Sorry, vetbridge, I should have said “some vets.” Still, the vet BiblioCat went to and the vet office I called here in Calgary were less than forthright about the procedure - of course, I only talked to the receptionist, not the vet herself, but most people would have been completely satisfied with her telling me quite clearly that it was only the claws that were cut off, and the receptionist got this idea from somewhere. Maybe I should make an effort to get in touch with that vet and see if she knows what her receptionist is telling people.
The receptionist may very well have learned her info from the veterinarian. Before starting my own practice I worked for some veterinarians who did what they could to push declaws. They are quick, easy surgeries with very little overhead and can be huge profit generators. Vetrinarians are in business to make money, and some will push things a little far(IMHO).
Also, I should mention that SoftPaw nail caps are an item that I like. Some cats do very well wth them, while a minority of cats will try to remove them right away. They are worth a try as an alternative to declawing. They also work nicely in iguanas, who not only scratch, but also seed the scratches withe salmonella and other nasty organisms.
Read the thread that was linked! There’s lots of good stories & opinions.