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This is an overview of invasive animal management procedures. These invasive procedures are all performed on domesticated animals, typically in non-emergency settings (which includes preventative treatment), and may or may not have established therapeutic benefits. The procedures may differ between species, and each have been variously justified based on some combination of perceived therapeutic, convenience, cosmetic, and economic value. Many of these procedures are actively opposed by a variety of animal welfare and animal rights organizations, and some have legal limitations on their use. Some procedures are surgical and performed by Veterinarians, others are done by animal owners.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) described many of these treatment, in a 1986 report, as animal mutilations.[1] The term mutilations was used to refer to procedures "which involve interference with the sensitive tissues or the bone structure of an animal".[1] The RCVS acknowledged that the word mutilation was problematic in that its common use is "emotive" and carries "implications of maiming and disfigurement", but found no alternative term that was satisfactory for their purposes.
Common in many species edit
- Vaccination is done to prevent diseases.
- See also feline vaccination.
- Tattooing is done for animal identification.
- Ear tagging is done for animal identification.
- Earmarking is done for animal identification.
- Castration, neutering/spaying, and vasectomies are done to sterilize animals, perhaps also to alter the behavior of the animal.
- Livestock branding is done for animal identification. Using an extremely hot or extremely cold brand held against the animal's skin produces a permanent marking. Many organizations support the replacement of branding with the development of less-painful identification techniques, such a microchipping or tattooing.
Cats edit
- Onychectomy, or declawing, is the surgical removal of a cat's claws by means of the amputation of all or part of the distal phalanges, or end bones, of the cat's toes. It is commonly performed on housecats to to prevent scratching of people and to prevent damage to household possessions. The practice is common in the United States but is legally restricted or illegal in many other countries.
- Tendonectomy, a surgical alternative to onychectomy, involves the removal of a portion of the tendon in each of a cat's toes, preventing the cat from being able to extend its claws.
Cattle edit
- Dehorning
- Nose ringing
- Tongue amputation (calves)
Dogs edit
- Devocalisation
- Dewclaw removal
- Ear cropping
- Tail docking
- Eyelid tacking[note 1]
- Tail nicking[note 2][2]
- Teeth removal
Horses edit
Laboratory mice edit
- Ear tagging
- Ear notching
- Tail clipping[note 6]
- Tattooing
- Toe clipping[note 7]
Pigs edit
Poultry edit
Sheep edit
See also edit
Footnotes edit
- ^ 'Eyelid tacking' in dogs with wrinkly skin, e.g. Shar Pei involves surgically "tacking" the eyelids so they will not roll onto the eyeball for puppies or surgically removing extra skin in adolescent and older dogs.
- ^ 'Tail nicking' in dogs involves cutting the retractor muscles below the tail to affect the carriage of the tail.
- ^ 'Firing', sometimes called 'firing', is a therapy that uses a small, red-hot probe to cause cauterization (burning) of tissue in horses with chronic injuries to produce an abundant, serous inflammatory process.
- ^ 'Tail blocking' involves injecting the major motor nerves of a horse's tail with alcohol to affect the horse's ability to lift, or even move, its tail.
- ^ 'Tail nicking' in horses involves cutting the retractor muscles below the tail to affect the carriage of the tail. The tail is then placed in a tail set.
- ^ 'Tail clipping' in mice involves the removal of a section of the tail for tissue required in the development of genetically altered strains.
- ^ 'Toe clipping' in mice involves the full or partial amputation of one or more digits as a means of permanent identification.
- ^ 'Blinders' or 'spectacles' are included as some versions require a pin to pierce the nasal septum.
- ^ 'Desnooding' is the removal of the snood, a fleshy appendage on the forehead of turkeys.
- ^ 'Marking' is the simultaneous mulesing, castration and tail docking of lambs.
- ^ 'Declawing' in crabs involves amputation of one or both claws and returning the crab to the water.
- ^ 'Shark finning' involves amputation of the dorsal fin of sharks and returning the shark to the water.
References edit
- ^ a b "RCVS List of Mutilatory Procedures". Retrieved 9 December 2011.
- ^ "Dog Pawse". Retrieved 9 December 2011.
- ^ "The Horse". Retrieved 9 December 2011.
- ^ "The Perfect Horse". Retrieved 9 December 2011.
- ^ "The Perfect Horse". Retrieved 9 December 2011.
[[Category:Animal welfare]] [[Category:Animal cruelty]] [[Category:Veterinary procedures]]