Bowsers on Botox: Dogs Get Eye Lifts, Tummy Tucks, and More

An essay by Naia Carlos called "Even Dogs Have Gotten Into the Plastic Surgery Craze With Botox, Nose Jobs and More" caught my eye," and a few people asked me to weigh in on it, so I am, briefly. Ms. Carlos' piece raises a number of important issues about our relationships with dogs and other animals, a topic of interest to anthrozoologists and others who study human-animal relationships. It also asks us to reflect on why we choose to do the things we do to other animals.

Concerning the title of Ms. Carlos' thought provoking essay, let me first say that the dogs themselves have not gotten into the "plastic surgery craze." Their humans have. Save for surgeries that are necessary for health reasons, elective cosmetic surgeries that include "eye lifts or tucks, nose jobs, facial-fold reductions (or full-on facelifts), lip tucks, boob jobs, tummy tucks, skin grafting, and prosthetic implants" make no sense to me. Testicular implants are also used "to help make neutered animals regain their masculinity." Why subject a dog to unneeded anesthesia and side-effects, and the pain of recovery for something that humans feel good? The veterinarians to whom I've gone for many years always have been very careful about anesthetizing a dog unnecessarily.

One reason given for the use of some of the cosmetic surgeries is to make dogs more attractive so that their humans won't dump them or to make them more adoptable. Says one veterinarian, "Hangy boobs and lumps and bumps make people uncomfortable." I can see where fixing these "imperfections" might serve a dog well on some occasions, but cosmetic surgeries to please people or to prevent human guardians (owners) from giving up their companion don't say much at all about these people.

A variety of state laws govern elective surgical procedures on pets, and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) offers a useful summary which was last updated in December 2014. These laws typically restrict elective surgeries unless there is a medical reason to perform them. For more information on progress that is being made to protect dogs from a variety of elective surgeries please see "Dogs, Dominance, Breeding, and Legislation: A Mixed Bag."

We also read in Ms. Carlos' essay, "Others maintain that pets -- like people -- feel better about improving the way they look." While it's possible a dog or other animal might feel better by not carrying around extra weight, I don't think they give a hoot or a bark about how their eyes look or if they have a big nose. And, if they're overweight, why not feed them less and exercise them more.

I fully realize that there are different sides on the issues centering on whether or not dogs (and other animals) should be subjected to elective cosmetic surgeries. But, let's be very clear, it's not dogs who have gotten into the cosmetic surgery craze, it's humans. And, as I noted above, Ms. Carlos' essay forces us to rethink why we choose to live with other animals and what is acceptable behavior on our part. After all, we can do whatever we want to them, whether they like it or not. And, it's essential to honor that this imbalance in power is not a license to do whatever we choose.

Marc Bekoff’s latest books are Jasper’s Story: Saving Moon Bears (with Jill Robinson); Ignoring Nature No More: The Case for Compassionate Conservation; Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed: The Fascinating Science of Animal Intelligence, Emotions, Friendship, and Conservation; Rewilding Our Hearts: Building Pathways of Compassion and Coexistence; and The Jane Effect: Celebrating Jane Goodall (edited with Dale Peterson). The Animals’ Agenda: Freedom, Compassion, and Coexistence in the Human Age (with Jessica Pierce) will be published in April 2017 and Canine Confidential: An Insider’s Guide to the Best Lives For Dogs and Us will be published in early 2018. His homepage is marcbekoff.com