Would You Put Your Dog Through Surgery

[mally]

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I've recently heard of this happening with other breeds from breeders at shows etc. I thought the kennel club had rules on this????. I certainly wouldn't put any of my dogs through the risk of surgery just to improve it's chances in the show ring, i think far too much of my dogs to even consider this.

I appreciate that alot of kc breeds to inherit problems that from time to time require surgery. I'm not questioning this as if the dog was suffering and surgery would improve it's quality of life then it would be criminal to deny it surgery.

what i am asking is do you think it's right to put a dog through surgery just to improve it's chances in the show ring??? And I would be interested to know if it happens with whippets. If you know of any and don't wish to put it on an open forum then you can pm me in confidence.

 

[affieluver]

a simple answer from me paul and thats a resounding no never not in a million years its bad enough having to put them through any surgery when its needed never mind when its not i cant believe people would even consider it

 

[whippetsrus]

Absolutely not.

 

[aslan]

If it was an injury like a piece out of ear or a broken tooth/tail that could be fixed to RESTORE the dog to its former glory and therefore improve its future chances in the show ring then of course yes I would.

If you're talking about cosmetic surgery to create something that WASN'T there before then no, this is not allowed.

 

[rls22]

a simple answer from me paul and thats a resounding no never not in a million years its bad enough having to put them through any surgery when its needed never mind when its not i cant believe people would even consider it

Seconded!

 

[jinnyfizz]

The very thought of this is horrific!!

General anaesthetic is a risk in itself and the more GAs that are given (human and animal) the higher the risk becomes.

I don't show at KC level, only fun shows, but I thought the whole point of breeding was to endeavour to produce, naturally, the most near-perfect whippet (according to breed standard) for showing and those that do not make the grade are homed to safe, forever, pet homes :unsure:

If cosmetic alteration was/is used (as in humans) it might ultimately negate the need for breeders to strive to produce "the one"!!! Ludicrous :blink:

 

[moonglow]

a simple answer from me paul and thats a resounding no never not in a million years its bad enough having to put them through any surgery when its needed never mind when its not i cant believe people would even consider it

Seconded!

& thirded!!!

One of my dogs has a dew claw(accidentally) left on.It was suggested that i should have it removed as it would stop him from winning.

There's no way on this planet that i'd put him through a ga just for the sake of picking up prize cards!!!

 

[mally]

a simple answer from me paul and thats a resounding no never not in a million years its bad enough having to put them through any surgery when its needed never mind when its not i cant believe people would even consider it

Seconded!

& thirded!!!

One of my dogs has a dew claw(accidentally) left on.It was suggested that i should have it removed as it would stop him from winning.

There's no way on this planet that i'd put him through a ga just for the sake of picking up prize cards,of which he has won many including a CC!!!

Thats right IMO if the dewclaw is not bothering the dog/bitch in any way then let it be. i respect you for that. But if it was causing problems to the dog/bitches quality of life then i know you would have it in for an operation without even a second thought.

It just goes to show with your show succeses that judges see past these minor issues and see the whole package and judge accordingly.

 

[moonlake]

a simple answer from me paul and thats a resounding no never not in a million years its bad enough having to put them through any surgery when its needed never mind when its not i cant believe people would even consider it

Seconded!

& thirded!!!

One of my dogs has a dew claw(accidentally) left on.It was suggested that i should have it removed as it would stop him from winning.

There's no way on this planet that i'd put him through a ga just for the sake of picking up prize cards,of which he has won many including a CC!!!

Thats right IMO if the dewclaw is not bothering the dog/bitch in any way then let it be. i respect you for that. But if it was causing problems to the dog/bitches quality of life then i know you would have it in for an operation without even a second thought.

It just goes to show with your show succeses that judges see past these minor issues and see the whole package and judge accordingly.

Vets are supposed to inform the Kennel Club if they perform any operation that alters a dog and so are the owners, who may or may not be allowed to show it afterwards. I don't think it happens as often as people make out, it's usually malicious gossip. I see nothing wrong in showing a veteran bitch that has been spayed after her litters - it is a useful marker for people who feel the breed is changing but cannot trust their memory as to whether some aspect was really better in the past but apart from something like that, I can see no point in showing something that has been altered in any way (honourable scars from the field excepted).

Gay

http://www.moonlake.co.uk

 

[dolly]

Speying now doesnt need permission, you just fill in the form from the KC and they send you back a lovely letter thanking you for informing them.

