Declawing Vets Are Everywhere In The U.S.
by Elisa Black-Taylor
(USA)
Vets here don't care that cats need claws
I hate to address the issue of declawing vets being everywhere in the U.S. I want to explain to the readers worldwide what we in small town America face with these vets.
Ruth Young gave me the idea for this article. She made a comment on one of my articles about how all of the veterinarians in her area perform declawing. Sadly, that's the case in most small towns where only one or two vets are available to treat the entire population of pets for their immediate area.
Both of the veterinarians I use declaw. I've called every vet within an hours drive and they all offer declawing. There's no way around this. I've spoken to both of my vets about this, and I may as well have been talking to myself.
We who live in small towns who must use these vets are caught between a rock and a hard place, as the saying goes. If we decide to stop doing business with them, we're faced with what would probably be more than a two hour drive to obtain good veterinary care. This may be fine for routine examinations, but we're putting our pets' lives at risk should an emergency arise.
Veterinarians, even the good ones around here, still believe they're performing a service for their clients. Not to mention the added income generated from elective mutilation.
I don't doubt my words were ignored when I called my vet out on this. He saved Sealy. He's saved many many of my cats over the years. I sat in his office just a week ago and heard fees of over $100 quoted to each person who had a service done on their pet. I wouldn't doubt this one office takes in more than $800,000 per year after expenses such as payroll.
Some have suggested we picket these vets. That would definitely get us kicked out of their client list. I hate declawing and I'm against vets who declaw. Still, there's no choice except to use them when nothing else whatsoever is available. Unless you're willing to travel a long distance to find a competent vet who doesn't declaw.
Competent is the big word here. The vet I've used for Sealy is the best vet I've ever had. I'm sure if I could drive to Greenville or Atlanta, there may be some who don't declaw. Greenville, I'm not so sure about. I've called several and they all offer declawing. Many offer the "package deals" I've mentioned in previous articles where the cat is declawed while under anesthesia for spay/neutering.
The only way I know to end declawing in the U.S. is to make it illegal. Then, I feel sure some vets would still offer "black market" declawing to people who won't tell.
I believe that we, as cat lovers, have to choose not to declaw our cats. Period. We may have to use these vets because there simply are no options. We don't have to line their pockets to cripple our cats.
We absolutely must educate our younger generation, particularly those who choose to go into veterinary medicine, on the dangers of declawing.
It's also been mentioned on one of my articles how a veterinary practice may miss out on some excellent assistants who refuse to work in a practice that offers declawing. It's my personal opinion the vets don't care about this either.
Most veterinary assistants I've met through my two vets have been with the practice for years. I know of three assistants between the two vets who have been employed by the same practice for over 25 years.
I guess vets who declaw make enough money to pay their assistants enough to stay with them for life. I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. Money isn't everything.
Are any of the readers here in the same predicament? It's very hard to use a vet who offers declawing when at the same time, future emergency pet care must be taken into consideration.
I hope everyone understands what we're faced with in this country. This isn't a case of finding a vet to fit our needs. They simply aren't available in most areas.
