Ear crop surgery is an optional procedure done by many dog owners to give a better look to their dogs.
While it is illegal in many countries, the AKC recognizes it as a legitimate, necessary medical procedure. It is a painful procedure and requires extra care, so be sure you want to g with this option.
What is Ear Crop Surgery of American Bully?
Ear crop surgery of an American Bully generally involves cutting off the floppy or loose part of the ear under anesthesia. Owners could do ear crops for any reason, from health improvement to aesthetic enhancement.
Before doing all this, you need to ensure a vet will do it and do it perfectly. Take all the necessary precautions and create a plan with your vet before getting the operation.
Purpose of Ear Crop
The primary purpose of ear cropping a Bully is to help improve its hearing ability. Ear crop is an old practice first developed for farm dogs to avoid any mishaps during work.
Here are a few reasons for ear cropping in American Bullies and other dogs
- The loose part of the ear often gets stuck or injured; to avoid such instances, owners started ear cropping.
- Help improve the hearing of the American Bully. An ear with no loose skin hanging over its ear canal will hear better.
- Cropped ears dont catch any fungal infections under the extra skin of the ear, thus improving the overall health of the Bully.
- You can give any look to your Bully’s ears that you want. Owners can solely do ear crops for aesthetic reasons, which is humane.
You can choose to get an ear crop for any reason, but before that, you must understand the pre-op procedures and the preparations.
Pre-Operation Preparation
To establish a plan for the whole ear cropping procedure, you must do so before the surgery. Check the reputation and reviews of the vet, and select a vet with experience in ear cropping.
After vet selection, take your American Bully for examination to determine if he will be ok with anesthesia and run other necessary blood tests.
If everything checks out, you can proceed with the surgery. Your vet may also give instructions about preparing your Bully for cropping surgery. For example, you would have to limit your dog’s food intake the night before and decrease the water intake of your Bully.
Do your best to follow through on the vet’s instructions, minimizing complications during and after the surgery. In addition to the above instructions, ensure that ear cropping is legal in your area. Nine U.S. states regulate ear cropping procedures.
The states include Connecticut, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Washington, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. Most of these regulations involve ensuring that a licensed veterinarian does the procedures and not done for purely cosmetic reasons.
Another thing to keep in mind is the age of the American Bully. You can ear crop your Bully at six to twelve weeks of age.
Procedure
In the procedure, your American Bully is put under anesthesia. Afterward, the vet will crop the puppy’s ears into your desired shape. The different forms include battle crops, show crops, long crops, and short crops.
Show Crop
As apparent from its name, it is a crop for show dogs. Although your Bully doesn’t need to have this crop to participate in a contest, it is what many owners choose for their show Bully.
Battle Crop
The battle crop is the shortest, in which most of the ear is cut, leaving the dog vulnerable to dirt entering the ear canal. Batte crop got its name back when dog fighting was widespread.
Since the crop is close to the head, the opponent wouldn’t have anything to grab during a fight.
Short Crop
A bit longer than Battle crop, it is the most recommended one. Owners choose this crop because it is an excellent combination of battle and shows crops.
Long Crop
Also referred to as Tall crop, this is the longest version of ear crop and leaves behind about three-fourths of the original ear length. You will rarely find American Bullies with this cop.
Ear cropping is a painless surgery if done correctly. After the ear is cropped to your desired shape, the vet will put bandages on th ear and give you all the post-operative instructions.
Healing Process of American Bully after Ear Crop
Once the ear is cropped, the remaining part will be taped to a hard surface for a few weeks to heal upright. This period does not harm your puppy; it can take four to eight weeks to heal completely.
Take the Bully to the vet to remove the bandages and sutures after fourteen days of the surgery.
After that, the ears of the puppy will be propped up straight and taped to let them heal. Keeping the ears upright in place will give them an alert look most breed standards require.
Post-Operation Care
After the surgery, you will bring your American Bully home covered in bandages. Your Bully may be in pain, but the healing process for your American Bully is not difficult after ear crop, so you don’t have to worry too much, as the vet will prescribe medications accordingly.
Generally, 2-3 days after surgery, your puppy will completely recover from the anesthesia and return to his usual self. Give your dog painkillers whenever he is in pain, but if the pain is too much, feel free to consult your vet.
In post-op care, you should re-bandage your Bully the first week as it helps to keep the wound clean and infection free. After the first week, let the wound breathe and not bandage it.
Cone
Discourage your Bully from scratching the wound area, as it can affect the healing process. A cone is the best way to stop your Bully from scratching the cut. A cone will stop your pup’s leg from scratching the cropped ears.
Use the cone for the first few days to pass the itchy phase. Use the cone only when you are not directly supervising the Bully or when the dog is trying to scratch the ear.
Handling the Scab
A scab is a protective tissue covering that forms after the skin has been damaged. And you will see some scabs after the ear-cropping procedure. The scab will slow the healing process of the wound and cause itchiness or infections. It is best to remove the scab and let the skin breathe.
Remove scabs from the ear with a wet cloth using warm water. Wipe it off gently and do it daily to prevent any infections.
Healthy Diet
Give your American Bully a healthy diet to help them heal quickly. You can also add supplements such as vitamins, protein, and calcium. Vitamin C helps with skin healing, so it would help to increase its amount.
Visit your every week for regular checkups to avoid any complications and for a smoother healing process of your American Bully after ear crop.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Should a Dog Wear a Cone After Ear Crop?
Use the cone for the first few days to pass the itchy phase. Use the cone only when you are not supervising the Bully or when the dog is trying to scratch the ear.
Are Dogs in Pain After Ear Cropping?
Dogs feel pain after the anesthesia wears off, but it’s not a lot that it becomes unbearable. The vet will also prescribe you painkillers to help relieve the pain.
How Long Does It Take for Cropped Ears to Stand?
After the ear crop surgery and the removal of sutures and bandages, the ears are taped upright for two to four weeks. This period lets the ear have that upright, standing shape that breed standards require.
Will My Dog’s Ears Stand up After Cropping?
Your dog’s ears will stand up, but for that, you must tape them upright for two to four weeks. In some breeds, this period could be as long as six months. Take your dog to the veterinarian for regular checkups during this period.
Conclusion
Only crop the ears of your American Bully if you really have to. If you decide to cut your Bully’s ear, take all the necessary precautions to make it as painless as possible and make the healing process of your Bully quick.
Keep the wound clean and dry, and remove the scab regularly. Consult your local vet if you notice anything out of the ordinary. In addition to that, make sure the diet of your Bully is full of essential nutrients and supplements.
