New Article: Complications of debarking surgery

I'd like to add something I just thought of...performing general anesthesia on a debarked dog may be more complicated than if performed on a normal dog. The first thing doctors are taught when intubating (inserting a breathing tube) is visualizing the vocal cords. You've just destroyed the anatomy and landmarks of the larynx. Also, the larynx may have become scarred and hardened from the procedure making intubation difficult or practically impossible. Simple procedures like teeth cleaning, spaying or neutering aren't simple anymore.
 
It still makes me sick that this happened to Riley. Luckily the vet is has been extremely careful when Riley has had to be put under. That's lucky because Riley's teeth have never been good.
 
About 24 years ago I had a dog that was a non stop barker debarked...she ended up with breathing problems. I had another surgery performed to open up her airway and never debarked a dog again. If I have an issue I use a no bark collar.;)
 
Our newest girl is debarked. I am worried about her being intubated during her dental and then her spay.

I will be speaking directly to her vet and the techs about this. I am hoping that they can NOT tube her for the dental.

I hate the sounds of her whisper barks.
 
Fostermom said:
Our newest girl is debarked. I am worried about her being intubated during her dental and then her spay.

I will be speaking directly to her vet and the techs about this. I am hoping that they can NOT tube her for the dental.

I hate the sounds of her whisper barks.
Click to expand...

I know when I heard Riley bark for the first time I wanted to cry, and I think I did. Dylan is such a talker. He mumbles and grumbles, and yodels, and rooroos, and talks to us all the time. It was so very sad to me that Riley would never be able to do that. I have to say, however, that his bark has come back quite a bit over the years. Riley now makes a real bark sound. It isn't quite as loud and Dylan's but it is a real bark.

I let our vet know about Riley's being debarked and they were able to work with him when he had to be put under.
 
Linda, just let your vet know like Karen did. As long as they have a heads up they can plan ahead so the dental and spay can go smoothly.
 
Of course. They will
be told and a huge note will be taped to her file.

Here's a snippet on how they do it in the mills:

Debarking: A controversial procedure in which a dog’s vocal cords are severed so that he is unable to bark. In puppy mills, this procedure is often performed by smashing a puppy’s vocal cords with a pipe.
 
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