x********u
发帖数: 15396 | 1 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/09/130911-declawin
Katia Andreassi
for National Geographic
Published September 10, 2013
A California veterinarian is taking her crusade across North America with a
documentary that opens this month.
The Paw Project is directed by Jennifer Conrad, a vet who spent much of her
career working with exotic animals. After observing the debilitating effect
of declawing on tigers, lions, and other big cats, she began to perform
reparative surgeries on their paws. Her attention soon turned to smaller
felines: the millions of domesticated pet cats in America.
"Cats are the underdogs," Conrad told National Geographic about her
motivation for the film. "I wanted to challenge this; I wanted to protect
them."
The documentary—Conrad's first film—follows her quest to ban declawing in
North America. She has seen some success so far: Eight cities in California,
including San Francisco and Los Angeles, have banned the practice unless it
is medically necessary. Conrad also said that veterinary students she has
met with have been receptive and "relieved" by her message, but that she has
had a strong pushback from practicing veterinarians and veterinary
organizations.
While Conrad and her film condemn declawing, many vets continue to defend
the practice. Science on the subject remains divisive.
While both the Humane Society and American Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) strongly discourage declawing except in very
specific medical circumstances, major veterinary organizations including the
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association
of Feline Practitioners do not take a hard-line stance.
In position statements posted on their websites, the latter two
organizations outline their belief that declawing should be rare, but remain
an option when behavior modification fails. That sentiment is echoed by
many vets across the country who call for increased education about cat
behavior rather than outright bans on declawing.
"It is a major problem when there is no education about alternatives," said
Carlo Siracusa of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary
Medicine. "There is a lot of misinformation about animal behavior."
What Is Declawing?
When cats start scratching people or furniture, declawing can seem like a
way to make a problem kitten more house-friendly. But the surgery is not an
easy procedure for the cat, said Siracusa. Instead, "it's a stressful, major
event."
The most common procedure, called an onychectomy, is actually an amputation
of the last bones in the cat's paws—often likened to cutting off a person's
fingers at the top knuckle. The surgery is performed on the two front paws
—declawing of the rear paws is rare—with a scalpel, guillotine-style nail
clippers, or a laser. Wounds are closed with surgical glue or bandages.
If all goes well, the declawed cat recovers in a matter of days. However,
studies estimate that some form of complication—including pain,
hemorrhaging, and claw regrowth—occurs in 25 to 50 percent of declaw
surgeries.
Another procedure, deep digital flexor tendonectomy, involves cutting the
tendon on the back of the cat's paw that allows a cat to control its claws.
Following a tendonectomy, claws tend to grow in thicker because cats cannot
scratch to condition them, so they may grow into the paw pad. Owners are
advised to trim their cat's nails every week or two, which can prove to be
arduous.
Due to such complications, the American Veterinary Medical Association
advises against tendonectomies.
A 2001 study by the National Council for Pet Population Study and Policy
estimated 25 percent of pet cats in America are declawed, although a more
recent regional study in North Carolina suggests the number might be
slightly lower. In many countries, including Australia, Brazil, and much of
Europe, the procedure is banned unless it is necessary for the health of the
cat.
(See "First Person: It's Hard to Send a Pet to Heaven.")
What Are the Alternatives?
Scratching is perfectly natural for cats, said Barbara Sherman, a professor
of veterinary behavior at North Carolina State University's College of
Veterinary Medicine. Cats scratch and use their claws to mark their
territory, condition their nails, defend themselves, capture prey, and play,
she said. They also use their claws to stretch their backs.
Dealing with scratching is especially important for indoor cats, Sherman
said, because "when cats live exclusively in the house, you have to meet all
of the cats' needs in a contained space."
That means several simple but important steps for owners: getting kittens
used to having their paws handled and their nails clipped, providing a
scratching post near where the cat naps and an elevated resting spot where
the cat will feel safe, and meeting their needs for exercise and play. These
accommodations can eliminate problem behavior, said Sherman, making it
unnecessary to consider declawing.
Another alternative is to have small plastic caps put over cats' claws to
prevent scratching. The caps are applied to each claw using an adhesive by a
vet or pet owner. As the claw grows out, the caps fall off, so they need to
be replaced about every six weeks. They are sometimes recommended for cats
that are adjusting to a new home or other change.
Why the Controversy?
The debate over declawing reveals deep divisions in the veterinary community
, a fact noted by nearly every research paper on the subject. While some
vets—like Conrad—are totally opposed to the practice, others believe that
it should remain an option for pet owners.
Just what is best for cats' welfare depends on if the surgery is viewed as
animal cruelty or a humane way to maintain harmony between cats and their
owners.
