We've all been there. It's that dreadful day you have to take your baby to the "evil" Vet's office to have a procedure done, spaying, neutering, stitches or what have you. It is a stressful day for dog and owner alike, but you and your dog survive and the clock strikes 10 minutes til pickup time so you head out of your house to the Vet's office to pick up your pooch.
He/She(I'll say she from hereon out as I'm speaking from Keiko's experience) comes wobbling down the hallway before popping out from behind those big wooden "Doctors Office" doors but before she does you hear an odd clacking sound getting closer... and closer... bit of a scraping sound here and there... what could it be??? You finally set on eyes on your beloved companion only to be greeted by a look of pure despair as if she were saying "OMG SOMEBODY GET THIS OFF OF MY HEAD".... which leads me to todays public service announcement :
The Elizabethan Collar, or as I refer to it : "The Cone" is a cheaply made, overpriced, nightmare that was designed to prevent your dog from licking/biting/scratching areas that are sensitive, such as stitches and sores or hot-spots. The problem is that it also prevents your pup from living anything close to its normal life, in fact in some dogs(speaking from personal experience) the cone provokes literal anxiety, stops your dog from being able to take a drink or eat some food, all while failing horribly in it's original mission. Dogs are smart creatures, many times if they want to reach an area, a stupid plastic cone is not going to be the adversary that reigns supreme over the dexterity and intellect of your pet. So why in the year 2019 are our renowned Vet's still telling us we need to keep this perpetual sadness device:
on our pets for periods of: days/weeks or in my Keiko's case TWO MONTHS the vet said to keep the cone of anxiety on for after she was fixed. As I don't work in the animal healthcare field I cannot answer the question of why we are still using these for certain, but it probably boils down to the "bottom line" for the Vet since us dog owners know how expensive anything is when someone puts the word "pet" in front of it, need some shampoo? Sure 2.99, oh oh you meant "DOG" Shampoo?? 22.99!... I also can't stop your next procedural visit to the Vet from resulting in your pooch walking out with one on... "So what CAN you do Nick? How can I stop using this torture device and give my pet it's life back even while in recovery with the confidence that its wound will heal without interruption??"
Well I am glad you asked!
Because what I CAN do(as I don't believe in complaining about a problem without at least trying to recommend some type of solution, in this case THE solution which has 100% worked for my dogs and 4 separate other dogs who tried it) is bring to you something that has been nothing short of a lifesaver, works way better than a cone, lets your pet continue living a life free of anxiety and sadness all while winning back the dignity this cone has all but stripped from her! And no, it's not one of those stupid overpriced tubes either that your local Petco has for 49.99:
As a disclaimer, I do not own/profit/know anyone who has anything to do with the selling or manufacturing of the product I am about to show to you, I show you this in the best interest of your sanity and the sanity and comfort of your dog in it's time of need and recovery. Nor am I saying this particular brand of it is the best of its kind, it is just what has 100% worked for me, and those who have taken my advice on the matter.It goes by a few different names but I will use the name of the version I used.
I present to you all: The Surgi Snuggly! AKA The Wondersuit AKA Post Operative Care Suit:
It is a super durable antimicrobial, breathable(as you can see I purposely pictures thick coated breeds to showcase), flexible, and most importantly COMFORTABLE alternative to "The Cone(of shame)" that will prevent your dog from getting to its recovery site. It also has the benefit of giving your dog the feeling of embrace, which studies have shown provides a high degree of anti anxiety and confidence in most dogs, I'm sure you've all heard of thundershirts and it's variants for dogs who struggle with anxiety? Well this also acts as that as well. What's more is that it has a convenient "potty flap" as I like to call it, which connects by industrial strength velcro just above the tail (tail hole included as well) which you can secure in place through a connected fabric strip that wraps around it and connects to the velcro so that the flap does not get in the way of your dog performing its business! You can find them on Amazon/Ebay/Pet Outlets etc , I personally purchased the one I used for Keiko on amazon, they come in all sizes from extra small to XXXL and on the sale page there is a convenient weight chart which proved to be accurate. The best part is it was only a little over 20 dollars... would you pay 20 dollars for your dogs comfortable recovery and happiness? I sure would, and did.
Here is my Keiko girl letting me know what she thought of her new Surgi Suit:
Even when she was all healed she didn't want to take it off, and it honestly brought me so much peace of mind knowing that she was comforted and protected at the same time, it even survived major rough-housing sessions with her dad Kiyoshi and kept everything safe and unexposed. The surgi snuggly/suit/whatever you want to call it was a real life saver for me and mine, and I write this in the hopes that it can do the same for you in those times that are already stressful enough without having to worry about your dog running into doorways or not being able to reach its water bowl!
To all my fellow doggy parents out there, I wish you the best in your adventures with your wonderful companions, this has been a K9 public service announcement!~
What a fantastic post 😊
Over the years I have found myself rescuing/adopting/caring for various animals that have either been mistreated or are elderly and needing palliative type care and I have often been accused of "spoiling" or "fussing" or simply just "going overboard" when it comes to the level of care I provide. But I'm simply considering how I would like to be treated if it were me in these situations instead of an animal, be it a dog, cat, horse or even a guinea pig. I love when I see others who are taking just as much care and consideration of their pets needs as I would, and not just basic needs such as food and water, because emotional wellbeing is just as important for an animal as it is for humans.
This is a fantastic alternative to those cones and I'm sure if more people knew about them they would definitely be agreeable. It's such a shame though that there are still so many vets that stick to their "old school" ways and tell you that this is your only option.
Thanks for sharing some great content.
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This is so true, I believe the verb you are looking for that people say we are doing is "anthropomorphizing" which is to attribute human characteristics, emotional states, or behavior to an object or animal. But it really isn't at all, they are experiencing life in much the same ways we are, they get hot, cold, sad , happy, angry(bad dog!), excited, etc so I find it literally unethical to not at least take into consideration of your animals mental state . I too have been accused of spoiling my pups, but people can say what they want, they will never understand the bond and fulfillment that comes from a good healthy relationship with your dog. Thanks for a great comment and you are not alone!
Excellent and well articulated article about a subject that most dog owners and lovers would want to know this kind of information, because you are correct, there is nothing in the Veterinarian's workbook that is "inexpensive" and effective like this, and they won't tell you about it either.
Thanks @jamerussell , you are correct they really won't, my hope is this can save some people a lot of headache in an already stressful time.
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STOPOh i know those collors they hate them and its unfair. I have two dog boxershorts hahah great blog
I am not a doggy parent (just yet), but oh do I love dogs. This is some great info to keep in mind for when I will be so lucky to take care of one of those lovely button-nose-creatures :)
Btw your dogs Kiyoshi and Keiko are insanely cute! Keep up the posts!
Thanks! Don't let the button nose fool you and be ready to put the work in lol. But, if/when you do, you will find alot of joy in it, I can promise you that!
Great share. Nice to know there is a decent alternative to the cone of shame. Hope Keiko is well.
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