Declawing By Britney Hughey

Indications/Uses The feline declaw, also referred to as the feline onychectomy, is the removal of the claw and the most distal phalanx of each digit Usually only done on the front paws; declawing all four paws is not recommended Used to stop a cat from scratching owners and destroying furniture, carpeting, clothing, etc., while exercising their natural urge to scratch

Indications/Uses Cats scratch for several reasons besides to defend themselves: to sharpen their claws, to stretch their legs, to leave their scent, and to remove the outer layer of their claws that naturally sheds off The declaw is used either prophylactically to stop damage from occurring, or as a last resort when unwanted scratching behavior is already present

Techniques There are 3 different techniques for the feline declaw: the Rescoe nail trimmer technique, scalpel blade, and CO2 laser technique All 3 are effective when done properly and all have pros and cons First the paws are surgically scrubbed but not usually shaved unless longhaired Not a sterile procedure because you cannot sterilize this area of the body With the Rescoe and scalpel techniques, a tourniquet is placed around the patient’s leg distal to the elbow to control bleeding

Rescoe nail trimmer During the Rescoe technique, the nail trimmer is positioned between the second and third phalanx The claw should be pulled cranially, and as little skin as possible should be removed A portion of the third phalanx is left behind, but the entire germinal layer is removed to prevent regrowth of the nail (very painful!)

Scalpel blade The scalpel technique uses a no. 12 scalpel blade to excise the entire third phalanx Once the collateral ligaments are cut, the nail is cut away from the underlying tissue and digital pad The pad is moved out of the way to avoid inadvertent laceration

CO2 laser The laser technique is very similar to the blade technique except that it uses laser energy instead of a scalpel The surgical site usually doesn’t bleed with the laser technique, so a tourniquet is not necessary Saline-soaked sponges should be used to cover the remainder of the cat’s foot, instruments, and surgeon’s fingers to absorb extraneous laser energy and prevent iatrogenic laser burns

CO2 laser It is best to use instruments approved for laser surgery to prevent reflected laser beams from inappropriately penetrating objects and tissues Everyone in the room should wear safety glasses to prevent inadvertent ocular damage One might argue that the laser technique is the best because there isn’t as much trauma and bleeding, but always be sure your surgeon has been properly trained in this technique!

Rescoe Scalpel Laser

Techniques One to two sutures are often placed to close the skin edges after the nail is removed Surgical glue (cyanoacrylic tissue adhesive) is used instead in some instances Surgical glue should never be placed on the exposed bone of the second phalanx or dropped inside the wound

Techniques After surgery, the paws are bandaged snugly with strips of tape and a gauze sponge over the excised digits Strips of tape are placed longitudinally along the leg and distally around the paw Tape is then placed circumferentially around the paw up to the elbow The tourniquet is removed as soon as bandaging is complete

Techniques This is a very painful procedure, and analgesics should be administered pre- and post-operatively A pure opioid agonist is best for the first 24 hours after surgery Some nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs can also be used Pain medication should be administered for at least 4 to 5 days postoperative

Techniques The bandages are kept on for 24 hours, but no longer After surgery, litter should consist of shredded paper or pellets to prevent accumulation of clay or sand in the surgical wounds with resultant irritation and infection Paws should be monitored for hemorrhage, swelling, drainage, and redness

Supportive Scientific Data? The American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners both say about the same thing on declawing; while it’s not considered medically necessary for the cat, it can be considered appropriate for cats that otherwise would be given up or for those whose owners are immunocomprimised

Supportive Scientific Data? There have been many studies on whether declawing affects a cat’s personality, and there has been no evidence to support that it does Most cats don’t seem to realize they’ve been declawed when done young There is also no evidence to suggest that a cat will develop problems with using the litter box after being declawed

Risks Vs. Benefits Complications of onychectomy can be divided into those that occur in the early postoperative period and those that occur in the late postoperative period Early complications include loose bandages and potsoperative bleeding Cats should be checked frequently for evidence of loose, bloody bandages or complete bandage removal and severe hemorrhage

Risks Vs. Benefits Late complications include regrowth of the claws, chronic lameness, or both Claw regrowth requires reoperation and removal of remaining germinal epithelium Chronic lameness without evidence of regrowth may be seen with incomplete removal of the phalanx or cut foot pads

Risks Vs. Benefits Other complications include radial nerve damage secondary to tourniquet placement and skin sloughing secondary to tight, prolonged bandage placement Just like with any surgical procedure, infection is a possibility, especially because this is not a sterile surgery There are no medical benefits for the cat unless there is a problem with the claw/phalanx itself and it needs to be removed for any reason

Other Options Frequent Nail Trimming Training Soft Paws

Conclusion In conclusion, declawing may seem cruel, but if it is a choice between declawing the cat and the cat not having a home, it is much better to declaw!

Bibliography McCurnin, Dennis M. and Bassert, Joanna M. Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians, Sixth Edition. Philidelphia, PA: Elsevier Inc, 2006. Ecksten, Sandy. (2009). Declawing Cats Q&A: Positives, Negatives, and Alternatives. Healthy Cats Guide. February 28, 2010. http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/declawing-cats-positives-negatvies-alternatives?page=3. Marvistavet. (2009, August 19). Declawing and its Alternatives. February 28, 2010. http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_declawing_ and_its_alternatives.html.

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