Introduction
Ear cropping in dogs is a surgical procedure that involves cutting and reshaping some part of the outer ear of dogs. This procedure is often termed as cosmetic otoplasty that mostly involves pinna of dogs. This practice has a long traditional history based on breed aesthetics and other outdated concepts. It has been justified by logics that it prevents injuries to dogs during fights, hunting while some also believed that cropping also increases the hearing sense of the dog. However, the growing awareness about the anatomy of canines and the animal welfare has increased the scrutinization of such practices and proven these concepts to be false. Moreover, understanding the ear structure and functions can help in better evaluation of the implications of ear cropping procedure.
Complex Structure
A dog’s ear is not just a flap of skin and cartilage rather it’s a complex system that is made up of three major parts namely the external ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. However, only the external ear referring to the pinna is cropped in this procedure. The pinna is the first line of action for the ear as it catches sounds waves from the environment and directs them to the eardrum through the ear canal. Structurally, ear is a mix of skin, muscles, cartilage, nerves and blood vessels.
Directional Hearing
Dogs have incredible sense of hearing due to the mobility of their ears. This mobility is responsible for directing the sound waves into the ear which is not as precise in humans as the dogs do. Dogs are capable of swivelling their ears independently of each other that enables them to pick up even the faintest noise. This is pinna of ears that imparts such high level of sound localization.
Breed Variation
There exists a wide variation in the ear shape and movement among different breeds. Some have naturally erect ears that stand up like in German Shepherds and Huskies whereas in Beagles and Spaniels ears are long and floppy. Ear cropping is a common practice in Boxers, Great Danes and Dobermans which have droopy and semi-erect ears. In these breeds, the cropping is aimed at giving upright shape to the ears. This is done by cutting some portion of the pinna and then training the ears with the help of posts and splints to stand upright over a period of weeks.
Cartilage, Blood Supply, and Thermoregulation
The pinna is supported by elastic cartilage beneath the surface which provides both the shape and the flexibility to ear. It is covered by a thin layer of skin and is supplied with a extensive supply of blood vessels and the sensory nerves. Owing to the presence of these nerves, the ear becomes highly sensitive to touch and temperature whereas the blood vessels help the dog in regulate its body temperature. Hence, ears have important role in cooling down and thermoregulation in hot weathers. However, when the ears are cropped, the dogs are deprived of their natural cooling organ which can result in heat stress in these dogs.
Sensory Nerves and Ear Canal Function
The nerves supply to the pinna includes the branches of great auricular and the auriculotemporal nerves. These nerves are responsible for the transmission of signals to and from the ear which help the dog in exertion of its response to the signals and be aware of its surroundings. When a dog’s ear is touched, it flinches or reacts owing to these intricate nerve pathways. Additionally, ear canal is another structure that extends inward starting from the base of the pinna to the eardrum. This canal has sebaceous glands along its diameter which produce wax that helps in trapping dirt and other harmful particles and preventing their entry into the deeper parts of the ear.
Pinna’s Role in Hearing
Even though, mainly the outer ear is affected in the cropping procedure, but all the parts of ear are interconnected. Eardrum is essential for hearing and serves as the border between the outer and middle ear. Sound waves collected by the pinna travel through the ear canal to the eardrum which then vibrates. These vibrations are sensed by three tiny bones of the middle ear and then transferred to the cochlea comprising the inner ear. Here they are converted to electrical signals and sent to the brain which understands them as sound. Hence, the pinna has a crucial role in the hearing process.
Communication Through Ear Movement
Ears have an important role in the communication of the dog in addition to the hearing process. Dog’s ears express its mood or attention. Erect ears indicate that the dog is alert or excited, while flattened and dropped ears signal for fear or submission. These gestures are very helpful in understanding the body language of the dog and, thus, help humans and dogs to show response accordingly. However, when the ears are cropped, others may commit errors in understanding the intentions of the dog.
Veterinary Perspective on Ear Cropping
In view of the veterinary science and the ethical perspectives, ear cropping should not be done until and unless there exists a clear medical reason to do so. The canine ear has intricated and purposeful anatomy, purposeful that is designed to support the hearing, communication, behavioural and thermoregulatory systems. Moreover, alteration of the natural make up of animals just for the sake of looks rather than addressing the health issues is against the basic principles of responsible veterinary care. The well-being of dog should be our preference rather than serving the cosmetic standards and human preferences.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that ear cropping in dogs has a little or no justification in today’s modern era when it is evaluated in view of the working anatomy of ear. The pinna is an important structure for the dog that has various biological and behavioural roles. Any alteration to this for cosmetic purposes affects the interacting ability of the dogs. Moreover, maintenance of the natural body state is not only important from scientific perspectives but is also a matter of ethics.
