Ear Cropping Procedures for Dogs

Ear cropping is commonly done on several different dog breeds. Boxers, Great Danes, Doberman pinschers, schnauzers and other dogs wouldn't have their standard breed look without cropped ears. Even so, some pet owners opt not to crop their dog's ears. If you decide to crop your dog's ears, the procedure normally is done between nine and 12 weeks and will probably require an overnight hospital stay. He will be in pain for several days and will have to wear a device over his head that will hold the ears in place until they heal and stand up on their own.

  1. Preoperative Tests

    • Which preoperative tests a dog needs are largely dependent on his age and health. Young dogs receiving ear cropping surgery are normally healthy, so they need only to have a blood count and fecal examination. Your veterinarian may order a blood clotting test for certain breeds. Although ear cropping surgery isn't normally done on older dogs, if it is, the dog may need a blood count, serum biochemical test, urine tests and an EKG before surgery.

    Anesthesia

    • The ears are cut during ear cropping, so anesthesia is needed to put the dog to sleep, relax muscles and help with pain. Normally, your dog will get a pre-anesthetic sedative analgesic to help with relaxation, intravenous drugs to induce unconsciousness and then gas anesthesia during the surgery.

    Surgery

    • During ear cropping surgery, the vet will make an incision from the bottom of the ear, up the center and to the tip. This removes the outer half of the dog's ear and leaves only a triangular piece. The veterinarian will then close the cut with stitches or with surgical adhesive. The stitches will need to come out in 10 days to two weeks. The dog's ears will be held erect with bandages and with a device worn on his head until they heal and stand up on their own.

    Postoperative Care

    • The stitches will need to come out in 10 days to two weeks. The dog's ears will be held erect with bandages and with a device worn on his head until they heal and stand up on their own, which can take six to eight weeks. After surgery, your dog may need some pain medication, which your vet can prescribe. At home, you will need to make sure your dog isn't active and that the bandages don't slip or leak.