Although historically cropped for hunting boar, the Great Dane today is cropped to ensure success in the show ring and because owners and breeders like the look of cropped ears. But more and more breeders are finding their good quality, well presented dogs will rise to the top...cropped or not
As for the look of cropped ears, yes they are beautiful! Perhaps it is time however, to seriously consider whether subjecting dogs to elective surgery simply because we think they look better is ethical.
Most owners would probably not crop their puppies ears if they completely understood what is involved.
* The pup must be subjected to general anesthesia between 7 to 12 weeks of age. There is always a risk, however small, that something can go wrong when under general anesthesia. It is extremely difficult to anesthetize a young puppy and great care must be given. Owners should be aware, pups do die during ear crops.
* About half the ear is removed and there is a raw, bloody edge closed with stitches from the base to the tip of the ear. This is a significant surgery and is surely accompanied by a great deal of pain. Although the pain can be managed with drugs, the puppy inevitably experiences some discomfort.
* There is a very real risk of infection of the incisions. The ears must be kept very clean and the pup should not be unduly stressed (e.g. be shipped by air) right after an ear crop.
* There is also a risk of fungal infections on the top of the head. This is due to restricted air flow from tape or cups being placed on the head to support the ears.
* Both you and your puppy must go through a minimum of 3 months of mandatory, time consuming, and costly weekly ear taping sessions. One never knows how long the taping process will have to go on. Some lucky dogs have ears that stand quickly at about 6 months old, others must be taped until the dog is nearly a year of age. Some ears never stand properly.
* There is NO - repeat NO - proven medical benefit to cropped ears. Some argue that a cropped ear is less likely to get ear infections because of increased light and air flow. There has been a scientific veterinary study conducted on this topic that concluded that drop-eared dogs are no more likely to get ear infections than prick-eared or cropped dogs.
On July 9, 1999, the American Veterinary Medical Association released the following:
Ear cropping and tail docking in dogs for cosmetic purposes are not medically indicated nor of benefit to the patient. These procedures can cause pain and distress, and as with all surgical procedures, are accompanied by inherent risks of anesthesia, blood loss, and infection. Therefore, veterinarians should counsel dog owners about these matters before agreeing to perform these surgeries.
We believe its time the United States and Canada joined England, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Greece, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand and recently France in banning ear cropping. (Reprinted from Keymaster Great Danes www.keymasterdanes.com)
As for the look of cropped ears, yes they are beautiful! Perhaps it is time however, to seriously consider whether subjecting dogs to elective surgery simply because we think they look better is ethical.
Most owners would probably not crop their puppies ears if they completely understood what is involved.
* The pup must be subjected to general anesthesia between 7 to 12 weeks of age. There is always a risk, however small, that something can go wrong when under general anesthesia. It is extremely difficult to anesthetize a young puppy and great care must be given. Owners should be aware, pups do die during ear crops.
* About half the ear is removed and there is a raw, bloody edge closed with stitches from the base to the tip of the ear. This is a significant surgery and is surely accompanied by a great deal of pain. Although the pain can be managed with drugs, the puppy inevitably experiences some discomfort.
* There is a very real risk of infection of the incisions. The ears must be kept very clean and the pup should not be unduly stressed (e.g. be shipped by air) right after an ear crop.
* There is also a risk of fungal infections on the top of the head. This is due to restricted air flow from tape or cups being placed on the head to support the ears.
* Both you and your puppy must go through a minimum of 3 months of mandatory, time consuming, and costly weekly ear taping sessions. One never knows how long the taping process will have to go on. Some lucky dogs have ears that stand quickly at about 6 months old, others must be taped until the dog is nearly a year of age. Some ears never stand properly.
* There is NO - repeat NO - proven medical benefit to cropped ears. Some argue that a cropped ear is less likely to get ear infections because of increased light and air flow. There has been a scientific veterinary study conducted on this topic that concluded that drop-eared dogs are no more likely to get ear infections than prick-eared or cropped dogs.
On July 9, 1999, the American Veterinary Medical Association released the following:
Ear cropping and tail docking in dogs for cosmetic purposes are not medically indicated nor of benefit to the patient. These procedures can cause pain and distress, and as with all surgical procedures, are accompanied by inherent risks of anesthesia, blood loss, and infection. Therefore, veterinarians should counsel dog owners about these matters before agreeing to perform these surgeries.
We believe its time the United States and Canada joined England, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Greece, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand and recently France in banning ear cropping. (Reprinted from Keymaster Great Danes www.keymasterdanes.com)
