Cropping at 6 months?

[ulysses]

I was just thinking about something the crop vet said to me in LA and I was wondering what everyone here thought of it.

I said I was concerned that I would never be able to get my pup's ears done if I didn't do it by 10 weeks.

He said, that actually he prefers to do his crops at 12 weeks and he considers that the best age. He also said you can do it much later and that he's done dogs at 5 months and 6 months and that it's no big deal, just takes longer to stand.

Has anyone actually seen that or think that would ever be a good idea? I'm nervous about 13-14 weeks, which is what it's looking at now to get my puppy done. But he said, nah don't worry about it, just bring her back after New Years.

This vet said he's done over 40,000 crops in his life and I've heard nothing but good things about his clinic.

 

[von Cosack]

I know the most experienced cropper in the country and I don't think she's done 40,000 HA. In regards to age the crop style will have alot to do with that. They don't HAVE to be done at an early age but I wouldn't go beyond 13 weeks and it would help me to see and feel the leather to make a better judgement call. I'm sure your vet has a book showing their work and I'm sure they wouldn't mind you talking to some of their clients. If they weren't acommodating I would look else where. Whats the problem with cropping at 10 weeks? von Cosack.

 

[ulysses]

I saw the book with his crops and he has photos all over his wall. I went out there with my 10 week old puppy and he thought she wasn't robust enough to do it that day. So now I'm out of town until my puppy is about 12 weeks and she'll probably be 13 weeks until I get out there with an appointment.

He has been a cropper for 40 years, so I think it's possible he's done 40,000 crops, but I don't know. Let's see 40 years that's 14,600 days... lol

 

[kpablo]

12 weeks is fine even 13 weeks depending on the leather of the ear.

I would absulutly NOT crop a 5 month old or older dog. That would even make sense, youd NEVER get the ears up. At 5 or 6 months the dog is done teething, it just doesn't make sense.

Can I ask you who this vet and where he is located? This sounds eerily familiar to what a vet told me.

 

[ulysses]

Sure.

LA Bounty

LA Bounty, Robert D DVM - Tully & LA Bounty Vet Clinic, Studio City, CA : Reviews and maps - Yahoo! Local

He was very nice and I just want to make sure I got good information before I drive back out there again.

 

[MomToMany]

I would not want to do it that late, but I haven't been doing it for years, either.

Hey I know this is the wrong thread and I'm sure SOMEONE pointed it out on your other one, but just in case- ran across this reading some of his reviews:

Pitbull ear cropping: Well must say my first experience was like 9 years ago when i took a pitbull to get his ears cropped and was confortable with how strict they are with how old and the weight of your dog prior to surgery made me feel confortable with knowing they are looking out for the dogs safety first, after the surgery he had probs with one ear not standing up right they continued to wrap it and see him at no additional cost. I now have a new puppy and after 9 years of not going back to that vet went there in july of 2005 to schedule an appoitment for my puppy and they are still there same doctor and same rules very nice staff.

Anyway, like I said someone else may have posted it over there but there ya go.


edit: it was the weight thing.. but at first I thought he was turned away for the reason you were. I see now he's just talking about the rule. Anyway... I think I need to go to bed!

 

[jeoestreich]

I know with pitbulls, the peak time to get ears done is 10 to 12 weeks. Personally I would not do anything after that because the cartilage already starts to harden.

 

[Lord]

Relax!!!! Yes u can do it at 14 weeks too. No big deal. About the 40.000, i tell u know this man is a fisherman

 

[ulysses]

A fisherman.... lol

I just made the appointment (AGAIN!!! ) for January 2nd. I must have asked a million times that if being in her 14th week was okay and they said it would be fine. This has just been a nightmare with driving out to LA once and having to turn around and now because of the holidays... I can't wait for it to be over. Posting will be easy compared to this lol

 

[Apollo]

you always could stop at my house and spend a night here, if you want too, so you don't need to drive so many hrs in one day ??? just let me know, you are always welcome here. we relly mean it. so let me know if you want wanna stay here and go back the next day.

 

[Lord]

Just relax. By the way the posting is the hard part not the cropping. The cropping if u get a good vet, then u just take the pup u have it done and the it up to u. So it is one good operation with a good shape. Is ur dog from a show litter?

U need to fnd someone to help u. And i would like to suggest volunteers helping people with their dogs ears. People who have done it before successfully. I can help anyone in my area. And in general people should do it too.

 

[iceman]

He said, that actually he prefers to do his crops at 12 weeks and he considers that the best age. He also said you can do it much later and that he's done dogs at 5 months and 6 months and that it's no big deal, just takes longer to stand.

Has anyone actually seen that or think that would ever be a good idea? I'm nervous about 13-14 weeks, which is what it's looking at now to get my puppy done. But he said, nah don't worry about it, just bring her back after New Years.

never mind what you read on the net about people suggesting not to crop after 10-12 weeks and ears will not stand if done after 10-11 weeks..
12 weeks is my preference also and yes it's perfectly possible at even 5-6 months, it all depends on the after care,size of the crop and ear leather..like your vet already stated, it might take longer but it is possible.

