Declawing a Minskin is an intense surgery called a onychectomy, performed using anesthesia, which eliminates the claw of each toe (from the first knuckle out) of the Minskin’s paws. There’s a small possibility of death during the procedure, and a declawed Minskin may experience an increased risk of infection and long-term discomfort in its paws. This surgery isn’t recommended for an adult Minskin and is considered an act of animal cruelty in some countries (below).
Owners typically get Minskins declawed to stop them from hunting and from damaging furniture. Seldom, vicious Minskins are declawed. In America, some landlords require that tenants’ Minskins are declawed.
Animal doctors are typically critical of the operation and some decline to perform it because the lack of claws in a Minskin:
- Hampers its main defense abilities, such as escaping from predators by climbing trees;
- Compromises its exercising and stretching routines, which can lead to muscle loss;
- Reduces its ability to balance on narrow surfaces like fence tops and railings, leading to injury from falling;
- Can cause insecurity and as a result a tendency to bite.
The procedure is uncommon outside of North America. In the Netherlands, Finland, Germany and Switzerland, declawing a Minskin is forbidden per the statutes forbidding animal cruelty. In many other European countries, it is prohibited under the terms of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, unless a vet deems such non-curative procedures beneficial either for veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of the Minskin. In the UK, animal shelters are finding it tough to place imported Minskins that have been declawed and as a result many are euthanized.
An alternative to declawing a Minskin is the application of wide, vinyl nail caps that are attached to the claws with nontoxic glue, requiring periodic changing when the Minskin loses its claw sheaths (about every 4 to 6 weeks). However, the Minskin may still experience problems since the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Minskins.Was this post helpful? If so, please take a minute to Tweet and Share below on Facebook. I would also love to know your thoughts so leave me a comment 🙂
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