Laser Declaw

Laser Surgery is the latest, most advanced technique for performing feline declawing.

Surgical Information

The morning of surgery, you bring your pet into the hospital on an empty stomach. We perform a preoperative physical and analyze a sample of your pet's blood to help detect liver and kidney problems, diabetes, anemia, and electrolyte imbalance. In addition, we perform a preoperative ECG to help rule out heart problems. After we determine your pet is healthy we anesthetize it using Sevoflorane, the newest and safest gas anesthetic available. Your pet's heart rate and blood oxygen levels are continuously monitored with a pulse oxymeter while under anesthetic. We then administer analgesics and perform surgery on your pet.

After surgery, we close all incisions with tissue glue and bandage the feet. It takes your pet only a short time to recover from the anesthesia. Next, your pet is placed in a recovery ward for observation. The next day, we remove the bandages and your pet is sent home on analgesics. Your pet will need special, non-irritating litter during the recovery period which usually lasts about ten days.

General Information

*What is declawing?*	Onchyectomy (or declawing) is the surgical procedure that removes the nail bed on cats digits that grow the claws. There are many types of surgical procedures to declaw cats.
*What are the advantages of declawing?*	Declawing does not make an overly aggressive cat safe, but it does lessen the cat's ability to cause serious injuries to and infections in people and their pets. Even relatively nonagressive cats indulging in play scratching can cause serious injuries. Cats sharpen their front claws by scratching inanimate objects resulting in damage to furniture, rugs, and draperies. Declawing your cat's front feet eliminates the need to cause this damage.
*Why is laser surgery the best method?*	Laser surgery seals nerve endings and cauterizes blood vessels significantly reducing blood loss and eliminating almost all of the discomfort associated with traditional surgery. Laser surgery reduces anesthetic, surgery, and recovery time.
*Is declawing safe?*	Yes. Declawing is a very safe procedure. It does does not affect the patients' walking ability or balance.
*Can my cat go outside after being declawed?*	Yes. Cats primarily defend themselves with their back claws and teeth. As any animal handler will tell you, nobody would try to remove a vicious declawed cat from a small space with their bare hands. Declawed cats can climb trees, catch birds and mice, and adequately defend themselves under normal circumstances.
*What is the best age for this procedure?*	Cats can be safely declawed at any age, however, recovery periods are shorter for younger animals. Cats can have this surgery as young as three months and is easily done at the time they are spayed or neutered.
Please contact us for an appointment Phone: 512-288-1040 E-mail: AusVetDiag@aol.com