? Recent vet visit

[Julee]

I took Tooters to the vet today for a checkup. This is the first visit since his diagnosis. When we discuss his insulin dosage, she didn’t seem to agree with the reduced dosage of less than 1 unit. She indicated that most cats are on 1-3 units and also had no concern for low numbers.

What do you all think? Should I find a new vet?

On a side note, what are your thoughts and opinions on declawing cats? I have always declawed mine and my daughter will be getting a kitten this summer. This same Vet, doesn’t agree with declawing and said it causes a lifetime of pain.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Julie and Honey]

If vet is basing dosing on most cats and not your cats reaction to insulin dose, may want to at least consult another vet. No concern for low numbers could risk hypo event, that does not sound wise on the vets part.

Have heard declawing is akin to cutting off your fingers at the first knuckle. Nowadays it is considered cruel to do this by many vets. If a cat has a scratching post and their nails are trimmed regularly (easy to teach a kitten to allow nail trims), there should not be a need to declaw. Have to be careful trimming nails of course as not to cut into the quick, just the very tips.

 

[Julee]

If vet is basing dosing on most cats and not your cats reaction to insulin dose, may want to at least consult another vet. No concern for low numbers could risk hypo event, that does not sound wise on the vets part.

Have heard declawing is akin to cutting off your fingers at the first knuckle. Nowadays it is considered cruel to do this by many vets. If a cat has a scratching post and their nails are trimmed regularly (easy to teach a kitten to allow nail trims), there should not be a need to declaw. Have to be careful trimming nails of course as not to cut into the quick, just the very tips.

Thanks for your thoughts. I am going to continue what I am doing and let Tooters tell me what he needs. My daughter was with me and we both thought it was odd that she wants me to double his does to get the recommended numbers of 100-300 (which he already has).

In regards to declawing, my daughter’s apartment complex requires declawing.

 

[AmandaE]

On a side note, what are your thoughts and opinions on declawing cats? I have always declawed mine and my daughter will be getting a kitten this summer. This same Vet, doesn’t agree with declawing and said it causes a lifetime of pain.

Hi Julee,

The UK, Europe, Australia, some cities in California and three provinces in Canada have banned declawing cats because it involves the amputation of bones in a cats paws with no advantage to the cat, it is proven to lead to long term problems in cats such as chronic pain and arthritis in the paws, this is because the procedure changes the way that a cat should naturally walk. Unless the procedure is being preformed for a good reason (ex: a cat obsessively scratching itself) I can understand why your vet doesn't support the procedure. Many medical associations are supporting the ban of unnecessary declawing, especially if it is being executed to protect furniture.

On the bright side, you can get these little plastic caps that you can glue onto your cats claws called "soft paws" they don't hurt the cat and stay on for about a month. I used to use them when I rented and they worked really well. My cat didn't mind getting them put on either! Maybe your daughter could check with the apartment complex to see if that could be an option. Did I mention they're so cute!? like mini manicures!!

If your daughter's apartment won't accept cats that aren't declawed and aren't open minded to the idea of soft paws, maybe you could consider searching for a cat in a shelter that has already had the procedure done instead of exposing a kitten to the amputation. If you don't see that as an option maybe she should wait to get a kitten until she is living somewhere that is more accepting of cats that aren't declawed.

That's my opinion anyway, I think we will see a pretty universal ban of unnecessary declawing procedures within the next 10 years or so.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

On a side note, what are your thoughts and opinions on declawing cats?

As others have said, declawing is cruel. If your daughter wants a cat, there are declawed cats in shelters....most of them are there because they stopped using the litterbox because it caused them so much pain due to the declawing.

There is plenty of research on the internet that verifies that......maybe the apartment building manager would benefit from reading some of it.

There are lots of ways to stop a cat from scratching.....getting them to stop peeing outside of the litterbox can be a real struggle.

 

[Celle]

Declawing of cats has been illegal for a long time in NZ, where I live. It's cruel and unnecessary.
Most of our vets are also refusing to dock dogs' tails.

