Ask Me Help Desk - To crop or not to crop

To crop or not to crop

Okay so this is a very touchy subject so please no negative feedback!

I have a Pitt she's 10 weeks old and I have been back and forth on whether I want to crop her ears. To me I feel as long as you go to a good vet it will be fine. I hear oh why do you want to do it and its cruel. No it's not cruel when you have a baby boy you can circumcise or not it's a "choice". However here are my worries... Each vet I have checked none of them have any photos of their work. What if something went wrong when she is put to sleep or what if they do a bad job on her ears. I don't know I know there's what ifs with everything! :/

On November 26, 2008, the American Veterinarian Medical Association (AVMA) took the following official position on ear cropping and tail docking of dogs:

Also most European nations have outlawed this practice.

Most informed people feel this is a cruel and inhuman practice.

Big difference in circumcision and ear cropping, circumcision actually has some hygiene and health benefits, ear cropping is a very different thing.
While it is a choice, many vets simply don't do it any more, since the general consensus is it is cruel.
The very long incision is generally made with a large pair of scissors, it is a long cut and while healing must be wrapped, rewrapped and rewrapped again.
There is always a risk with anesthesia (as with any surgery)
During the healing process there is the risk of infection, trauma to the ears from scratching, shaking, rubbing the floor with the ears.
When having them rewrapped the pup is typically fully awake and it is a painful process.
It's also not a given that the ears will stand properly.
I've seen many pits with natural ears it in no way takes away from their beauty, in fact I've seen people trending towards natural ears on many breeds in recent years, including dobies, and danes.
I don't even remember the last time we had someone call and ask if we did that at our clinic (we do not, by the way, we stopped doing them long ago)
It is a very painful process.
Personally I would not have my pets ears cropped, I base that on the fact that it is purely cosmetic, AND I've seen many puppies through this surgery and it always made me cringe.
As an employee I had little choice, as an owner I say No way!

Thanks for your responses I have been leaning towards no. Matter of fact every time I go to do it I think of all the what ifs and say no. I just like how the cropped looks but I couldn't bare the thought of a.loosing my baby to the procedure or b. her dealing with a painful infection. She's very pretty and her ears aren't huge like a hound dog, I have a friend who's Pitts ears were like Bassett hound ears before she got them cropped. At the same token the only reason she got them cropped is for show, she intends on breeding her thinking she will be able to get 1500.00 a pup. I'm fixing my baby!

Quote:

Originally Posted by User80

Thanx for your responses I have been leaning towards no. Matter of fact everytime I go to do it I think of all the what ifs and say no. I just like how the cropped looks but I couldn't bare the thought of a.loosing my baby to the procedure or b. her dealing with a painful infection. She's very pretty and her ears aren't huge like a hound dog, I have a friend who's Pitts ears were like Bassett hound ears before she got them cropped. At the same token the only reason she got them cropped is for show, she intends on breeding her thinking she will be able to get 1500.00 a pup. I'm fixing my baby!

So you are going to have it done! Good luck finding someone to do it, and if it turns out bad, then you are left trying to set it right if there is infection.

No one wants to buy from a 'backyard' breeder. They are on the same lower level as puppy mills!

No I'm not having it done! I stated my friend had her dogs ears done! I am not doing my baby and fixed as in I'm NOT going to breed! Read something carefully before make nasty comments!

Quote:

Originally Posted by User80

Read something carefully before make nasty comments!

It wasn't a nasty comment. I had gotten the same impression as tickle did after reading your post, especially the last part, "I'm fixing my baby!" The lack of punctuation didn't help either.

I'm glad you will leave your dog's ears alone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by User80

No I'm not having it done! I stated my friend had her dogs ears done! I am not doing my baby and fixed as in I'm NOT gonna breed! Read something carefully before make nasty comments!

I can get even nastier while writing about unqualified people wanting to breed good dogs.

So you are not going to breed and not getting your dog's ears cropped, good!

I totally agree about people with lack of knowledge as far as breeding is concerned. I however would not be a back yard breeder so to speak. I don't feel Pitts should be bread anyway because there are so many who don't have homes as we speak! My friend bought a Pitt for 1500 totally as an "investment" I did not know that was her intentions and since then I realized how ugly if a person she was anyway and we are no longer friends. I would never treat my family as a business investment, because to me my baby is family!

Quote:

Originally Posted by User80

I totally agree about people with lack of knowledge as far as breeding is concerned. I however would not be a back yard breeder so to speak. I don't feel Pitts should be bread anyways because there are so many who don't have homes as we speak! My friend bought a Pitt for 1500 totally as an "investment" I did not know that was her intentions and since then I realized how ugly if a person she was anyways and we are no longer friends. I would never treat my family as a business investment, because to me my baby is family!

Hi again user, thanks for your validation. You sound like a responsible pet owner. Perhaps you should stick around here and help out in the pet forum. Your input is appreciated.

Tick

Quote:

Originally Posted by tickle

Hi again user, thanks for your validation. You sound like a responsible pet owner. Perhaps you should stick around here and help out in the pet forum. Your input is appreciated.

Tick

Thank you ;) and yes if I try my best! If I knew how to post a pic I would my baby is soooo pretty :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by User80

Thank you ;) and yes if I try my best! If I knew how to post a pic I would my baby is soooo pretty :)

Ahem... :)

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/h...re-678901.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by User80

Thank you ;) and yes if I try my best! If I knew how to post a pic I would my baby is soooo pretty :)

To post a photo --

1. At the bottom of the box that you type in there's a link that says "go advanced". Click it.

2. A paperclip symbol will show up on the top option on the box that you type in. Click the paperclip.

3. A new box will pop up called "manage your attachments".

4. Hit the "browse" button.

5. Find the picture you want to post and double click on it.

6. Hit the "upload" button beside the browse button.

7. Under the section "Upload file from a URL", a link will appear. That's your picture.

8. Close the manage attachments window.

9. Click on the paperclip again. Your link for your picture will be there. Click on it.

10. Post.

You can post up to 5 pictures per post.

I have a pittie who I contemplated the ear cropping.. and honestly, it makes these guys more friendly looking and easier to approach with uncut ears.

Despite what many people think, cropped ears is not a fighting dog's trademark, but many people think that is what it means. It gives the pitties a more severe look and people are more wary of them. This breed has to deal with enough issues with their looks, don't make it worse.

Ear cropping is an art. If the vet does not specialize in it, than don't go to them. A lot of vets are not willing to crop ears, so to find a vet who does ear cropping, and does it well, is few and far in between.

I don't see a link thingy :/ I'm on a mobile device maybe that's why

Quote:

Originally Posted by User80

I don't see a link thingy :/ I'm on a mobile device maybe that's why

I had posted a list of photo instructions (on #13) a few screens above this one.

Meh! I use my iPhone to browse this site and I so don't know how to figure out the upload photos I feel retarded 😶

Quote:

Originally Posted by User80

meh! I use my iPhone to browse this site and I so don't know how to figure out the upload photos I feel retarded 😶

I don't think you can do it on an iPhone. Do you have a computer?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

I don't think you can do it on an iPhone. Do you have a computer?

No my iPhone is my use all