Sunday, January 17, 2016

Home Alternatives To Elizabethan Collar To Keep Any Pet Comfortable After Surgery

By Patricia Kennedy


If your dog has developed a serious medical condition or has needed surgery for any reason you know how tense and stressful the recovery period can be. Educating yourself about how to help them recover as quickly as possible can help minimize this stress. Finding alternatives to Elizabethan collar that will help keep your pet from licking their wounds or other areas is one way that you can manage their condition and get them feeling better as quickly as possible.

If you have ever seen a dog wearing what looks to be an inverted lampshade around its head, you know what an Elizabethan collar looks like. It is usually attached to a dog's neck via their collar or via a piece of gauze or cord that holds it in place and can prevent a dog from kicking it off with their feet. Often, a vet will require a dog to wear one following surgery or if the canine has developed a skin issue.

While they work quite well in many cases, these collars can cause distress for some animals. This is because an animal's sense of hearing can be altered by the cone around their face. It can also make it difficult for some animals to eat and drink as it may block the bowl or the plate that the dog or cat is trying to eat off of. Others may have difficulty moving and may panic if their collar gets caught on a door frame or piece of furniture.

If a pet has had surgery it is a bad idea for them to lick the area where the incision is located. Licking can introduce bacteria into the incision and may allow infection to start. It can also quickly dissolve the sutures and allow an incision to open up. Either of these things can mean costly veterinary bills and can mean that your pet's recovery time will be greatly increased. Nobody wants their cat or dog to be uncomfortable or to have to undergo unnecessary surgery.

One alternative to the dreaded cone is to use a tee shirt or pair of shorts to cover the incision. This works very well when an incision was made on the pet's stomach, sides or back. It may work less well if the affected area was on a leg or tail since these can be easier for the dog to reach. If you do decide to try this method of covering the affected area you do need to monitor your pet.

There are inflatable rings that keep a dog from turning its head. This means that they may not be able to access different parts of their body and therefore be unable to lick. You may want to try and fit your dog with one of these devices before resorting to a cone. It is also a good idea to monitor your pet in the beginning to make sure that your dog cannot access the area that is trying to heal.

If you are not dealing with an incision you may be able to use something like bitter apple to make an area taste unappealing. Just make sure that the product you use is non-toxic and made for such a purpose. There are certain creams and lotions that you can apply which will help heal the skin and deter a pet from licking.

A veterinarian should be able to give you advice on how to prevent your dog from licking or chewing an area on their body. They may have ideas about products that will not interact with any medicine your dog takes and let you know how long the recovery period can be expected to last.




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