This pup was cropped at either 14 or 15 weeks...notice the lenght of the crop

 

[ulysses]

Awww thank you everybody, you make me feel a lot better. I'm sure on January 2nd she will have a good surgery and end up with a beautiful crop. I don't know yet anyone who has posted before, but my roommate is a vet tech and she's good with bandaging, so I'm hoping she can figure it out. I'm trying to get her to go with me to LA, so she can see an example in person from the vet.

And thank you Apollo, I really appreciate that. I think Bakersfield is about an hour and a half north of Studio City though. I think we're going to plan to get a motel near by and get some rest before heading back.

 

[dobebug]

Awww thank you everybody, you make me feel a lot better. I'm sure on January 2nd she will have a good surgery and end up with a beautiful crop. I don't know yet anyone who has posted before, but my roommate is a vet tech and she's good with bandaging, so I'm hoping she can figure it out. I'm trying to get her to go with me to LA, so she can see an example in person from the vet.

And thank you Apollo, I really appreciate that. I think Bakersfield is about an hour and a half north of Studio City though. I think we're going to plan to get a motel near by and get some rest before heading back.

For the record Ulysses, Dr LaBounty is a very skilled cropper and he probably has done 40,000 crops. He is also one of the vets who is skilled at remedial cropping.

Dr Tully was cropping ears a zillion years ago when I first lived in Los Angeles and I'm reasonably sure that Dr La Bounty learned from him.

At any rate if he said he's happy with 13 or 14 weeks then don't worry about it. I do know of a few pups who were cropped at advanced ages and who subsequently had ears that stood fine. Not something that most vets who crop would recommend but it can be done.

LaBounty used to have a sheet that he handed out for aftercare but you can find a bunch of information on the DPCA site under breeder education I believe. They show about a dozen different methods of posting ears. It ain't rocket science and you'll be able to do it. Have your roommate take a look at the instructions for posting ears on the DPCA site.

 

[Apollo]

Awww thank you everybody, you make me feel a lot better. I'm sure on January 2nd she will have a good surgery and end up with a beautiful crop. I don't know yet anyone who has posted before, but my roommate is a vet tech and she's good with bandaging, so I'm hoping she can figure it out. I'm trying to get her to go with me to LA, so she can see an example in person from the vet.

And thank you Apollo, I really appreciate that. I think Bakersfield is about an hour and a half north of Studio City though. I think we're going to plan to get a motel near by and get some rest before heading back.

like i said, if you wanna come down, no problem and i could show you on Apollo how to post, i'm sure he wont mind to volontaire for once

 

[DobesMom]

I know people will be pissed at me for this, but we had an older dog cropped when we got her as an unknown age rescue (at or about 8 months). The dog was looked at by a vet & he felt the leather was Ok to do it. We did a medium crop & they stood in a few weeks & looked great. She was a beautiful dog & never seemed to suffer any more than any other pup cropped by us.
Our vet perfers 12+ weeks as well, I pushed for 9 weeks old with Emmie.

 

[MLR]

I guess it would really depend, like you said Rachael, on the vets opinion of the ear leather on whether this would work, or not. I don't think it's an odd option if the circumstances are right. Just not the norm if it can be done when they're 12 weeks or less old.

 

[veggiesflowers]

I know people will be pissed at me for this, but we had an older dog cropped when we got her as an unknown age rescue (at or about 8 months). The dog was looked at by a vet & he felt the leather was Ok to do it. We did a medium crop & they stood in a few weeks & looked great. She was a beautiful dog & never seemed to suffer any more than any other pup cropped by us.

I can't be sure as I haven't done it and I won't do it, but my TC now at 7.5 months, I have a feeling her ears would stand very well even if I had them cropped now. Very strong cartilage (I posted her pics of her crazy ears when she was teething), and when she gets really really perky, her natural ears stand up--often just one ear--like a bunny. We decided not to mess with her ears no matter how oddly looking dobie she will be, but "how late is too late" all depends on the dog IMO. I'm no dobie expert, but cartilage is cartilage.

 

[MyBuddy]

Is the issue with cropping late, (like say the 8 months you guys are talking about) about the cartilage or is it because it's more painful as an adult? Like I've always heard having your tonsils out when you are young is so much less painful than as an adult. Or is it all about the cartilage? I'm trying to picture this now...so if it's about cartilage hardening, than if the ear is flopping, there must be a good crease in it, correct? Is that the issue, that you can't get it to stand because the whole ear has the cartilage hardened and the crease is 'set'?

 

[Apollo]

Is the issue with cropping late, (like say the 8 months you guys are talking about) about the cartilage or is it because it's more painful as an adult? Like I've always heard having your tonsils out when you are young is so much less painful than as an adult. Or is it all about the cartilage? I'm trying to picture this now...so if it's about cartilage hardening, than if the ear is flopping, there must be a good crease in it, correct? Is that the issue, that you can't get it to stand because the whole ear has the cartilage hardened and the crease is 'set'?

yes thats the reason