Veterinary Surgical Lecture Proves Debarking is on its way out.
I currently am attending a veterinary conference in southern California. (Which, by the way, is why I haven’t posted for a couple of days. The Marriott keeps a stranglehold on internet access.)
In this morning’s lecture, the speaker discussed a case in which he had treated the victim of a botched debarking surgery. He spent several minutes reminding the audience that veterinarians have no business performing surgery on the vocal cords of dogs unless there is a medical reason. He then queried the audience to find out how many of us have performed the procedure.
I admit that people may have been reluctant go confess to the procedure after the speaker’s rampage against it. But can you guess how many people, out of a group of perhaps 100 veterinarians, raised their hands?
None.
I recently wrote about a Massachusetts teen who is working to make debarking surgeries illegal in his state. I’m fine with that, but I don’t think it will be necessary in the long run. Soon there will be no debarked dogs simply because no vets will be willing or able to perform the surgery.
You have questions. 
The Mass. Veterinary Medical Association is fighting pretty darn hard to kill the bill banning devocalization—right in step with the state’s dog breeding association and NAIA, an organization of breeders, labs and others, which exists to squelch animal-protective legislation. If it’s so rare, and so unprofitable, why not put the law on the books? Reality is, every time our group members leaflet for this bill, we meet people who either have adopted a breeder’s cast-off devocalized dog (and some cats!) or know someone who has. It’s not uncommon. Just underground. And vets are enabling this unnecessary, risky procedure that provides no benefit to the animal, obviously not even a secure home, just to ca-ching and convenience for people. Shame on MVMA.
the clinic i work at.. in Tulsa, Ok performs this surgery. I hate it. The owner has a dog he debarked several times!!! There’s also a lady who “rescues” Collies, who brings them in 2-3 at a time to be debarked as soon as she gets them just because they’re “known” for their barking. it seems to me just a form of easy money, much like declawing, ear cropping, and tail docking.
While barking, especially nearly constant barking can be very annoying, it could just be that your dog is trying to tell you something. Often, I believe, a dog barks because it isn’t being walked enough! If your dog barks, give it 45 minutes to an hour a day of exercise! I think you’ll be amazed at the result Personally, I think that DVM’s performing laryngectomies for other than serious issues such as cancer should be prosecuted for animal cruelty! I might add that such prosecution should include the owners of the animals for aiding in, and abetting, the offense. My suggestion to “fordogzsake” is that you report your employer and clients to the SPCA.
This is one of the worst cruelties to do to a dog! I’ve heard a de-bark dog trying to speak and it’s horrible to watch. If people want a dog that doesn’t bark, pee, make a mess they should just get a stuffed dog! Dogs bark for a reason. Any vet who does this simply for the convenience of not hearing any noises, his licence should be revoked. Sorry, I’m not a vet or assistant, I’m just someone who loves animals and it’s very frustrating to read these kinds of “surgeries” are performed on innocent animals who are only doing what comes natural.
I am so happy that folks are finally coming around to realizing that we do not and should not play god with our animals. Dogs bark! They have beautiful ears, and tails that wag and display their happiness. Who wants to change that?
My dog’s life was saved because of being debarked. He had laryngeal paralysis and a neurologist said that he was not a candidate for a tie-back because he also had polyneuropathy. He said the legs would give out before total paralysis of the larynx. The neurologist sent him home to die, saying he had until spring (from October). I found a vet who did a debark on my dog and opened up a larger airway. Once he could breathe, I got him into physical therapy. A year and a half later, his larynx reached total paralysis. His legs were now stronger and he was able to have a tie-back. My wonderful golden retriever lived two years past the diagnosis because of the debark!!! You say that it can still be done for medical reasons, but if vets don’t know how to do it, how will those who need it medically get this help? Please say more on this aspect of the debark.
cshore, the sort of surgery you describe is different from a standard debarking. Most vets who do not know how to perform convenience debarking surgeries are still able to perform medically indicated procedures on the same area. Also, specialists in veterinary surgery are increasingly common.
Dr. Barchas, most specialists won’t do the debark for LP. I don’t live in a rural area. I live in the Chicago area, equidistant from the U of Illinois, U of Wisconsin, and Purdue. They will only do the tie-back. That is all the vet schools are teaching. The neurologist I saw was at a specialty clinic. He said that a debark doesn’t work, refused to do anything at all and sent my dog home to die, insinuating that he would have put him down then if I didn’t think laying around and waiting for it to happen was a good quality of life. I only knew about the debark from an LP forum and had trouble finding a vet who would do it. So while specialists are more common and may know how to do it, they won’t. Sorry, I know this isn’t the intended direction of the article but feel it’s important and wanted to respond to what you said about specialists performing it.
Dr. Barchus, I sincerely hope you are correct in your assertion that de-barking is on it’s way out. However, I think there may be some factors that may have affected how you came to that conclusion.
1. You based your observation on a very minute ratio of participants when compared to the veterinary field as a whole.
2. I have to wonder about the demographics of your “sample group”: Were they older/younger? what area of the country were they from? were they independent vets, or part of a larger hospital group? did they practice only small animal medicine or did they also treat exotics & large/stock animals? All these things come into play when looking at the responses of a certain group of people.
Like I say, I would be ecstatic if the practice of “cosmetic” de-barking is indeed becoming less commonplace, but I fear the reality may be that it is simply going down the same road as de-clawing: frowned upon, but tolerated to a degree.
To each his/her own opinion, and here’s mine. I equate declawing and ear docking right up there with debarking. Tail docking, for working dogs – I can see that. The other cosmetic/convenience surgeries – why would you do that to your best friend? Myself, I like brushing out those long lush flags and bloomers, and ears are so expressive! All of my dogs “talk” to me in assorted croons, whines and howls. I like dogs just as nature made ‘em.
unfortunately, debarking is not against the law… yet…
before i worked for this clinic, i worked at the local spca and i researched ever animal law on the books in our state. i for one am at least thankful the up and coming vets are not even bothering learning how to do routine butcheries such as debarking, ear cropping, and tail docking and am also glad for forums such as these to discuss and spread the word on what modern society is now finding unacceptable for our beloved animal friends.
[...] Veterinary Conference, a leading expert on neck and throat surgery in dogs (the same individual who admonished the attendees never to perform elective debarking surgeries) discussed his concern that chronic injury to the neck could damage a nerve that runs to the voice [...]
[...] Veterinary Conference, a leading expert on neck and throat surgery in dogs (the same individual who admonished the attendees never to perform elective debarking surgeries) discussed his concern that chronic injury to the neck could damage a nerve that runs to the voice [...]