You have asked us to declaw your cat. We want to make sure that you fully understand, prior to the procedure, exactly what a "declaw" is and the possible resultant complications that can occur.

A "declaw" is actually an amputation of the toes of the cat. A cat's toe is made up of three bones, called phalanges, just as our finger has three bones. Declawing involves removing the entire first bone, not just the claws. This would be the same as amputating the first bones of all of our fingers. Once the bone is removed, a hole is left. This hole is closed up using either surgical glue or sutures.

Since the declaw is an amputation, it is a very painful procedure for the cat. The LASER decreases the pain since it helps to seal the nerves, but it will not eradicate the pain. Each cat is different in its tolerance for pain, but the larger and older the cat, the more likely the cat will be painful for a longer time. We send home medication to help control the pain, but your cat may need more depending on its pain threshold. Some cats will be tender for only a day or two (usually the younger cats), while other cats may limp and hold up their paws for two to three weeks.

When a cat walks, it is primarily walking on the bone that is amputated. Thus, after a declaw, a cat has to learn to walk again. Some cats learn faster than others how to walk and keep their balance.

The declaw procedure has a higher rate of complications than other types of "routine" surgeries. These complications can be divided into short-term complications and long-term complications.

Short-term complications occur within the first couple of weeks after the surgical procedure. A declaw is not considered a sterile procedure, so infections of the toes can occur. If a toe becomes infected, the cat will be placed on antibiotics. If a cat is too active in the first week or so after the declaw, its toes may open up and bleed. This bleeding may be either a small or large amount. If the toes open up, the cat must be re-anesthetized and the toes closed back up to prevent an infection of the bone. The cat is also placed on antibiotics.

Long-term complications can also occur. Some cats can be painful when they jump as they don't have that last bone to cushion their landing. They may limp and favor one or both paws intermittently for the rest of their lifetime. Some cats can't metabolize the glue that is used to seal the edges of the hole and, years later, the glue causes an infection. If that happens, the cat must again be anesthetized and the glue removed. In other cases, owners feel that a cat's personality has changed after being declawed. They feel that the cat started biting more after the declaw.

This is a general overview of the declaw procedure and the common complications. Since each cat is an individual, there may be other complications that have not been discussed here. Visit the pet library section for further information regarding declawing.