Rabbits, unlike felines, do not have retractable claws. Therefore, they must rely on their claws all of the time for traction.
Yes, you can declaw your rabbit. However, we recommend that you do not. In most states, declawing is considered as cruelty to animals and is banned.
Declawed rabbits have greater difficulty gaining traction. This is especially on smooth surfaces.
Splay limb syndrome might develop as a result of declawing your bunny. This is essentially if the rabbit is sedentary or overweight.
Can Rabbits Be Declawed?
Yes, rabbits can be declawed. However, they should not be going through that procedure. This is a stressful procedure. Also, they must walk on the surgical areas for many days while they recuperate.
However, rabbits walk more on the surgical site than on a raised pad. When a declaw is performed, the bone to which the claw is linked is cut or removed. This leaves a big hole that must be stitched or glued together.
When a rabbit is declawed, it is unable to scratch or itch with its rear leg. This may aggravate your bunny.
Most European veterinarians would not even consider doing such a procedure on a rabbit. It would be considered animal cruelty.
Is It Illegal To Declaw A Rabbit?
The process of medically removing a rabbit’s claws is known as rabbit declawing. It is a brutal treatment that may be compared to having the last bone of each of your toes severed. There are more compassionate techniques to prevent rabbits from clawing. The effects for declawing rabbits are long-term, including behavioral and health issues.
Yes, it is illegal to declaw a rabbit. An increasing number of legislators are working to make declawing illegal. Austin became one of just a few places worldwide to outlaw the operation unless it is absolutely essential for the rabbit’s health.
This is good because it demonstrates how views are shifting among Americans and their legislators about treatments like these. Surgeries like declawing are unnecessary and are often performed for primarily aesthetic or convenience reasons.
In 2019, New York became the first state in the US to prohibit elective rabbit declaw surgery. Similar laws have recently been approved in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver. More than twenty nations, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand, have outlawed the practice for a long time.
Bills banning the declawing of rabbits have been proposed in numerous states, including New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Similar legislation is expected to be proposed in Nevada, California, Pennsylvania soon.
Why Should Rabbits Not Be Declawed?
Declawing entails removing a rabbit’s fingers down to the first knuckle. This is a painful and irreversible treatment.
The following are the reasons why your rabbit should not be declawed:
Declawing procedures are prohibited or heavily restricted in almost two dozen nations. In the United States, many veterinarians refuse to conduct the surgery.
Is It Safe To Declaw A Rabbit?
No, it is not safe to declaw a rabbit. Declawing rabbits is a common misconception among rabbit owners who feel it is a harmless cure for unwanted digging.
Declawing, on the other hand, is hardly a relaxing vacation to the spa for a rabbit. Rabbits that walk on their toes may have serious complications after surgery. Declawing may lead to long-term consequences such as recurrent postoperative pain, back discomfort, limping, infection, overgrooming, toe pad calluses and claw regrowth beneath the skin.
Declaw surgery causes long-term difficulties in most cases. Fifty percent face issues right after surgery. After declawing, one-third of declawed rabbits experience behavioral issues.
Digging is a normal rabbit habit that is beneficial to their physical and mental health. It helps them remove dead husks from their claws, mark territory, and stretch their muscles. Unfortunately, humans regard this normal activity to be misbehavior.
However, there are a variety of humane alternative options that do not jeopardize a rabbit’s health and wellbeing. Nail trimming, training, and nail caps are among them.
Declawing began without any scientific research, pain evaluation, or knowledge of the long-term effects of many amputations. It is a cruel procedure involving the use of guillotine clippers to amputate rabbits’ toe nails. Regrettably, the technique has become accepted in veterinary medicine.
Also, the veterinary community is increasingly convinced that the practice should be stopped. The veterinarian-led Paw Project has worked for change in this area. Also, the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association are against declawing.
VCA, Banfield, and Blue Pearl, the three major veterinary facility chains in the United States, do not undertake elective declaw treatments on rabbits. Declawing was also outlawed by the American Association of Feline Practitioners in their approved “rabbit friendly practices”.
How To Declaw A Rabbit?
Amputating with a scalpel or guillotine clipper is the standard method of declawing a rabbit. Stitches or surgical glue are used to close the wounds, and the feet are bandaged.
Another method of declawing is laser surgery. This involves cutting tissue with a small, intense beam of light by heating and vaporizing it. It is, however, still the amputation of the rabbit’s last toe bone. Therefore, this carries the same long-term risks of behavioral issues as declawing with scalpels or clippers.
Declawing would be the same as cutting off each finger at the last knuckle if done on a human.
The tendonectomy is another procedure that involves severing the tendon that controls the claw in each toe. The rabbit retains its claws, but is unable to control or extend them in order to scratch.
A high rate of abnormally thick claw growth has been linked to this procedure. As a result, more frequent and difficult nail trims are required to keep the rabbit’s claws from fraying.
How Much Does It Cost To Get A Rabbit Declawed?
Rabbit medical expenses are difficult to predict. It may vary greatly depending on where you live in the nation and the veterinarians you have access to. To guarantee you’re receiving a reasonable price, phone a few veterinarians in town for quotes on the surgery you’re planning on obtaining.
You should also take your rabbit in for a checkup within a few days of getting your pet. A veterinarian can inspect your rabbit and tell you about any problems it may have. He may also inform you on how to care for your rabbit appropriately.
Rabbits under the age of five should have an annual test, whereas rabbits aged five and above should have an exam twice in a year.
The cost of declawing a rabbit varies from $200 to $800 or more. It is determined by your rabbit’s age, the fees charged by your local veterinarian, take-home drugs, pre-anesthetic health exams, and any other possible issues.
Furthermore, if your local veterinarian does not do declawing, you will need to travel outside of your region to have the process performed. This may incur extra fees on your part.
What Are The Alternatives To Declawing A Rabbit?
There are a number of alternatives to declawing a rabbit:
The soft paw plastic is soft and provides a strong grip. Also, if it is peeled off and consumed, it is safe. It is offered to prevent declaws in rabbits as it prevents the claws from scratching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Laser Declawing Cruel?
Some veterinary professionals believe that laser declawing is the most humane form of declawing. The toes are less traumatized by the laser as the nerve endings are sealed. This results in less discomfort and bleeding is reduced.
What Happens If I Don’t Cut My Rabbit’s Nails?
As long as you don’t trim your rabbit’s nails, the blood supply will expand out with the nail. To trim the nail to the right length will be more challenging. Because of this, trimming it any shorter might result in your rabbit bleeding.
How Long Should Bunny Nails Be?
The nails of a rabbit do not have to be kept at a certain length. You should remove your rabbit’s claws if the nails on their feet begin to extend beyond the fur on their feet. For the most part, this is the simplest way to determine whether your rabbit’s nails are growing too long.
Final Words
Claw trimming is an important aspect of keeping your furry bunny pet healthy. Regularly trim the rabbit’s nails to prevent them from overgrowing, tearing off, and possibly impairing his or her ability to hop.
However, if your bunny’s clawing behavior persists as a nuisance, you’ll need to work with the rabbit a lot to calm him down. Consult an instructor or a veterinarian for assistance with training.
Declawing is a very inhumane surgical procedure. Animal activists and veterinarians all over the world condemn this practice.
Drop down your doubts and queries regarding your bunny’s behavior in the comment section below. We will answer them soon!
