trimming the ears of Dogs 395 



The only untoward effect is the inconvenience to prehension 

 and this, fortunately, is transient. 



MODIFICATIONS.— Whenever the tongue is badly 

 lacerated the. dovetail amputation may be substituted by 

 a simple transverse section of the remaining shreds, and 

 if copious bleeding supervenes it can be easily' controlled 

 either with forceps or by hot iron cauterization. 



Trimming the Ears of Dogs. 



SYNONYM. — Amputation of the concha; cropping. 



DIFINITION. — Trimming the ears is an amputation of 

 the posterior portion and the free end of the concha, prac- 

 ticed in certain breeds of dogs, for no other apparent purpose 

 than that of satisfying the caprice of fanciers. 



INDICATION. — The operation is practiced on bull dogs, 

 bull terriers, Boston terriers, skye terriers, great Danes, and 

 sometimes on black-and-tans. Other breeds, fortunately, es- 

 cape. The ethics to respect in regard to conchal amputation 

 is debatable. The practitioner is confronted on one side by 

 a moral duty to a dumb brute, and on the other by an ur- 

 gent demand from the expert cynologist and by the prevail- 

 ing custom. If the veterinarian refuses to perform the oper- 

 ation it will, nevertheless, be performed by others, less qual- 

 ified and generally much more brutal. It is" the author's 

 custom to discourage the practice as much as possible by 

 emphasizing its brutality, and to perform it only at the de- 

 mand of the obdurate fancier. 



The operation should never be performed before the sub- 

 ject is four and a half months old. The preferable age is 

 six months, and in dogs with limber ears it should be post- 

 poned until the age of nine to ten months, according to the 

 development of the conchal cartilage. Splendid results can 

 also be obtained on mature dogs, regardless of the age, pro- 

 vided the erection of the ears is fairly pronounced before- 

 hand. 



Trimming the ears is also sometimes necessitated when 

 the concha has been deformed by injury. 



Investigation among the leading veterinary practitioners 

 of America and Europe, including those who practice canine 

 medicine as a specialty, show that the operation is quite gen- 

 erally performed without thought of offering any apology 

 therefor. It is nevertheless an illegitimate procedure, and 

 described here for the benefit of those who elect to perform 

 it. 



