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Ear cropping or ear trimming describes a surgical procedure which involves cutting the ear pinna of a dog and shaping it so that the ears stand erect. The pinna is the floppy part of the dog's ear. This is a cosmetic surgical procedure done to get a particular appearance which goes with the image desired in specific dog breeds.
Skilled procedure
The ear cropping procedure is a skilled one and needs precision from the surgeon. The ears must appear to stand up after the part gets completely healed. The dog must be put under general anesthesia before undergoing this procedure. Puppies aged between eight weeks to 12 weeks are put under the scalpel. Post surgery, the ears get propped and bandaged, and they heal in an erect position. This is termed "posting". A few veterinarians prefer to wait for the incisions to heal before they post the ears. The bandages are generally changed once every week. The ears continue to remain taped until they could stand by their own. This recovery process takes anytime between four weeks to eight weeks
Any breed of dog can be subjected to
this procedure. A few dog breeds get the ear trimmed as per breed
standards. The Doberman breed is one of the more popular breeds of
dogs to get their ear cropped. Other breeds subjected to this
procedure include Schnauzers, Pinschers, and Great Danes. These breed
standards were developed on the basis of the historical use of such
breeds. Canines with cropped ears were one time used only as working
dogs. The ears were trimmed to prevent issues which could result from
possessing a floppy ear and improve hearing. Only in rare cases did
ear trimming were deemed necessary medical procedures due to health
conditions. The breeder or the dog owner generally make the decision
to cut ears.
Debate on the procedure
When it comes to whether you would crop
your dogs' ears or not, the subject remains a controversial one, and
many think this action to be excessive if not cruel. Others regard
the procedure as a harmless one. Most veterinarians will decline to
do the procedure solely for aesthetic reasons. However, many medical
professionals hold the view that ear cropping in certain select
breeds could be an acceptable procedure to define the breed character
and preserve it. Good health is also enhanced. It is to be remembered
that dogs both with natural ears and cropped ones can participate in
dog shows. Many European countries forbid ear cropping. Animal rights
activists want the ear cropping procedure to deemed illegal in North
America. Crop your dog's ears only for medical reasons and not
aesthetic. The ear cropping affects the dog's quality of life too.