 

[Jasper Blue and Jay]

I took Tooters to the vet today for a checkup. This is the first visit since his diagnosis. When we discuss his insulin dosage, she didn’t seem to agree with the reduced dosage of less than 1 unit. She indicated that most cats are on 1-3 units and also had no concern for low numbers.

What do you all think? Should I find a new vet?

On a side note, what are your thoughts and opinions on declawing cats? I have always declawed mine and my daughter will be getting a kitten this summer. This same Vet, doesn’t agree with declawing and said it causes a lifetime of pain.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Start the dose that feels safe for you and go from there. No need to change vets yet, see what results you get on the dose that feels right for you and go from there, they may see results that prove them wrong and agree to a lower dose.

Also , declawing is very painful and can cause all kinds of even worse lifelong consequences.

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

Most vets will not declaw, crop tails or bob ears. I've even heard of having a noisy dog "de-barked" which has something to do with snipping the vocal chords. Judging from the previous replies you don't need another lecture and to be fair you only asked a question. Our furniture, beds and stairways are all ruined but we knew that going in.
My sister had cats that were street smart and spent a lot of time outside, she also had some pretty expensive furniture. She had the front claws removed leaving the cats with a fighting chance if they came across a nasty animal. Most if not all raccoons, opossums etc. don't pick fights with cats, only in self defense. The sites below are obviously going to be biased as will any SPCA or PETA sight but the information is accurate. Please don't declaw your cats, get their nails trimmed on a regular basis and check pet stores for scratching posts and pads, some work very well.
If so many countries have banned the practice it's not because cats have a big lobby group. Cats are and always have been third class citizens so ask yourself why most of the world is on the cat's side.
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/declawing-cats-far-worse-manicure
https://www.petmd.com/cat/care/7-negative-side-effects-declawing-your-cat

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

Hang on a minute, I just saw this. "My daughter’s apartment complex requires declawing." How is that even legal? I understand wanting a male cat to be neutered because spraying urine is not just a furniture thing but cats don't go after bare walls. I would just get some graphics software and make up a "certificate" stating the cat has been declawed. How will they even know? Management has the right to inspect apartments but here they give you 24 hours notice. That's plenty of time to hide the bowls and the litter and sneak the cats out even if it means a daytime stay at the vet if they even know you have a cat.

 

[Julie and Honey]

This kept me up last night. It will also bother me for months now. Animals are more defenseless than people. It is up to people to do the right thing because animals can’t do it for themselves. I was under the impression this barbaric practice had been outlawed across the world as a matter of treating animals humanely should be a vets first priority. Don’t understand how it was ever allowed in the first place, now that it is known what it actually entails. It absolutely sickens me that there are not stricter laws to protect animals and punish people who cause them harm.

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

Julee (hope I got that right) We're not ganging up on you, that's one way to make sure a member never comes back and that's definitely not what we want. Declawing a cat was something that was done in the old days but to be honest I'm now 61 and in my "old days" I let the cats I apparently loved outside all the time. A few just disappeared and one was run over. The point is I'm not qualified to judge you, I just needed to give you some insight.
Cats and dogs hide their pain very well and will put up with a lot even over the long term. One example would be the three legged dog who seems happy. He probably is and has just accepted that one leg is gone but the additional stress on his hips, knees and other joints and muscles will take a long term toll.
You may deal well if you had all your fingers amputated above one knuckle and get on with your life but the truth is it will still hurt forever.
From the Humane Society...
Declawing traditionally involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe. If performed on a human being, it would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle.

Another procedure is the tendonectomy, in which the tendon that controls the claw in each toe is severed. The cat keeps their claws, but can't control them or extend them to scratch.

 

[Jill & Alex (GA)]

Declawing a cat was something that was done in the old days...

Unfortunately, the US is way behind on the declawing issue. Unless a law has passed recently, there are no US states that ban declaw surgery. However, it looks like New Jersey may be the first state to pass legislation prohibiting declaw surgery, if it hasn't already. That said, some cities and towns have passed laws against declawing, but it's spotty and sporadic. It's been a trend that has been slow to catch on in the US.