Quote:
Originally Posted by TeddyGrahams  From an RVT standpoint,
de-clawing is a very bloody surgery and no, cats don't generally handle it very well. What owners don't see is how their legs jump each time their fingers are snapped off, what owners don't see is that even while they are under they wince in pain some even bite. It's reflex, they are heavily sedated however their nerves still detect whats going on. When the cats wake up the majority of the time the glue that holds their pads closed usually comes out and they bleed all over the cages or they bite at their stitches. Generally we have to put the glue back in and it's very painful for them as their paws are really sore. The cats are so confused, yes they have pain medication but that look in their eyes is awful. What did they do to deserve that? |
dear god, where do you work????? I would be very against declawing if i worked at your hospital.
I too am a vet tech and have helped with hundreds of declaws. 1) the surgery is not bloody at all if done properly. A tourniquet should be used at the elbow to hold off the vein to prevent the bleeding and slowly let up when the glue has been applied. 2) the legs shouldn't "jump" either if a nerve block is used (and it should be). 3) The cat shouldn't "wince" in pain, bite, or move a muscle during the procedure if the cat is properly anesthetized. They should be under general anesthesia and have pain meds plus a nerve blocker. 4) fingers are not snapped off, nothing should be snapped or clipped off. a surgical blade should be used to remove the nail. 5) Glue is applied to each incision to close the hole. Pads are NOT cut, in fact no part of the skin is removed. When finished, the paw should appear normal as if the nails are still there. Once the glue has dried the paws should be wrapped up to the elbow (and hock/stifle if backs are done). I used to wrap them the same way I would wrap a splint, with 3 different layer and lots of padding on the toes. 6) Yes some cats do wake up and flip out. They can do that with any procedure, some just don't agree with anesthesia or the pain meds used. The right pain med needs to be figured out and the patient should be made comfortable. IV pain meds and a fentanyl patch are best and should be used for at least 2 days after surgery (meaning the cat needs to stay in hosp for a few days). Before the cat goes home, the bandages are removed. If cat freaks out with licking the paws they get a party hat (e-collar) and thin bandages to just act as a preventative.