Onychectomy

Onychectomy, popularly known as declawing, is an operation to remove an animal's claws surgically by means of the amputation of all or part of the distal phalanges, or end bones, of the animal's toes. Because the claw develops from germinal tissue within the third phalanx, amputation of the bone is necessary to fully remove the claw. The terms onychectomy (origin: Greek ὄνυξ onyx, 'nail' + ἐκτομή ektomē, 'excision') and declawing imply mere claw removal, but a more appropriate description would be phalangectomy, excision of toe bone. Although it has been somewhat common in Canada and the United States, declawing is considered an act of animal cruelty in many countries, (see "Declawing practices" below) as it causes physical and psychological suffering to the animal (although the extent of this suffering is subject to debate). The amputation of the distal phalanx is indicated in case of chronic inflammatory processes, tumours, persistent and severe infections and gangrene that are limited to the distal phalanx. The procedure is usually limited to the affected claw, leaving the healthy claws (if any) intact. Elective onychectomy is usually done on all toes on the front paws. Sometimes the rear paws are declawed as well. Despite the fact that it is a surgery without medical cause, in some parts of the world, particularly in Northern America, declawing was for many years a relatively standard practice, and "surveys of routine elective procedures" in 1988 and 1996 showed it was performed along with neutering in more than 20% of cases. Although increasingly controversial, when the procedure is presented and perceived as mundane and innocuous, non-medical reasons for this procedure can be convincing: Data on relinquishment to shelters indicate that a popular belief among veterinarians that many owners would relinquish cats who engage in unwanted scratching is well-founded. For example, a survey of veterinarians in Brazil reported scratching as the second-most-given behavioural reason for abandonment of cats.