The difference between most dog lovers and the caller above, however, is that if we do think such base thoughts, we feel instantly guilty for having entertained such violent notions. Sadly, a noteworthy contingent of dog owners doesnt bother with similar recriminations. Indeed, many see this as no better or worse than declawing a cat.
The procedure itself is called a ventriculocordectomy (or vocal cordectomy) and the goal is to eliminate the petâs bark by removing most of the tissues he or she uses to produce sound.
Nonetheless, communities are far more willing to get behind banning debarking than declawing. Which is why debarking is banned in many more municipalities than declawing is.
In reality, however, a complete elimination of sound is considered impossible to achieve. Even so, the softening of a petâs loud, incessant barking is enough inducement for most owners who seek this procedure out.
This, in spite of the fact that the devocalization procedure is considered significantly less painful than the declaw.
How much does it cost to take vocal cords out of a dog?
The simplest form of debark surgery cost from $100. The more involved surgical approach via the neck is more expensive, from around $300.
Is there a way to save some money?
If you’re a dog owner who’s tried everything to get your pooch to stop barking, but nothing seems to work then this procedure may be for you. It is the absolute last resort and many experts do not recommend it at all because there are so many other devices that can train your dog on when they should bark or how often (ranging anywhere from $20-$100). Keep in mind that too much training with one device could cause more stress than the actual surgery.
You can stop your dog from barking with obedience training. These classes teach tricks that will discourage them from any future barkings.
Court Orders Couple to Debark Their Dog?
Debarking surgery is quite the controversy in pet news today. Is it inhumane? Do the possible risks outweigh the perceived benefits? These are viable questions to ask when considering debarking surgery to control your dog’s chronic barking. However, with April being the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, it is also important to recognize the numerous available non-surgical alternatives to debarking surgery that are said to be safer and even more effective by veterinarians and trainers alike.
As decipherable from the name, debarking surgery is the act of surgically disabling your dog from producing a loud, barking sound. “Although the procedure is called ‘debarking’, it does not result in the inability for the dog to produce any sound at all,” said Dr. Kelley Thieman, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “Instead, the dog has a muffled quality to its bark, and in time could even regain the ability to bark.”
While the benefit of debarking surgery is the muffled-sounding bark, there are still numerous complications that could arise and definitely should not be overlooked. “Debarking surgery carries various risks,” said Thieman. “During the debarking procedure itself, risks could include bleeding, swelling (preventing air flow), infection, and anesthetic complications.” Scarring of the larynx can also occur after the surgery, and in some cases may be severe enough to restrict airflow. This would require yet another surgical procedure to remove the scar tissue so the dog could breathe, bringing with it more unnecessary risk.
Though tiresome when heard for hours on end, barking is an important way for our dogs to communicate with us. Excessive barking can often be Fido alerting us that there is a stranger nearby or even that he is in pain. Surgically disabling him from barking, though it might provide you with some relief, may not be appropriate when barking can also be controlled with a similarly effective alternative.
The best way to prevent unwanted barking, as advised by both veterinarians and professional dog trainers, is proper training. Some other alternatives could include adequate exercise and environmental enrichment. “No-bark collars, which discharge citronella spray or even a static shock in response to barking, are also available,” said Thieman. “However, I think that obedience training combined with exercise and fun dog activities are great options for controlling excessive barking.”
Most veterinarians agree that debarking surgery should be used only as a last result when all other options have failed, and even then some veterinary clinics refuse to perform the surgery. When considering your options, it is important to extensively consider the alternatives to debarking surgery to help decide if the risks of putting your dog through unnecessary surgery are really worth the benefit.
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to [email protected].