[F]:confused: I recently inquired about a puppy from several breeders. One of the questions I asked was if there tails were docked ? I had several tell me that they banded there puppies tails and that it caused less trauma than whacking it off at that vet. I know from experience that having a litter of pups docked at the vet that they ask where and how (always thought they were taught this in vet school, but they say otherwise-usually breeders who advise on docking). I wanted the pups tails docked and even though I had it done at a 5 star rated vet, my pups died from a disease contracted at the vets office (had to be something that was viral and transferred through the vet or vet tech). I have read several articles on this procedure and was wondering does anyone personally do it and their opinion. :) Thanks :)

Commonly rubber is used similar to a rubberband, its placed on the tail to rot off, using the method of restricted blood supply to the trailing end of the tail .grossly painful procedure is more prevalent in areas short on education and modern pet care. Try a tight rubberband on your finger for a while to get the basic idea. I can't ever recall "whacking" off a dogs tail. I do recall routinely collecting a blood sample to to run a preSX panel to insure proper anesthesia administration free of complications while surgically prepping the section effected and removing the humanly sedated. Insuring nerve tissues is vacant at the closing of the dermis. Resulting a nonexcitable irritation or discomfort while sitting or undergoing athletic activities prior to suture removal.
I am sorry to hear your loss of a dog, via parvo. It's a very serious challenge if contracted by nonvaccinated or recently vaccinated puppies. More so to smaller breeds, primarily due to low body weight an slower organ development. Its not curable its only preventable. If contracted its at best in small breeds 50/50 provided the dog is kept on IV fluids antibiotics I've, metoclopramide to control vomiting, famotidine to slow the bowel activity, and monitor body temp glucose and patients color. While he fights off the nasties, usually by day four, we are better or worse.

This until banding is a form of animal cruelty. The poor dog would be in so much pain. If you want to find out what it feels like attach a rubberband to your little finger make sure it's tight and leave it on for a few days. If it's good for them it should be good for you.

Flea market breeders bring out the EVIL in me I try the nice professional approach till the inevitably shows up and I become a little louder explain to very clearly if they knew so much about medicine and proper health care then why are you hear to see me the doctor? If that doesn't shut them up long I continually explain where this problem went wrong Inform how much there typical" I know whats wrong all we need to do is,.,." going to deplete that fancy dollar store purse with 3 optional cell phone pockets.

All responsible breeders are deff. Not in it for money but the dedication to there breed and cont. the future generations of healthy animals who have ingulfed their lives.

I don't give a damn who is doing the docking of tails or the ears. It is CRUEL. Some people are cruel to poor animals. A breeder worth a million dollars that does this is just as cruel as a backyard breeder. I don't give a damn who disagree's with this post, That my opinion as an American, a woman and an animal lover. Have a nice day

They have been doing the same thing to steers for a very long time.

I don't have an opinion. I just have never heard about anyone complaining about the routine way a bull is turned into a steer.

Not even going to touch this one..
pawsdogdaycare

They also dock Draft Horses tails. I find it to be a cruel and inhumane practice...

Sorry to hear about the puppies. If it was Parvo, that's some nasty stuff. I've known breeders who go to some lengths to keep it away, especially if it's been going through the area. I would think it would be harder to do this at a Vet, with all sorts of dogs and people coming and going.

From my fairly limited experience, usually it's the breeders who dock/band the tails of their puppies. Always been told that within the first few days after birth, it's not that big of a deal. After that, it is a big deal, much more like an amputation and rather hard and painful for the dog.

There are some good reasons to have tails docked on certain breeds. It wasn't just done for looks, but for practical reasons. Longer, thin tails tend to get broken and get split ends. Tails are more of a hindrance for Terriers going to ground and are more like to get in the way when varmint killing - same for big, floppy ears, so no big floppy ears for Terriers. But floppy ears do help protect the ear canal in the hunting dogs going through the brush and woods, so no pointy ears for hunting dogs.

I knew a Doberman who kept breaking his tail. The owner was seriously contemplating getting the tail amputated, neither he nor the vet was happy about that idea. An English Pointer I knew kept getting split ends on her tail that would take months to heal. Never saw a Visla, GSP or Weimereiner with a broken tail or a split end tail. And every time my Brittanies come out of a bush, I'm glad there isn't more tail to get matted up with twigs and burrs.

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Originally Posted by bushg

I don't give a damn who is doing the docking of tails or the ears. It is CRUEL. Some people are cruel to poor animals. A breeder worth a million dollars that does this is just as cruel as a backyard breeder. I don't give a damn who disagree's with this post, That my opinion as an American, a woman and an animal lover. Have a nice day

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well i actually disagree with you on that i own a boxer and for medical reasons her tail needs to be removed boxers aren't meant to have them. She splits her tail on daily basis blood everywhere at the moment its now gettin infected its swollen and redness, it gets treated on a daily basis by bandaging and ointment, she can't have her tail wrapped up for the rest of her life that tail will prolly go gangrene 'yuck' she whacks her tail on anything and there is blood everywhere and now she tries to chew at it cause she knows its hurting & bleeding id rather her not get a taste for blood & then end up killing everything 'sheesh'. Imagine hitting your tail end that would cripple you so i can understand how a dog must feel hitting it on a daily basis splitting it open blood everywhere to me is More cruel. i have no other choice but to leave her tail intact is more cruel than getting it docked or band. What about dewclaws there is no difference at all that is still allowed. what about babies being circumcised its all the same.
I would never get my dogs ears cropped that is just stupid that is for looks whats wrong with their Floppy ears..

Also be aware that any time you dock a tail, by any method, you are severing the spinal cord. This is an infection looking for a place to happen, with easy access to the central nervous system.

Awwww, why cut off their tail? Tails are so cute... it sounds painful to me to just stick a tight band around it. I don't understand, just seems pointless to cut them off?

One more thing, if you must have the tail removed for medical reasons, why not use a local anesthetic first, then surgically remove the tail, bandage it up, give the dog pain meds until it heals? My baby boys were all circumcised and can you believe only one doctor (with my last son) suggested using an anesthetic before performing the circumcision? I never knew newborns could even have anesthesia...