Alternative to the "cone head" collar

[Sandy]

Toby is completely miserable in the plastic cone. He's bashing into things, when he decides to move at all. He's disoriented, and very unhappy. I know there's an alternative out there. I was going to try an undershirt on his bottom half, but with a couple of external stitches, I'm afraid they'd catch on the material. I don't know how on earth I will get him in his crate to sleep tonight with that cone on his head. Any ideas out there?

[Adina P]

Are you sure he's unhappy?

I only ask because Rosco had to wear a cone for 2 to 3 weeks straight after his eye surgery. He even slept with it on...EVERY moment with it on. He was completely oblivious but it was frustrating to me to see him bump into things.

Have you tried the boy's underwear?

[Sandy]

Well, Toby isn't himself, that's for sure. He's finally laying down, sleeping. He actually managed to get it off once. I was thinking that the underwear or the undershirt might catch on the stitches. And I couldn't count on that keeping him away from them when he's in his crate tonight. Could be interesting fitting the cone in the crate though.

Maybe he's not so much unhappy as "post surgery". Hopefully things improve in the morning.

[Adina P]

Yes perhaps it is "post surgery" and " what's this thing around my neck?" more than unhappy.

Have you seen those other Cones that are like long neck tubes that you inflate?

Bite Not Collar

You can get it at Drs Fosters and Smith

[Adina P]

THe photo for the second one is not showing...so click on the link!

[Sandy]

I don't seem to be able to get he same things in Canada that you guys can get in the States.

He seems to be moaning, poor baby. He really wants to get at the incision. 10 days.....yippee.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The Bite Not collar Adina showed is the best! That's what the shelter sent home with Jack after his neuter.
I am sure Foster & Smith will ship to Canada, but if not, you can find it elsewhere on-line.
Is it possible Toby is having some pain from the surgery? Maybe there is a painkiller the vet can suggest. Sure hope he's feeling better soon!

[Renee]

We did use the shirt for Taffy and she did just try and bite through the shirt. When I told the vet she still wasn't leaving it alone and she did some moaning as well, he had me give her Deramaxx for some inflamation. She left the stitches alone after that until about day 8, she gentle pulled the stitches out herself. We were lucky everything was all good.

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

Was he trying to lick his incision? If not and if you can supervise I would just try not using a cone. We did not use a cone at all for either of our doodle's neuter.

Dexter had to have surgery to remove ball pieces from his stomach. Following that we had to put a tee shirt on him because he was trying to lick. We only used the cone at night and then once we had to go back to work. The tee-shirt worked great for us as long as we could supervise.

[Sandy]

We put on a pair of boys' underwear, and a t-shirt over that for the night time. We tried to put him in his crate with the cone, but he was miserable. I figure since the crate is in our room, I'd hear him if he was trying to get at the stitches by the jingling of the tags on his collar. Everything was still in place this morning, so I guess it worked. He was restless around 3:00 a.m., then settled again. I did get him to have a big drink this morning, and he has had a bowel movement, so I guess things are progressing. Can't wait for Toby and I to have this behind us!

[Stella]

You survived the first night!! Well done, you are on the road to recovery now!