Laguna Creek Veterinary Hospital

Your Pet's Second Best Friend

Feline Declawing

To declaw or not to declaw? That is a question that only you can answer. There is a lot of controversy surrounding this issue and ultimately you are the only person who can decide what is right for you and your family. The Pet Library contains a lot of helpful information and training tips to get your cat to stop clawing at home. This page was designed to give you information on the procedure itself to help you make an informed decision.

Declaw: The Disarticulation Method

This procedure involves the delicate disconnection of all the tiny ligaments holding the third bone in place. The third bone is removed in its entirety.

What to Expect/Possible Complications

* Because the entire third bone is removed, there is a zero possibility of the claw growing back; however, the cut ligaments allow for a subtle drop in the way the foot is held. Most owners do not notice this change in posture.
* An overnight stay in the hospital is required for this procedure (one night with bandages and observation the following day for bleeding.)
* Some spotting of blood is normal from the toes during the first few days at home (beware if white carpeting is present)
* Shredded paper or pelleted recycled newspaper litter (such as Yesterday's News®) is recommended for 10 days after surgery. Conventional clay or sand litters can impact inside the tiny incisions and cause infections.
* Pain medication is a good idea, especially for larger or older cats. The amount of weight carried on the feet (the size of the cat) is the biggest factor in post-operative pain. We recommend the use of the Fentanyl Patch for post-operative pain after declawing for cats over 8 pounds or for any cat who appears to be experiencing significant discomfort.

Pain Management Philosophy

At Laguna Creek Veterinary Hospital, we take pain control very seriously. Declawing is a painful procedure and every weapon we have at our disposal is utilized to keep your pet as comfortable as possible.

Morphine is administered before the cat is put under anesthesia to help block painful stimuli before it is even introduced. Once the cat is asleep, a nerve block is given to prevent any pain sensation in the feet for hours. After the procedure, an injection is given of an anti-inflammatory to minimize the pain associated with swelling. We offer and highly recommend a Fentanyl patch be applied to the cat. Fentanyl is many times more potent than Morphine and in the patch form, it supplies 3 days of continuous pain medication to your cat.

Since the implementation of this protocol, we have noticed a significant change in the comfort level of these cats after the surgery. Most often, they appear to be more at ease and restful than cats who have just been spayed. In fact, they can even be downright playful.

Laguna Creek Veterinary Hospital

5060 Laguna Blvd. Ste. 129
Elk Grove, CA 95758

Phone: 916-684-7300

Fax: 916-684-7143