & more & more people won’t even CONSIDER declawing their beloved cats…

    Reply ↓

    • Thanks for sharing your thoughts Poppy. If course I fully agree and well done in caring for your declawed cat. She may have had continuing discomfort due to bone shards in her paws. There are some vets who do repair surgery on declawed cats because a lot of these declaw operations are botched. The vet leaves shards of bone in the paw.

      As for Laura, although I don’t endorse them, claw caps are one possible solution. Although someone other than your cousin would have to put them on. It is possible to virtually eliminate the chance of a cat scratch or play bite. You have to know your cat really well and know when she or he might play bite or use her claws in a non-aggressive way. Then you avoid those moments. A lot if not almost all cat scratches and bites inflicted on cat owners are caused by the owner inadvertently provoking the cat and often for the cat it is play of some description. Or trying to grab something from the person or redirected aggression – those sorts of things.

      Good luck and thanks again for sharing.

      Reply ↓

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