You may want to look into filing a complaint with the BOVM. Just like a regular doctor they have to be held accountable!

Pain Felt By Puppies

by Prof. Dr R. Fritsch

I have been asked by the German Kennel Club to give a professional opinion on the following questions:

• WILL THE REMOVAL OF THE TAIL AND DEW CLAWS WITHOUT ANAESTHETIC ON A FOUR DAY OLD PUPPY CAUSE CONSIDERABLE PAIN?

• IS IT NECESSARY FROM THE VETERINARY POINT OF VIEW TO SHORTEN THE TAIL OR AMPUTATE THE DEW CLAWS OF CERTAIN BREEDS OF DOGS?

The docking of tails and the removal of dew claws in puppies less then four days old without anaesthetic is not connected with any serious pain in such a way that it cannot be allowed from the point of view of the protection of animals.

The reason for this is (there are two expressions in German for which there is no English equivalent: Nestfluchter which means a young bird or young animal which very soon will leave its nest or its mother and therefore will have to find its own food, and Nesthockern which means a young animal that stays for a long time in the nest with its mother and is fed by her). The new born puppy belongs to the Nesthockern, in contrast with the horse, cow, sheep, pig and goat which are regarded as Nestfluchter.

The animals in the Nesthockern group are born relatively immature, completely naked, blind, deaf, very immobile and very helpless. Their Nervous system at birth is not even fully developed. There are still cell divisions in the brain and some of the nervous threads are not fully developed. In psychological tests, it has been determined that the time between the nervous impulse and reaction (chronaxie) takes 3-4 times longer than it would in an adult. After about 10-14 days, when the animals eyes are opened (until then it has been more like an embryo) it is possible to determine the normal value of the impulse. In 1941, Volkhov determined that animals, at this period of life, had very little feeling of pain. The conscious feeling of pain is still not very likely at that age.

Schmidker wrote in his doctorate in 1951 about the feeling of pain in newborn puppies: Incomplete development of the nervous system at the time of birth and the very high chronaxie value in connection with the fact that the animal is not able to react effectively to pain, gives us every reason to believe that the actual feeling of pain is very low in the newborn group of mammals (dogs). In other words, at this age and biological condition, it would have no absolute meaning to talk about pain. You therefore do not have to worry or fear that the dog will be made to suffer pain or psychological pain, if the tail has been docked or the dew claws removed, in the first few days after birth.

It is completely different though, with the Nestfluchter (animals which leave their nest or mother just after birth). In these animals, the nervous system is fully developed just after the moment of birth. All senses that serve to get rid of enemies and pain are fully developed. One can neither from physiological knowledge nor from just observation, say that these young animals feel a lot less pain than adults.

It would therefore be a contradiction in the law, for the Protection of Animals, to permit the shortening or docking of tails in pigs and lambs without anaesthetic, because they have a fully developed threshold of pain, and, at the same time, forbid the docking of dogs. It is absolutely certain that the docking of tails on small lambs and pigs and also the castration of young pigs, goats and calves during their first days of life, will cause considerable pain if done without anaesthetic. However, from the point of view of the docking of dogs, whose nervous system is not fully developed during the first few days of life, is completely acceptable from the point of view of the protection of animals.

The removal of dew claws is necessary in order to avoid later damages and illnesses. It is also recommended to dock the tails in breeds which have long thin, weak and sparsely coated tails, in order to avoid later sickness and damage. At the same time tails should be docked in breeds that are used in such a way that there is a risk of injury to a tail e.g. hunting dogs. It is beneficial to avoid painful injuries and therefore in the interest of the Prevention Of Cruelty to animals.

The dew claw is the ¹rudimentary first toe. They are often injured and the nail can grow into the skin causing considerable inflammation. The dog can easily catch them on different objects because they just hang on the side of their paws, a nonfunctioning object and can therefore damage themselves quite seriously. It is therefore in the interest of the law to recommend that these claws are removed as early as possible. Their removal is best done in the first week with a little clip with scissors.

The dogs tail on the other hand, whether it be in kennels or around the home, is in constant danger of damage be being hit against hard objects like walls, fences, tables, chair legs, radiators and of being trapped in doors. these injuries usually result in sores at the tip of the tail, which do not heal well because there is poor blood circulation in this part of the tail.

By licking and chewing, the dog makes the condition worse and the skin and tissue will die. These conditions of necrosis of the tip of the tail is often seen in Great Danes and Dalmatians. German Shepherds are often seen in veterinary surgeries.

This can sometimes be treated with partial amputation but secondary problems can occur in the healing process because the very poor blood supply is not conductive to this. This actually makes it necessary to amputate the tail several times before the healing process is achieved.

Hunting dogs are in great danger of damaging their tails when thrashing through thick undergrowth and young forest. Only tails that are thick and covered with long hair are protected, such as those of the Wolf and Fox.

Apart from the dangers that the dog is constantly confronted with in the human environment (as well as the fact that they have less hair than the wild dog) many breeds have a very lively temperament which often cause tail tip damage in the course of their exuberance, eg. and undocked Boxer will constantly be subject to injury when using its tail when he express happiness.

As far as the behaviour of dogs is concerned, I can not see that their ability to express happiness should in any was be altered by the docking of the tail.

From the veterinary point of view, therefore, there is absolutely no reason why the banning of the docking of dogs tails should be beneficial to them. In actual fact, it would be detrimental to their well-being if docking was abolished. Tail docking protects the dog as it is done to avoid problems with tail injuries as subsequent painful treatment that would often occur.

It is called Prevention!

Absolute credit for the above article is given to Prof. DR R. Fritsch, Leader of Clinic of Veterinary Surgeons, Justus-Lieberg University, to The German Kennel Club.

