Earlier, stopping ears in dogs of the American Staffordshire Terrier breed was considered a mandatory procedure. This was required by the breed standard. Now everything has changed, and now serious disputes erupt between the owners of how necessary this operation is. Before deciding to stop the ears of a dog, it is important to familiarize yourself with the procedure in more detail.
Why is stopping needed
The most common reason for stopping ears from amstaff is fashion. According to the owners, the dog with short ears looks more presentable and solid. These prejudices are due to the recent need to stop the ears of dogs of the breed presented before the show. Individuals with uncropped ears were not allowed to participate in the event. Moreover, the quality of the operation was evaluated at the exhibition, the features of the auricle were studied, the name of the veterinarian who performed the manipulation was specified.
Now stopping for the sake of aesthetics is not respected by experienced breeders who care about the health of the dog.
Many of them consider this operation to be animal cruelty. By the way in many countries, for this reason, the procedure is even prohibited. According to true breed lovers, stopping is allowed only in case of any problems with the ears. Injuries, inflammations, abscesses of the auditory organs - all this can serve as a reason for stopping.
In other cases, the dog does not need surgery, the ears of the puppies hang, then they gradually rise and can fall again in adulthood.
Former winners of exhibitions with cropped ears at the present time could not even get to this event of an international level, since now a dog with an excellent pedigree is not allowed if its ears are cropped.
Features of the procedure
The operation is performed under general anesthesia in a veterinary clinic. Before this, the puppy is examined and, in case of diagnosing diseases, the procedure is transferred. In addition, cupping is possible only for vaccinated and parasitized dogs.
It is recommended not to feed the pet 12 hours before visiting the veterinary clinic, as it will vomit after anesthesia.
The procedure itself is as follows:
- the staffer is anesthetized, awaiting his sleep;
- Sutures and dressings are applied to sections of sections to prevent severe bleeding;
- stop the auditory organs according to the pattern.
In rare cases, surgery is allowed at home. This is possible if the puppy cannot be taken outside or he is too scared. In any case, an experienced professional veterinarian should stop the ears.
Some clinics provide home manipulation services, but keep in mind that at home there is an increased risk of infection.
Varieties
Modern technologies in the field of veterinary medicine allow you to achieve several options for stopping the ears.
So, if the “flame” or “dagger” forms are recommended for refined Dobermans, then for massive amstaffs the options “exhibition”, “fighting”, “long” or “short” are more suitable. These names are derived from a variant of the shape of the auricle.
In general, for each four-legged patient, the type of relief is selected individually. The variety is determined by the fit and shape of the ears, the thickness of the earloop, the condition of the cartilage, and the size of the head and body are also taken into account when choosing the shape.
Suitable age
It is recommended that you stop your ears from the American Staffordshire Terrier at an early age. The most suitable dates are 1.5-4 months. At this age, you can not worry that the ears will take the wrong shape and unaesthetic appearance. In addition, during this period, the risk of complications is minimal. At this age, the dog will more easily tolerate the postoperative period until the stitches are removed.
Postoperative period
In order to exclude infections and other complications as much as possible, immediately after the operation, a special collar is put on the animal so that it does not damage its ears. Daily operated puppy ears need treatment. You can disinfect sites with a cotton pad dipped in chlorhexidine. The resulting crusts are soaked and removed.
The first time after the procedure, the puppy is walked only in dry weather, preventing the ingress of dirt on the ears of the pet. It is advisable that during this period the dog does not communicate with other dogs. The hardest are the first day. On this day, vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst are possible, the puppy can stagger during movement - all this is the effect of anesthesia and is considered a normal option. Also, many owners are scared by the state of a zarozhennogo dog, lying with open eyes.
In this situation, you should not worry about the animal, but periodically it is recommended to lightly pat the pet on the forehead to relax the muscles, or carefully cover its eyelids.
The next 2-3 days, the pet will try to scratch his ears, he can whine, because during this period he experiences severe pain. To reduce pain symptoms, it is allowed to give an analgesic or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, but before that it is important to consult a specialist who performed the operation. Food at this time does not change, but on the recommendation of a doctor can be supplemented with vitamins. After 7-10 days, the sutures are removed or they resolve on their own.
Complications after surgery are unlikely, but not excluded. The most common are inflammation, hyperemia, redness, rash, suppuration.
In the event of these ailments, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner.
Sometimes cropped ears of a puppy of a staff terrier do not rise. Then they can be made in a standing way of "carriage". Sinks are lifted with pencils, plasters and even curlers. You need to consult with a specialist.
You can learn about the experience of stopping the ears of the Staffordshire Terrier in the next video.
