Cone not protecting neuter

[flyer]

And I mean bugger!! So Colt was neutered Wed. and today he figured out how to use the cone to rub at his wound. Damn!! I thought he had licked it somehow and opened a stitch, so I took him to the vet, but no after we got home from having him checked I saw him pushing the cone into the itchy, sore place and he opened a little bit again. Ugh! No bleeding but it looks raw for about a 1/4 of an inch.

 

I have tightened up his collar so the cone is a little longer, but I'm not sure that will do.

 

Help! Suggestions anyone?

[sweet_ceana]

T-shit or little boy underwear, (Just slip the tail through the fly) and a really yummy treat that is much better than itching.

[Covelo Dogs]

One of my dogs had major surgery last summer. She figures out how to get around the cone. One thing that helped was dabbing a little vick's vapor rub near the incision. As long as I put a little on every few hours she left it alone. Dogs do not like the smell, it even worked while I was traveling with a female in standing heat.

Good luck,

Suki

[urge to herd]

Be very careful! A friend of mine's lab, Galina, had knee surgery a few weeks ago. Her incision was healing well, but when they took her to get her stitches out, the vet found that the hard plastic cone had cut Galina's foot as she tried to get at the surgical incision. So, more time in the cone.

 

Someone on the a training list I'm on suggested these. http://www.allfourpaws.com/

 

Hope he heals soon.

 

Ruth

[mbc1963]

Ugh! What a pain in the... well, you know.

 

I used one of those inflatable donuts for my dog's chest wound. He could still get at his legs, but I'm not sure he would have been able to get at his man-bits. (One review online says the dog could reach paws but nothing else.) He didn't seem to mind the collar at all; in fact, it makes a nice little pillow for them when they lie down. I think they're available at Petco; that's where I bought mine.

 

http://www.petco.com/product/100555/ProCol...ive-Collar.aspx

 

Mary

[Root Beer]

Last spring Maddie had a hot spot on her leg and I had to put a cone on her to keep her from itching. She was determined to find a way to lick, though. My husband found her one day lying upside down on the bed, holding her paw in the air, merrily licking the hotspot! Stinker!

[Sue R]

You might try something like the BiteNot collar but make sure you get the righr size. With the lean Border Collies, ordering by weight, you might want to order one size larger. I have been using Ruth's on my Megan but not as successfully as I'd like since it is the tip of her tail that was injured, and she can get at it with almost any sort of collar - unless I use both a BiteNot and an oversized stiff cone at the same time!

 

I think the BiteNot, properly sized and adjusted, would prevent fussing at the genital area or any body parts other than tail tip or feet/lower legs. They aren't too expensive (price shop on the internet), aren't more than an inconvenience for the dog, and allow pretty normal play, eating, drinking (you may choose to elevate food/water dishes), are very reusable, and can be used in crates unlike the stiff cones that are so cumbersome. Plus, there is not that sense of banging into everything that can scare certain dogs with the stiff cones.

 

You have to put it on snug and make sure to use the chest strap to stabilize.

[geezer bird]

oh boy, my sympathies!

been there and done that, still doing it in fact!

 

red was spayed last friday. friday she was too ko'd to bother at her stitches, saturday she started. i put on her cone and she took about an hour to work out how to use the cone to itch it. i put on a longer cone and it took her about 2 hours to work out how to stand on 3 legs and scratch the wound with her claws!!!

i took a new pair of my woolly tights and cut the legs off. made a hole for her tail and put them on her. then made 2 holes in the waistband threaded through the cut off legs and tied them to her collar, going from her knickers up her back through the collar, under her armpits and tied off back at the knickers.

worked like a dream. i took em off when i could be 100% sure i could watch her all the time, so's to not let things get sweaty, and let her pee. i tried the t shirt but she doesnt like anything loose on her. the tights worked like a charm though

[IPSY]

Putting anything on or near the surgery site such as a vicks might make him want to get at it more, until he gets a whif but I would try putting on little boys underwear that was suggested by sweet ceana. I think that should work.

If he gets at it again , you might have to get a bigger cone and keep him on crate rest until the end of his recovery period.

It's tough owning the smartest dog in the world , isnt it ? LOL...

 

Good luck !

[flyer]

Couldn't get the underwear to stay on. Colt is now wearing a T-shirt through his back legs. My young son is grateful it is black. I think Colt is too.

 

I might pick up a bigger cone too. I can't watch him when I sleep even though I wake up when I hear the cone and look at him. He is devious. Knows when I am watching or not. Just like Santa!!

 

Aside from licking the stitches he is doing pretty good at staying sane. I am only allowed to take him on the leash for brief 10 - 15 minute walks. I do this about four times a day. You should see the look I get when we finish and head for the door to go back in. I think the meds help with keeping him quiet.

 

He did run out the door last night when my husband got home, which he never does, and ran and leapt on our neighbors stone wall and leapt off it and then ran in when we whistled. Poor guy. I have always thought he was a patient dog with a lot of self control for one so young and he just keeps proving that over and over.

