DEAR READERS: The procedure of onychectomy, commonly called declawing, must be put to a stop unless absolutely medically necessary. From PETA.org:
"Declawing has already been banned in many countries, as well as in some U.S. cities and states. In Europe, it’s recognized as a cruel and unnecessary amputation, and as widespread conversation about it flourishes in North America, the list of places where declawing is illegal keeps growing. ...
"Only two states in the U.S. have successfully passed declawing bans so far -- Maryland (2022) and New York (2019)." In dozens of countries, "declawing operations are either illegal or only available in cases of 'severe injury or disease of the claw,' in which case the procedure would help the animal regain comfort in a disabled paw and promote good health. ... Canada has made great progress on declawing bans, as eight of its 10 provinces have banned the procedure."
To read the article, including the full lists of cities and countries with declawing bans, go to: peta.org/blog/where-declawing-is-illegal.
All veterinarians in the U.S. who do this surgical procedure as a routine for their cat-owning clients should read this study: "Flexor tenectomy: salvage surgery following feline onychectomy" by Ronald Gaskin et al., published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, April 2023. It concerns a procedure called tenectomy: the cutting of a certain tendon in cats that have been declawed.
This tendon causes a cat's remaining digits to contract abnormally, causing chronic pain; the tenectomy procedure can provide relief for the many cats suffering adverse consequences from this inhumane mutilation.
OREGONIAN GOT PLAGUE DISEASE FROM CAT
Plague was confirmed in a person in Deschutes County, Oregon, whose pet cat had been showing signs of the disease, county health officials reported. (Full story: KTVZ-TV, Bend, Oregon, Feb. 7)
Cats are highly susceptible to plague, often getting it while outdoors, hunting rodents infested with plague-transmitting fleas. This is one major reason to always keep cats indoors. They must not be allowed to roam free and hunt.
With climate change favoring the proliferation of fleas, mosquitoes and ticks, extra vigilance is called for to prevent insect-borne diseases from infecting us and our animal companions.
WARNING FOR HORSE OWNERS
West Nile virus arrived two months earlier than usual in South Carolina and infected a horse in Charleston County, which has been euthanized, according to a statement from Clemson University. The report notes that warm, wet weather favors the mosquitoes that spread the virus. South Carolina State Veterinarian Michael Neault urges horse owners to consult veterinary professionals and follow a vaccine schedule, which is the best way to protect horses from West Nile, rabies and eastern equine encephalitis viruses. (Full story: WCIV-TV, Charleston, South Carolina, Feb. 8)
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