I have been told by some that a Cane Corso is not a Cane Corso unless they have the tail and ears cropped and docked. What is your opinion? I have a six-week-old female named Lupa. I have also asked numerous vets, and they have told me that they do not do this procedure. Help, I need answers.

Sandra
Philadelphia, PA

Don’t do it.

A Cane Corso is a Cane Corso regardless of whether her ears are cropped and her tail is docked. A Cane Corso is a Cane Corso whether she has four legs or three and two eyes or one. A Cane Corso is a Cane Corso whether she is black, fawn, or brindled.

The breed standards for many breeds call for tail docking and ear cropping. The breed standards are on the wrong side of history.

Here is another 30 year prediction, to go on the record with my 30 year prediction yesterday regarding antibiotic feed additives. In 30 years, almost nobody will own dogs with cropped ears or docked tails.

There are two reasons why I am confident of this. First, public opinion is rapidly turning against the practices of ear cropping and tail docking.

You alluded to the second reason why the practices will die out in your question. Fewer and fewer vets are willing to perform the procedures. I do not perform them. Nor do most of the vets I know.

The vast majority of vets who dock tails and crop ears are older. In 30 years they won’t be practicing. You won’t be able to get your dog’s ears cropped even if the breed standards haven’t changed.

But they will change. The inevitable cannot be delayed forever.

Photo: Look at those beautiful ears! By Claudio Domiziani. License: CC.

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A recent comment caught my eye.

We have a 5 year old Cane Corso. Can the brand/ type of dog food make a difference on his teeth? They started bleeding lately and he will only eat his food if we put water in it and leave it to get mushy. Please let us know if there is anything we should be doing differently.

Heather

The most common cause of bleeding in the mouth is dental disease. Since dogs don’t brush their teeth, they are prone to infections of the teeth, gums, and bones in the mouth that can become severe.

Pets with advanced dental disease may prefer soft food to dry food. They may also experience bleeding from the gums.

This sort of dental disease is very painful. It also poses a serious health risk.

Dogs that eat dry food generally develop dental disease more slowly than those that eat soft food. However, all dogs are at risk for dental disease. If your dog is unable to eat hard food, then you should continue to feed him soft food until a vet can evaluate him.

Speaking of vets, I recommend that you take your dog to one as soon as possible. In addition to dental disease, problems such as fractured (chipped) teeth, tumors in the mouth, exposure to rat poison, and foreign objects lodged in the oral cavity can cause the symptoms you describe.

Whatever is causing your dog’s symptoms needs to be addressed. The problem is likely to get worse over time. Your dog almost certainly is in pain. He needs to see a vet.

Photo: Jack shows off his teeth. They look good.

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