¹ = from The Oxford School Dictionary a. elementary; undeveloped. [L. rudimentum]

The UK Legal Position

Is the abolition of docking demanded by Europe?

Why are dogs tails docked?

How is docking carried out?

Is docking cruel?

Do dog breeders want the law changed?

The docking of dogs tails is a practice which has been carried out for centuries in order to avoid tail damage, for hygiene and other reasons. Today there are over fifty traditionally docked breeds which are recognised by various Kennel Clubs.

But docking has, in recent years, come under the scrutiny of the veterinary establishment, which has condemned the practice as an "unjustified mutilation".

Breeders, dog owners and many veterinary surgeons disagree with this view. They believe that if docking ceased, dogs would suffer.

Docking, they say, is a perfectly humane procedure when properly carried out, and one, which prevents far more distress than it causes. It is, like neutering, simply a practical animal management technique which should remain available to dog breeders and owners.

The UK Legal Position

Tail docking has historically been undertaken largely by dog breeders. However, in 1991, the UK government amended the Veterinary Surgeons Act, thereby prohibiting the docking of dog's tails by lay persons from 1 July 1993. Now, only veterinary surgeons are, by law, allowed to dock.

However, following the Government move, the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in November 1992, ruled docking to be unethical, "unless for therapeutic or acceptable prophylactic reasons". Furthermore, the circumstances in which the Royal College considered prophylactic docking to be acceptable were so hedged with conditions as to make the routine docking of puppies by veterinary surgeons extremely difficult.

Vets who continue to dock risk disciplinary action, including being struck off the professional register.

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Is the abolition of docking demanded by Europe?

There is no European Community Directive or Regulation against docking. The only International Treaty which mentions docking is the 1987 European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, established by the advisory grouping of Western European States, the Council of Europe.

Although it calls for the prohibition of docking, it specifically recognises the rights of nations which otherwise accept the Convention, to reserve their position on the issue. The treaty therefore accepts that docking is not a clear cut matter.

After 9 years, only 11 out of the 39 states have signed and ratified the treaty, not including the United Kingdom. Five of those, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Portugal have reserved their position on docking. (Correct as at 18 October 1996)

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Why Are Dog's Tails Docked?

1. To avoid tail damage

A number of working gundog breeds have to hunt game through heavy vegetation and thick brambles, where their fast tail action can easily lead to torn and bleeding tails which are painful and extremely difficult to treat. Docking the end of the tail eliminates the risk of injury.

Working terriers are docked for the same reason. In addition, terriers which are bred to hunt below ground for purposes such as fox control, have their tails docked to a length which is more practical when working in a confined space.

Other non-working breeds which have an enthusiastic tail action, are also liable to damage their tails, even in the home.

Since docking was banned in Sweden in 1989, there has been a massive increase in tail injuries amongst previously docked breeds. Within the 50 undocked Pointer litters registered in that year with the Swedish Kennel Club, 38% of dogs suffered tail injury before they were 18 months old and in 1991, the number of individuals with tail injures had increased to 51% of the group.

2. For reasons of hygiene

Long haired, thick coated breeds like the Yorkshire Terrier and Old English Sheepdog are docked to avoid the hair around the base of the tail becoming fouled by faeces. Even with constant grooming and washing, such fouling is unpleasant. If allowed to get out of hand, it can lead to severe problems of hygiene, or even flystrike and subsequent infestation by maggots.

Hygiene problems can be greatly reduced or eliminated altogether by docking.

3. To maintain breed standards

Breeds which have been docked over many generations have been selected for specific qualities of build and conformation, but not for tail length, shape or carriage.

If left undocked, it is unlikely that the best dogs would carry good tails. In seeking to maintain the quality of the breeds, breeders would therefore be left with a diminished number of suitable sires and dams. The genetic pool would be reduced, greatly increasing the risk of hereditary diseases taking hold. Some breeds could even disappear for ever.

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How is docking carried out ?

There are two methods of docking. The majority of breeders used the technique known as "banding", in which a ligature, normally an orthodontic band, was placed over the end of the puppies tail at 24-96 hours old. This effectively cuts off the blood supply to the end of the tail, which comes away within 3 days.

Most vets used to cut the tail with surgical scissors. There is generally no need for stitches, but on occasions these can be used, especially with the larger breeds. Nowadays in the UK, vets are more than likely to use the banding method.

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Is docking cruel?

Docking is carried out when puppies are tiny. Their eyes are not yet open and long experience indicates that carried out correctly, the procedure causes no pain or discomfort. Indeed, some puppies which are docked whilst they are asleep, do not even wake up. After docking, puppies will immediately return to their dam to feed, and there is no evidence that development or weight gain is in any way arrested by the docking procedure.

Nor does a dog which has been docked as a puppy have any problems with balance or communication.

If, however, tail damage occurs during adulthood and docking has to be carried out for therapeutic reasons, normally under anaesthetic, a dog can be seriously distressed and the healing process can be painful and protracted.

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Do dog breeders want the law changed?

All responsible breeders consider the welfare of dogs to be of the utmost importance. They recognise that docking should be carried out by competent, experienced individuals such as veterinary surgeons. They therefore wish to see vets free to continue docking, without the threat of action for professional misconduct hanging over them.

But, just as farmers in the U.K. are permitted to dock lambs, breeders believe that there is a strong case for suitably qualified lay people to be authorised by law to dock puppies.

The Council of Docked Breeds has therefore proposed the introduction of a docking Register listing those who would be trained and certified in docking.

Breeders and owners maintain that, far from improving the lot of docked breeds, the effective abolition of docking would lead to a crisis in animal welfare.