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Why do some dogs undergo surgery due to excessive barking? Discover the reasons and effects behind it!
In many families, dogs are one of the most popular pets. However, the problem of excessive barking has troubled many owners, and they even finally chose surgery to solve this problem. This surgery, called "devocalization," is designed to address excessive barking in dogs, but the ethical and legal issues behind it have sparked heated discussions.
Overview of surgery
Vocal cordectomy is a surgical procedure that removes part of the tissue from your dog’s vocal cords to reduce the sound of your dog’s barking. This surgery is often performed at the owner's request as an option to resolve neighborhood disputes or to avoid being euthanized due to barking.
Effectiveness of surgery
While surgery does not completely eliminate a dog's ability to bark, it can soften the bark, usually to half the volume or less.
For most dogs that undergo surgery, their barks will become deeper and no longer sound high-pitched. Although such changes can reduce noise, they may also affect the dog's normal communication with other animals or humans.
Causes of excessive barking
Excessive barking in dogs often stems from a variety of factors, including improper socialization, stress, boredom, fear or frustration. According to the survey, about 35% of dog owners said that their dogs have barking problems, which not only affects the quality of life, but may also lead to legal disputes.
Low invasive alternatives
Experts suggest that less invasive solutions to the problem of excessive barking in dogs should be considered first. Many animal behaviorists believe that this problem can be improved in most cases with proper training and environmental adjustments.
Training and Socialization
A professional dog trainer can help your dog learn appropriate barking behavior, which is an effective way to deal with excessive barking.
Through positive reinforcement training, owners can guide dogs to learn quiet signals so that they can learn when it is appropriate to bark.
Environment adjustment
Since environmental factors often influence an animal’s behavior, owners may consider reducing their barking by changing their dog’s environment. For example, providing adequate exercise and play time, or removing factors that trigger fear, can help reduce excessive barking.
Disputes and Legal Norms
The legality and ethics of vocal cord ablation have triggered widespread discussions in different regions. In the UK and countries that are signatories to the European Pet Protection Convention, this procedure is considered a form of surgical mutilation and is therefore banned. In the United States, the legal status of vocal cord resection varies from state to state, with some states restricting or prohibiting the procedure.
According to the position of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), vocal cordectomy should be performed only when other behavioral modification efforts have failed.
Voices of support and opposition
While some veterinarians and pet owners support the procedure as a convenient solution, many animal rights groups oppose the practice. They believe that non-surgical solutions to excessive barking in dogs should be prioritized. If you do not pay attention to the social and psychological factors behind the surgery and only pursue short-term tranquility, I am afraid it will cause greater hidden dangers to the overall well-being of the dog.
Future direction
When it comes to dealing with excessive barking of dogs, owners and society need a deeper understanding and reflection. In the long run, paying more attention to the mental health of dogs and using effective training techniques and environmental adjustments may be able to better solve this problem. Surgery should not be chosen lightly.
When faced with the challenge of a dog barking excessively, should it be forced to undergo surgery to change its nature, rather than caring about why it is barking?