Much of the debate hinges on whether declawing makes cats more likely to
stay in a family home, or puts them at risk of being surrendered to a
shelter. Conrad argues that declawing can make cats prone to litter box
avoidance and biting, and that these troubled cats are more likely to end up
abandoned.
But "there is no solid evidence that declawing leads to behavior problems,"
said Siracusa. He wants to see well-designed studies on the effects of
declawing and said he has concerns with available research because it relies
on the outcomes of declaw surgeries conducted by students.
"What we do know about, though, is pain," said Siracusa. There are
legitimate concerns with declawing, he said, and "it should not be a
standard procedure."
Siracusa believes that, eventually, America will go the way of Europe and
require special permission for the procedure.
Julie Meadows, a professor at the University of California Davis Veterinary
Medical Teaching Hospital, said she has seen the popularity of declawing
decline during her 25-year veterinary career. She thinks declawing can play
a role in protecting the human-animal bond, and in some cases it can keep
cats in happy homes.
"It's not fair to say we are never going to declaw cats because some people
will be put in a bind," she said.
Meadows is concerned about the decline of declawing training at vet schools.
A recent study showed that only 50 percent of U.S. veterinary programs have
mandatory declawing instruction. "The potential complications of declawing
are associated with inexperience and less than perfect technique," Meadows
said.
Gary Patronek of Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine,
whose publications have been quoted by people on both sides of the declawing
debate, said in an email that his older research offers "something for
everyone" and his work on the risk factors for cats being left at shelters
was "really quite inconclusive" when it came to declawing. But for Patronek,
the issue is about much more than cats being abandoned.
"Supporting science can help, of course," he writes, "but this is an issue
very firmly rooted in ethical notions about cats and how they deserve to
live—even if declawed cats are not at increased risk of relinquishment, it
doesn't mean that they are 'happy' living in their homes without claws."
Conrad calls declawing a "peculiar practice" in North America because she
says it is considered unethical in so many other parts of the world.
"We have let it happen here and no one has challenged it," Conrad continued.
In The Paw Project, Conrad attributes the continued existence of declawing
to vets who rely on the income from the surgery and fail to provide
alternatives to their clients.
With this film Conrad wants get all pet lovers thinking about the choices
they make and end declawing once and for all. "I hope that Americans and
Canadians begin to really question what's right for their animals," she said
. | r*****a
发帖数: 27155 | 2 为啥好多错误的信息传播得更快？好多不懂猫的都听说过可以给猫declaw，但是从来不
知道declaw有啥坏处
a
her
effect
【在 x********u 的大作中提到】
: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/09/130911-declawin
: Katia Andreassi
: for National Geographic
: Published September 10, 2013
: A California veterinarian is taking her crusade across North America with a
: documentary that opens this month.
: The Paw Project is directed by Jennifer Conrad, a vet who spent much of her
: career working with exotic animals. After observing the debilitating effect
: of declawing on tigers, lions, and other big cats, she began to perform
: reparative surgeries on their paws. Her attention soon turned to smaller
| m*****f
发帖数: 4970 | | y*********u
发帖数: 14561 | 4 坚决不要declaw!!!
【在 m*****f 的大作中提到】
: 好长， 求summary....
| z******o
发帖数: 3285 | 5 summary就是说 有人做declaw，主要原因是不让猫抓家具--所谓人猫和谐；反对的原因
是截肢或间断tendon是一种痛苦的手术，术后负效应也是有的，并且有可能会引起猫的
行为问题--虽然目前没有确凿证据（主要是统计inference）--如果这些猫最后被抛弃
会比较惨。
问题的纠结在于 人猫和谐 与 人道主义的边界在哪里？让猫快乐地呆在人类的家里需
要什么，declaw是不是最需要的？是不是合理的需要？
我觉得怕猫抓家具就不要养。 | m*****f
发帖数: 4970 | 6 这个不是早就知道的了么。。。。。declaw 想想都痛， 根本就残疾了嘛。。。
【在 z******o 的大作中提到】
: summary就是说 有人做declaw，主要原因是不让猫抓家具--所谓人猫和谐；反对的原因
: 是截肢或间断tendon是一种痛苦的手术，术后负效应也是有的，并且有可能会引起猫的
: 行为问题--虽然目前没有确凿证据（主要是统计inference）--如果这些猫最后被抛弃
: 会比较惨。
: 问题的纠结在于 人猫和谐 与 人道主义的边界在哪里？让猫快乐地呆在人类的家里需
: 要什么，declaw是不是最需要的？是不是合理的需要？
: 我觉得怕猫抓家具就不要养。
| t*****u
发帖数: 8966 | |
|
