HELP!! Any alternatives to the cone collar for dogs?

dbwes · 11-02-2009, 05:34 PM

My guy had a growth on his shoulder removed today, and he came out wearing one of those horrible plastic cone "Elizabethan" collars. I took it off so he could eat, and I honestly don't know if I'll be able to get it back on. I AM afraid he is going to lick and lick at his stitches. Any advice on whether a T-shirt of some sort will work or at the least advice for getting the darn thing back on?
Thanks!

poetgrl · 11-02-2009, 05:44 PM

We put a t-shirt on our golden. We have never been able to keep a cone on any of our dogs. Especially because we have two and getting it off is a very absorbing group project. Sorry about your pup. But glad he's okay.

ebeeeee · 11-02-2009, 05:51 PM

A tee shirt might or might not work. It's worth a shot. My American Eskimo gets stressed out and licks his feet. I have had to put the cone on periodically and he is able to eat with it on but it depresses him. I took it off again recently and have been spraying a bitter spray from the pet store but you can't put that on stitches. We have tried putting socks on him before but he is creative at getting them off. Which brings me back to the tee shirt. Try it but you might be surprised at how creatively the dog may be able to get around it and bother the stitches anyway.

Onward · 11-02-2009, 06:09 PM

Give your dog some time to get use to the collar. Mine has had to wear one twice now. He could eat with it on and he eventually learned to whack us with it when he wanted something. It was quite funny to watch him outside when he found something that smelled good. He would get that big funnel over the smell and inhale really loudly. I think the cone bothered us more than him. Good luck!

bookiemom · 11-02-2009, 07:01 PM

I have gotten pretty good at devising special clothing for my shepherds to avoid the dreaded conehead. You can make a t-shirt this way. Get an old T-shirt that is big enough to cover the area of the stitches. With sharp scissors, poke holes at two-inch intervals around the neck, hem, and bottom armholes of the T-shirt. Then cut part of another T-shirt into a few long strips (around the bottom hem works best) about an inch wide. Thread these strips through the holes and tie in secure knots. I have also done this with knit boxer shorts for sore spots or stitches in the belly or privates.

I have also used this method with socks when the current shepherd is licking her paws. She ususally doesn't get them off.

VeryHappy · 11-02-2009, 07:53 PM

^^^ I'm not sure whether to say, "Great idea, bookiemom!" Or, "You put boxer shorts on your dogs??"

lily_51426 · 11-02-2009, 07:54 PM

Our dog likes the ProCollar. One place you can buy it is Petco for about $35. Dogs can eat, drink, and use it as a pillow. It isn't good for lower leg injuries, but should be fine for the shoulder.

dbwes · 11-02-2009, 08:12 PM

You are all fantastic for replying. While I think Onward is right and he would get used to it, I just don't know if I can get this thing back on him -- the one I have is put together with velcro strips and string around the top and I don't know what all. So I may have to try bookiemom's very ingenious idea and if that doesn't work, hit Petco tomorrow. Thanks, friends!

teriwtt · 11-02-2009, 08:35 PM

dbwes - I feel your pain, or should I say my dog feels your dog's pain. Mine had two warts removed a week and a half ago... one on her front paw, and one between her jaw and lip. We were so worried about her licking the paw afterwards, but she really left it alone (probably glad to get rid of the ugly looking, nasty thing). However, I noticed today that she has been scratching her chin, where the other incision was (each incision took 1-2 stitches), and I had to run her back into the vet as she had drawn a little blood. They said it was probably infected (early stage), and put her back on antibiotics, and now she HAS to wear the collar. She absolutely hates it, but we can get it on her. And she will be wearing it a lot as I'm sitting at the airport right now, and will be gone for ten days, and H works 11 hours a day (we have a dog walker who will come by), so she will be unsupervised for most of the day and we can't risk her making it worse. The only good thing is I will be gone and you know the old saying... out of sight, out of mind. By the time I get back, the stitches will be out and all will be healed, hopefully.

I am sort of curious, though. My dog would never be able to reach a wound on her shoulder to lick it. Are you sure she needs it?

bookiemom · 11-02-2009, 10:25 PM

Here are several alternatives to the e-collar I happened to find:

Alternatives to an E-Collar, Elizabethan Collar for Dogs | Dog Knee Injury

Re my boxer shorts on the German shepherd: her tail managed to fit nicely through the front opening of the shorts! I also put some blue-jean cutoffs on her once and cinched a belt through the beltloops to keep the cutoffs on. My vet cracked up laughing.

Onward · 11-02-2009, 11:29 PM

If you need visuals, try Youtube. Search alternatives to e-collar and How to put on an Elizebethan collar (e-collar). (They spelled Elizabethan wrong, not me!) And to keep your spirits up, there are a gazillion videos of dogs wearing them.

dbwes · 11-03-2009, 07:48 AM

Teriwtt -- I have been saying "shoulder" in my own head, but technically it's right at the top of the leg where it meets his trunk, not up on his back. (I guess I am thinking "shoulder" is where the human arm meets the trunk -- also not technically accurate in terms of muscles, I guess!)

So my H.S. senior helped me out last night. We got the T-shirt over his head and his paws in the sleeves and I was thinking about taking it off again and how much to cut off to do the bookiemom method when she came back to the kitchen with some ponytail holders, bunched the fabric on his back, cinched it with the ponytail holder and then tucked the "tail" under the shirt. She then similarly clipped the extra fabric on both short sleeves. It has worked like a charm!

Looking forward to those Youtube videos!

sunnyflorida · 11-03-2009, 08:53 AM

Anyone who needs long term protection, I swear by K-9 Top Coats. They are an internet company that makes dog suits--both light weight and heavy winter-weight. I have a dog with allergies, and sensitive skin. After meds and baths failed, I got the light weight suit and covered him from neck nearly to toes. For awhile I added baby socks over his feet. He stopped licking and scratching, and eventually we were able to take off the socks and eventually the suit. Now I have it in case of surgery or what not. He is a cocker and always at our ankles. We could not handle the hard plastic E-collars as he kept pushing them into our legs as he tried to stay at our ankles. Ouch. After hundreds of dollars on meds, food, vitamins, baths, creams and sprays, the suit was the best $55 I ever spent.

acollegestudent · 11-03-2009, 11:03 AM

I know this is off topic, but I just wanted to respond to sunnyflorida. I noticed that you said your dog has sensitive skin and baths and meds failed. I don't know what you feed him, but have you tried one of the grain-free formulas - a lot of people with these sorts of issues have experienced an improvement when they switched. Dogs are not really supposed to eat grain anyways, so even if it doesn't help the skin problem, it would still be a healthier alternative.

Innova Evo is the brand that I personally use, in case you are curious, and you can find reviews for some other ones here Dog Food Reviews - 6 Star Premium Dry Food - Powered by ReviewPost

My dog is also prone to skin issues, which is how I started researching the food, etc.

lovemydog · 11-18-2009, 10:52 PM

try this blog for alternatives to the elizabethan / buster collar...

Optivisor & Novaguard: Two More Alternatives To Elizabethan Collar! Pet Project