Why Dogs Are Getting Plastic Surgery
Facelifts, nose jobs, and ball implants, all for a dog.
bodnar.photo / Shutterstock Dogs these days are getting plastic surgery. While I thought that the fancy grooming and little outfits were over the top, “pet parents” have taken their dog obsession up a notch with plastic surgery for dogs.
If you have the money, you can now take your dog to a pet plastic surgeon like Edgard Brito in San Paulo. Speaking with DuJour, he said that he hopes his work can help pets be more lovable to their owners.
Seriously? Aren’t dogs adorable enough?
According to Brito, “I often say that a clean dog with well-kept teeth will always be in better contact with its owners; otherwise, the dog ends up being [put to sleep].”
Say what?!
He is now considered one of the world’s top plastic surgeons for canine friends and performs an array of procedures to make dogs look better than nature intended. He offers Botox for perkier ears, face lifts, nose jobs, and testicular implants which he says will help neutered dogs feel masculine again.
“Dogs of the Upper East Side” artist Linda Olle told DuJour about a friend she knew who put their dog under the knife. “I knew someone who planned to get his bulldog puppy ball implants. He said he thought it would make the dog look and feel better about himself,” she said.
Okay, it all sounds a little crazy, extreme, and extravagant, but before you start hating on these pet owners to your friends, you should think about the other side of the coin.
People aren’t just getting their dogs plastic surgery because they want the cutest pup on the block. Actually, some of these surgeries can be beneficial for health reasons. Dogs that are prone to wrinkles around the eyes can benefit from surgery to smooth them out since the folds in the skin can trap dangerous bacteria that cause infections. Veterinarian Anne E. Hohenhaus said that this kind of procedure is necessary for the health of these dogs.
Despite the reason for surgery, the procedures cost even more than you might expect. According to Petplan, an animal insurance company, $62 million was spent on these surgeries in 2011. Many of them can cost $4,000 to $5,000 apiece.
Wow. That kind of money would help me pay off my student loans.
The New York Post reported that $8,000 a month was spent on pet maintenance by New Yorkers. This included treatments like massages, shrinks, nail painting, and chiropractors. Seriously, I don’t even treat myself this well.
Millennials seem to be at the forefront of this movement since many of them consider themselves parents to their pets instead of just owners.
A dog seems like a pretty good replacement for a human child to me. Plus, even with all the surgeries and manicures, it would probably cost a lot less to raise a fancy pup than put a child through college, right?
Shannon Ullman is a writer who focuses on travel and adventure, women's health, pop culture, and relationships. Her work has appeared in Huffington Post, MSN, and Matador Network.