Pitbull Ears Cropped vs Uncropped

Cropping a Pitbull’s Ears is still what most people do. However, this is a success for various parties where the practice of cropping Pitbull ears is very rarely done. Fortunately, more and more organizations, pet owners, vets and laws have taken steps to stop this practice.

For some Pitbull lovers, cropped and uncropped ears are a differentiating thing that can lead to opinions where Pitbull whose ears are cropped  look more great and powerful. In fact, this opinion is not always true, on the other hand it hurts dogs.

So, what is your opinion about Pitbull ear cropping? Is it necessary to do so? And why do people crop their Pitbull’s ears? Well, if you want to find out the answer to those questions, let’s stay on this page, Dude!

Pitbull Ears Cropped vs Uncropped

Is Cropping Pitbull’s Ears Necessary?

Medically, the Pitbull’s ears are not needed to crop, as it will not give any benefits for dogs, even it makes them worse. This is such a painful medical procedure for dogs. In fact, there’s no benefit that you can get by cropping your Pitbull’s ears. That can actually be harmful for your dog.

Just like any surgery, there will be risks that are associated with complications from anesthesia or infection afterwards. If the operation is not performed correctly, it can cause your dog to be scarred for life or probably need additional surgery, as your dog will lose even more of the outer ear.

There are some reasons why cropping a pitbull’s ears is needed. In fact, up to 2/3rd of the ear of some breeds, including Pitbull, is cropped off for only aesthetic things and other misinformed medical purposes.

As a throwback, ear cropping is believed to have started in ancient Roma. Some part of the dog’s ears is removed surgically, so that the cartilage will stand erect. However, it was intended to avoid injury to dogs which were raised for hunting, working or even fighting.

In the case of hunting and fighting dogs, the floppy ears may be bitten off. It was also believed that ear cropping will make a dog look more ferocious and alert.

What Is the Procedure for Cropping Pitbull’s Ears?

The procedure of cropping Pitbulls ears is performed on puppies between 7 to 12 weeks old, while the cartilage is still soft. However, doing the surgery once the puppy is more than 12 weeks old causes more serious threats. Aside from that, a dog may have a lot more pain and a longer recovery process. Then, doing the surgery later will also minimize the chances of keeping the ears erect post-surgery.

The surgery, almost 40 minutes under full anesthesia will need a weeks-long recovery process. Post-surgery, the dog’s ears will be bandaged and sutured at the edges. After that, the dog’s ears are taped to make them more upright. It is called cosmetic otoplasty.

In this case, Pitbull will have many nerve endings in their ears that cause their ears to be extremely sensitive to the touch post-surgery. However, the procedure is not learned in veterinary schools. It means that vets doing this surgery should learn about it on the job. However, it will increase the risks that are associated with carrying out this procedure.

Pros and Cons of Ear Cropping

Certainly, there are some pros and cons of ear cropping that may occur on your dog. Here are some pros:

  • Cleaner healthier ears

A Pitbull with cropped ears will never have ear infections that are caused by yeast or ear mites, bacteria or ticks which like to line the underside of the ear.

  • Sharp/clean breed intended look

Today, there are a lot of breeds that will look totally different without cropped ears.

  • The show ring

If a Pitbull has a good ear crop, it will accentuate the head and also gives your Pitbull more presence in the ring.

Here are some cons:

  • The stigma cropping carries

Some people think that cropping a pitbull’s ears is because you fight them.

  • Menacing appearance

According to some people, cropped ears will make a dog look more aggressive.

  • High cost

To get a good ear crop, it may cost upwards of $800.

  • After care treatment

Sure, there will be taping of the ears to keep them standing after the crop correctly.

  • Dangers of anesthesia

Although it is rare to happen, but some owners really have experienced complications leading to the loss of their puppy.

Reasons Why People Crop Their Pitbull’s Ears

As we’ve mentioned, a main goal of cropping a Pitbull’s ears is for aesthetic things. Even though this is very risky, but there are some reasons why people crop their dog’s ears. Here are they:

  • As a protection during dog fight

The first reason is to protect a dog during a dog fight. In fact, pitbull ear cropping was common in animals  that are used for hunting or fighting. Sure, it will minimize the risk of injury to the ears during fights.

You need to know that ears were considered easy targets for the dog’s opponent to bite. Because dog-fighting is illegal all over the world, it is not understable why the surgery of ear cropping is still prevalent in breeds which took part in hunting animals or fighting.

  • To improve hearing

It was believed that cropping will improve hearing in working dogs. Well, the floppy ears may prevent sound waves from efficiently reaching the eardrums. Some people think that upright ears will allow sound waves an unobstructed path to the ear canal. They reasoned that surgery will improve directly and allow Pitbulls to be more aware of predators.

  • To avoid infections

Another reason why people crop their Pitbull’s ears is to limit the chances of infections in some breeds. It was believed that dogs with floppy ears will have higher chances of infection, as they retain more moisture and are more prone to infection.

But, FETCH reported that 80% of dogs will not get ear infections and the shape of the ear is in no way a contributing factor. So, cropping Pitbull’s ears could not be a strong reason to avoid ears infections for dogs.

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