Declawing the Bambino is an intense operation called a onychectomy, performed under anesthesia, which eliminates the claw of each toe (from the first knuckle out) of the Bambino’s forepaw. There is always a small possibility of a fatality in the surgery, and a declawed Bambino might have an increased risk of infection and long-term displeasure in his paws. This operation isn’t recommended for a mature Bambino and is considered an act of animal cruelty in some countries (see below).
People typically have Bambinos declawed to impede them from hunting and from damaging furniture. Rarely, vicious Bambinos are declawed. In the US, some landlords require that residents’ Bambinos be declawed.
Veterinarians are typically critical of the operation and at times decline to perform it since the absence of claws in a Bambino:
- Hampers its main self-protection skills, including running away from predators by climbing trees;
- Hinders its stretching and exercise habits, which leads to muscle loss;
- Deprives it of its ability to walk on thin surfaces such as railings and fence tops, leading to injury from falling;
- Can lead to insecurity and as a result a tendency to bite.
The procedure is rarely performed outside of North America. In the Netherlands, Finland, Germany and Switzerland, declawing a Bambino is not allowed by the laws 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 doctor considers such non-curative procedures beneficial either for veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of the animal. In the United Kingdom, animal shelters are finding it difficult to place imported Bambinos that have been declawed and subsequently many are killed.
One substitute for declawing a Bambino is the application of blunt, vinyl nail caps that are adhered to the claws with harmless glue, requiring periodic replacement when the Bambino loses its claw sheaths (about every four to six weeks). Yet, the Bambino may still experience difficulties because the capped nails are not as effective as claws.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Bambinos.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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