Introduction
Ear cropping is a surgical procedure in which a portion of outer ear of dog is removed. This is done usually to reshape the ear giving the dog an alert and upright appearance. This procedure is mostly performed on breeds like Boxers, Dobermans and Great Danes. This practice not only inflicts significant pain to the dogs but also amputates a highly sensitive and important part of the body leaving behind both short- and long-term physical consequences. Hence, this article is aimed at discussing the reasons for the pain felt by the dogs after this procedure.
The Dog’s Ear as A Remarkably Sensitive Structure
The outer ear known as the pinna is not just simply a flap of skin but is a complex and living structure that is made up of skin, muscles, cartilage, blood vessels and nerves. The cartilage provides the ear with shape and flexibility whereas the skin and the tissues around there have extensive nerve endings that are responsible for sensations. There are several major nerves that run through the ear. These include branches of the vagus, trigeminal and facial nerves. These nerves are responsible for both the movement and the sensations of the ear. However, these nerves are severed during the cropping procedure. This creates a major injury there resulting in immediate and powerful pain signals to the brain.
The Trauma of Surgery
Cropping is a complex procedure that cuts through the skin and into the perichondrium which is a dense membrane surrounding the cartilage. Although cartilage itself does not feel pain, but the perichondrium certainly does due to the rich supply of nerves and blood vessels. Open wounds are created during the cutting process which must be stitched closed. If these cut surfaces are left raw and exposed, infections may occur there resulting in swelling and pain. Pain even results from the stitches which create tension in the wounds. Every time a dog moves in any attempt to scratch or shake its head, it feels pain and discomfort. Secondly, the bleeding at the time of cropping is another awful experience. This combines the trauma, nerve damage and the healing tension collectively imparting a very painful experience to the dog.
Pain from Inflammation and Healing
Once the ear is cut, emergency mode is activated in the body. It results in flooding of the damaged area with inflammatory chemicals like histamine and prostaglandins with the purpose of quickly starting the healing process. The inflammation does not only cause healing but is painful as well. These inflammatory substances cause dilatation and leaking of the blood vessels that leads to redness, swelling and pain. Moreover, the affected area also becomes hyper-reactive to touch and temperature. This is the reason that a dog’s ears are tender for days or even weeks during the recovery phase. In some cases, sensitization of the nervous system may also occur which leads to exaggerated pain responses even to gentle light touches causing constant discomfort to the animal. Additionally, itching and irritation occurring at the cut surface also impart discomfort to the animal.
The Prolonged Discomfort of Taping and Splinting
The pain does not stop even after the surgery. In fact, it may get worse because of the taping and splinting of the healing ears to make them stand upright. This is a long process lasting weeks and months depending on the breed and the response of ears. This is just like a healing wound that is constantly being pulled in a specific direction. Even the bandaging itself is putting constant tension on the wound that makes every movement of the dog uncomfortable. To add further to the pain, bandages that are must to be changed regularly are also reintroducing pain and wound handling stress in the dogs making their healing days really restless and painful.
How Dogs Show Their Pain
Signs of distress may be exhibited by dogs that have undergone ear cropping. This can be in the form of avoiding and withdrawing from being touched. They may whine, flinch or shake their heads when their ears are tried to be approached. Other signs may include loss of appetite, lethargy and sudden changes in their behavior. All these signs are indicative of pain and suffering of the dog.
Puppies Are Not Immune to Pain
There are some myths that puppies don’t feel pain. This is a foolish concept as the puppies are more sensitive to pain than the adult dogs. Puppy’s nervous system is fully developed by 7-8 weeks of age at which ear cropping is usually performed. Moreover, young animals experiencing trauma in their early develop hypersensitivity issues to pain and stress showing anxiousness and fear in their coming years of life.
No Medical Reason, No Justification
Ear cropping is solely performed for cosmetic purposes as it has no medical benefit to the dog. It just satisfies the owner’s preferences to meet the breed standards and that’s it. Veterinary medicine recommends ear cropping only for the purpose of treating some medical condition. Otherwise, this cropping practice is against the veterinary care principles and ethics.
Painful Complications
Complications can still develop no matter how many precautions are taken. Among these complications, infections are the most common which cause wound contamination, swelling at the cut site, pus formation, fever and even sepsis causing severe pain to the dog. Hematomas may also develop there causing discomfort as well. If necrosis starts at the wound site, even more surgeries may be needed for the removal of dead tissue. Additionally, in some cases, the pain does not stop even if the wounds are healed. This is because the severed nerves form neuromas which are hypersensitive and painful in the chronic course.
Conclusion
It is a clear-cut fact that ear cropping is a painful procedure that is medically unnecessary and only serves human preferences of cosmetic beauty. It damages the living tissue, cuts the nerve fibres, disrupts the healing of wounds and introduces the risks of infections, scarring, and lifelong sensitivity. Hence, the suffering faced by the dog due to ear cropping outweighs the supposed benefits of this procedure and is against the veterinary ethics too.
