Regina animal hospital stops declawing cats. Growing number of vets want to stop.
This is great news for anti-declaw advocates. The Lakewood Animal Hospital has been declawing cats for many years but have decided to stop. The news comes from veterinarian Tara Hudye. She believes that a growing number of vets are deciding that the declawing of cats is unhealthy to cats as it leads to behavioural problems and, for example, arthritis (due to gait distortions as a result of sensitivity and pain). There are many other potential complications, which I hope they are aware of.
Tara says that she and other vets have noticed that some declawed cats appear to demonstrate sensitivity when people touch their toes and when walking. It is fantastic to hear vets say this because what she is saying is that a substantial percentage of declawed cats have a problem with their toes, which we as advocates against declawing have known about for a long time but it is refreshing to hear veterinarians say it especially ones who have declawed for years.
The staff at the hospital decided together that they would stop doing the operation. They decided the alternatives were better. It may also have dawned on them that many operations are botched because the procedure is inherently defective.
To be honest. I’m almost speechless because this is fantastic news. I believe it is indicative of a slight change in mentality amongst mainstream veterinarians who declaw; a slight shift in mentality against it together with a realisation that what they’re doing causes problems which for decades they have chosen to ignore. I believe this change is due to years of publicity against the unethical nature of the operation by many people including myself on PoC.
I’m pleased that this website has done its bit to bring the message to the veterinarians (there are over 300 pages on the topic on PoC) and we must all praise The Paw Project for their fantastic, committed and peristent work.
Source: Regina animal hospital stops declawing cats – Saskatchewan – CBC News.