Problems With Ear Cropping

Certain breeds of dogs, such as boxers, Great Danes and Doberman pinschers, have an elective, cosmetic surgery to remove part of their ear cartilage. Called ear cropping, the surgery cuts away ear tissue to make the ears smaller so they stand up. There are ethical and health concerns to be considered with ear cropping. Anyone considering the procedure for his dog should be aware of the potential problems that can result from the surgery.

  1. Infection

    • The surgery creates an open wound along the length of the dog's ear, which is susceptible to infection. Since most crops are done between the ages of 6 to 12 weeks, the puppy has an immature immune system, which can increase the likelihood of problems.

    Pain

    • Having part of an ear removed is a painful procedure. Some breeders assure prospective owners that puppies do not feel pain, but there is no scientific data to support this. In fact, the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends against this procedure for cosmetic reasons due, in part, to the unnecessary pain it causes the puppy. The pain of the surgery is increased, or at least prolonged, by the bandages that need to be worn for up to a few months after the surgery.

    After Surgery Care

    • A Doberman with cropped ears

      Home care is critical in the healing and "training" of the ears. The weak cartilage of the ears will have to harden to give the erect ear stance. The training process can take as long as two months, during which you will have to change bandages every few days, massage the ear tissue, inspect it to make sure it is free of infection, keep the bandages dry and clean and make sure the puppy does not scratch at its ears.

    Failure to Stand

    • Even after all you invested in the dog, there is still a chance the ears will not stand. If the scar tissue formed in the wrong way, or there was too much or too little moisture, the ears could heal improperly and not give the desired look.

    Ethical Concerns

    • The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends against this surgery for cosmetic reasons. There are no proven benefits to health or welfare of the dog, and the surgery requires young puppies to be placed under anesthesia unnecessarily. Cropping the ears for cosmetic reasons is frowned on by many animal rights activists as well. The American Kennel Club still endorses docking, but many European countries have banned or severely restricted the practice.