Society as a whole slowly deteriorates each day when I read headlines like this. But pet plastic surgery is true, and it’s a sad new trend in an ever increasing world of superficial owners.

For vanity and occasional health reasons, more and more U.S. pet owners are turning to plastic surgery to alter their pet companions. The trend started in the U.S. when tail cropping and plastic surgery on ears became popular. So what kind of surgeries are humans giving their furry friends nowadays? Apparently everything from Botox to testicle implants:

Botox for wrinkles, tummy tucks, nose jobs, braces, and eyelid lifts, which are common for breeds like the bloodhound and bulldog. There are also implants such as “Neuticles” — bean-shaped silicone implants to replace the testicles of neutered dogs.

According to Vets there’s no health benefits for the dog to get testicle implants for example. Likewise, most vets aren’t too keen on the procedure. Yet, more than 425,000 pets around the world have gone under the knife for such implants.

But for every vain and useless procedure there are a few that can actually benefit the health of a pet. According to Vets, “skin folds caused by wrinkles in breeds like the shar-pei can be prone to infection, so Botox can help.” While “nose jobs can help flat-nosed dogs like the pug and some cat breeds breath easier.”

Whatever the case may be, I still find the trend disturbing if not cruel especially if you’re putting your dog under the knife so it can appear cuter to you. Just the thought of giving your pooch a tummy tuck sounds rather absurd and money that’s better well spent. Your pet won’t care how pretty or ugly you are and you shouldn’t either.

Source: The Week