No dog should undergo any unescessary surgery

 

[Happy Humber]

Speying now doesnt need permission, you just fill in the form from the KC and they send you back a lovely letter thanking you for informing them.
No dog should undergo any unescessary surgery

You can show a neutered dog also

 

[doris]

Maybe you can show a neutured dog but I bet he won't do as well as his neutered female counterparts :-

My lovely Old Dog Devon got a super 2nd place at a champ show as a castrated 10 year old but there were only 2 in the class :lol:

But in answer to your question Paul, no, of course I wouldn't, I had whippets for 10 years before I started showing - its a hobby that gives me the opportunity to do something with my pets, with like-minded people.

But, I too have heard malicious gossip that suggests that there might be people out there who have - lets hope its not true :angry:

 

[bertha]

If it was an injury like a piece out of ear or a broken tooth/tail that could be fixed to RESTORE the dog to its former glory and therefore improve its future chances in the show ring then of course yes I would.

If you're talking about cosmetic surgery to create something that WASN'T there before then no, this is not allowed.

How do you fix a broken tooth????/ Whippets have always been allowed honorable scars in the show ring, they are after all a working breed, that is they will hunt and can get hurt.

A broken tail, fixable. A piece out of an ear, not fixable but allowed.

I can't think of anything you could surgically do to a whippet to improve it's chances in the ring. So no, what is the point.

Good question Mally. :lol:

 

[~Annie~]

Ok, I'm confused (not difficult lol) ... exactly what surgical alterations are the rumours about?? Only thing I can think of Anne that would make a difference is an umm 'making up the difference' on a monorchid dog.

Annie

 

[bertha]

Ok, I'm confused (not difficult lol) ... exactly what surgical alterations are the rumours about?? Only thing I can think of Anne that would make a difference is an umm 'making up the difference' on a monorchid dog.
Annie

In the good old US of A your dog can have artificial testicles to make it "feel" normal. But then the yanks will do anything wierd, I think the worst is having cats claws removed so they don't scratch the furniture!

 

[jazad]

I haven't heard of much in whippets. But I still see rotties, spaniels and a wire-haired German pointer and her pup - (so that was recent) with docked tails. And recently I have seen a pit bull type/ American boxer type (not good with breeds beyond the obvious) with cropped ears!!! I then overheard the owner of a cane corso (which isn't even KC recognised here - so no "official" showing) saying that they "are supposed to have their ears docked" but because "it's illegal here you've got to send them away to have it done"!!! :rant:

 

[mally]

I can think of a couple of reasons why people may consider surgery in whippets, i.e correcting a gay tail (a dog always carrying it's tail upright) or erect ears...

I must say that i've not put this post up to find out if anyone has ever done this, the question was would YOU do it??

 

[memyselfNi]

May I jump in on this post and ask "surgical correction of a gay tail?" Has it actually been attempted to anyones knowledge?

I can't see how the tendons running down the tail vertabrae could be altered affectively to improve chances, more the opposite really.

Cutting them would create a 'lifeless, dropped tail' that would have no carriage at all and the lengthening them with surgical material would create a defect that a judge could feel during examination.

The original post is an interesting question:

No I personally would not put any of my dogs under GA for a cosmetic procedure in an attempt to create an image that was ever there in the first place.

Though i would consider a dental if the dog otherwise would not chew bones and required a scale and polish, or a wound stitch up if a laceration was created by an injury or trauma which may otherwise heal as an open wound (though in the process creating a scar and taking longer to heal). A lump/wart removal I believe is an appropriate surgery for a show dog. After all is best to remove the lump and bumps in case they aren't as friendly as some, full histopatholgy of an incised tumor can give us peace of mind as well.

I think the thing to remember is that the surgery is not 'altering' or "removing" a fault that is already there from the time the beautiful little puppy entered the world. The risk factors surrounding general anesthetics should ALWAYS be of the hightest importance to ANY pet owner when undertaking a surgical procedure.

Again I think it is a good question, the answers can be filled with many variables.

All I hope is that the dogs I compete against,be they conformation or sporting, are owned and handled by parties that play fair.

 

[jazad]

I wouldn't put my dogs through surgery for cosmetic reasons - hell, I wouldn't put me through surgery for cosmetic reasons!!! Not even to correct my fat bum!

 

[I Believe I Can Fly]

I wouldn't put my dogs through surgery for cosmetic reasons - hell, I wouldn't put me through surgery for cosmetic reasons!!! Not even to correct my fat bum!

I heard, not just gossips, in my other breed, siberian huskies about cosmetic surgeries - correcting curling tail, making fake testicles... in whippets, I know some dogs who had their ears tied down for a good earset - although it is not a surgery, my problem is the same with them:

the dog will maybe look well, can win on shows (although is it not fair), but they will never ever inherit these qualities to their puppies!! They will have the same standing ears, curled tail or cryptorchism no matter if they fixed it at their parents. So what's the point? Does anyone need a dog who can produce only puppies with faults?

Or its just me who feels this way; for me the quality of a dog can be measured in his results in breeding, not shows.