Pet plastic surgery remains controversial, yet it is growing in popularity among pet owners. While certain procedures, such as tail docking, ear cropping, and declawing have been performed for decades, today there are many more procedures offered for Fluffy and Fido, from doggie nose jobs to the types of nips and tucks usually associated with celebrities. Today, many established veterinarians specialize in such procedures, says Mother Nature Network.

Though many of these surgical options are intended to result in appearance enhancement, they are also meant to correct uncomfortable health conditions, and pet owners often consider them for these reasons, not solely for vanity.

Getting a nose job for your pet may sound strange, but in fact it's more common than you may assume. This procedure is particularly popular for smaller breeds that are prone to congenital breathing difficulties, including bulldogs, Boston terriers, and pugs. Their flattened faces can actually cause breathing difficulties and snoring, which may be decreased with rhinoplasty surgery.

Facelifts, another popular procedure, are performed on dogs with skin folds on their faces that harbor dangerous and hard-to-clean bacteria. By decreasing a dog's facial skin folds, infections can be kept at bay.

You can even get braces for your pet. Pet orthodontia is intended to ease periodontal disease and pain caused by bad alignment of the teeth, with the added benefit of a better-looking smile. Pet braces or retainers stay in place for a few weeks, though your pet can't eat hard food or gnaw on a bone during that time.

Other procedures are performed on the opposite end of your pet's body. Fake testicles are implanted into male dogs that have been neutered. Known as Neuticles, these silicone implants are meant to improve the mood of neutered dogs. They are now available for dogs, cats, horses, and bulls, and nearly half a million pairs have been sold since 1995.

Now, pets can even undergo breast reduction. Prematurely sagging mammaries may be seen in female pets that were subjected to over-breeding. Unlike human patients, pets can't get breast enhancement with implants, only reduction for reasons of discomfort due to sagging.

Source: http://www.nosejob.org/news/cosmetic-surgery/pet-plastic-surgery-rise