[Maralynn]

Aside from licking the stitches he is doing pretty good at staying sane. I am only allowed to take him on the leash for brief 10 - 15 minute walks. I do this about four times a day. You should see the look I get when we finish and head for the door to go back in. I think the meds help with keeping him quiet.

 

He did run out the door last night when my husband got home, which he never does, and ran and leapt on our neighbors stone wall and leapt off it and then ran in when we whistled. Poor guy. I have always thought he was a patient dog with a lot of self control for one so young and he just keeps proving that over and over.

 

Ah yes. The dreaded keep quite for so many days post neuter. I think they should send you home with meds to pretty well knock them out for the next 3 days Kipp was ready to go as soon as the anesthetic wore off

 

Tell Colt you'll make it up to him next weekend.

[flyer]

Okie dokie then. The t-shirt was off in under twenty minute. Called the vet and asked if they had a bigger cone. Yes, bring him in. Poor Colt. It is huge!! They also checked him out again and now he is on a course of antibiotics just in case as he was open to the air in spots.

 

I remember reading Sam's thread and marveling how that dog was running and leaping that night and was perfectly normal throughout. I thought oh good this will be a breeze when I get Coltie snipped next week. HAH!

 

Although Colt would have done the same right after the anesthetic wore off, it was a whole different scene when those stitches started to tighten. Oh bother.

 

I would really like to sleep tonight.

[IPSY]

Poor Colt. Check and see if the area looks irritated and swollen. If it is , and I hope it's not , he might have been shaved too close around the sac area and has razor burn. If it's realy swollen , he has a infection and needs to go back to the vet ! They will put him on a course of antibiotics and you will need to check the site daily for change. I hope it's just razor burn and you can get a ointment like animax or something similar to apply around the area. This will be soothing for him , and once he admits defeat with the cone he will relax. I know I said earlier not put anything on him , but if it's irritated from razor burn , you will have too give him some relief ..

It's pretty common for techs to shave the area too close and cause razor burn. This is so uncomfortable fo them , it's sad.

Thats why he must be crazed at getting to the site , because most dogs dont get that crazy about it. If he's shaved clean , like you would shave a beard or legs , he is definately shaved too close ! Most vets make a point on NOT shaving too close down there because of irritation later on. The area can be sterilized even with a 1-4 inch hair left on.

Keep us posted , hugs to COLT , POOR GUY

[flyer]

Poor Colt. Check and see if the area looks irritated and swollen. If it is , and I hope it's not , he might have been shaved too close around the sac area and has razor burn. If it's realy swollen , he has a infection and needs to go back to the vet ! They will put him on a course of antibiotics and you will need to check the site daily for change. I hope it's just razor burn and you can get a ointment like animax or something similar to apply around the area. This will be soothing for him , and once he admits defeat with the cone he will relax. I know I said earlier not put anything on him , but if it's irritated from razor burn , you will have too give him some relief ..

It's pretty common for techs to shave the area too close and cause razor burn. This is so uncomfortable fo them , it's sad.

Thats why he must be crazed at getting to the site , because most dogs dont get that crazy about it. If he's shaved clean , like you would shave a beard or legs , he is definately shaved too close ! Most vets make a point on NOT shaving too close down there because of irritation later on. The area can be sterilized even with a 1-4 inch hair left on.

Keep us posted , hugs to COLT , POOR GUY

 

He is on antibiotics as a precaution since I had to bring him back twice with slight rawness and a tiny opening in the wound. I really think he pulled a stitch or two with his mouth.

 

Anyway he is seems to have a little bit of hair there. Not shaved like a chin. I thought all dogs would try to lick it to heal it. I know if any of us has a cut Colt licks it ever so gently.

 

I do feel bad for the poor little guy. This morning he had the zoomies which I haven't really seen since he was a younger pup, so we had a good long walk in the ravine as the wound looked really good this morning. I kept him on the 6 ft. leash and he is doing so well with that even though he is so up. All that loose leash work during stranger days is paying off big time this week.

 

The bigger cone is not really working as he can still use the cone to a scratch and yes, as someone mentioned that cone is sharp. It worries me. I am trying to find a soft one or that Bite-no-more collar in my city, but no luck so far.

 

He's back in a t-shirt that I rigged a little more securely. This is really a bit of an ordeal, though the swelling has lessened each day and the wound seems to be mending now.

 

I appreciate the well wishes.

[IPSY]

He is on antibiotics as a precaution since I had to bring him back twice with slight rawness and a tiny opening in the wound. I really think he pulled a stitch or two with his mouth.

 

Anyway he is seems to have a little bit of hair there. Not shaved like a chin. I thought all dogs would try to lick it to heal it. I know if any of us has a cut Colt licks it ever so gently.

 

I do feel bad for the poor little guy. This morning he had the zoomies which I haven't really seen since he was a younger pup, so we had a good long walk in the ravine as the wound looked really good this morning. I kept him on the 6 ft. leash and he is doing so well with that even though he is so up. All that loose leash work during stranger days is paying off big time this week.

 

The bigger cone is not really working as he can still use the cone to a scratch and yes, as someone mentioned that cone is sharp. It worries me. I am trying to find a soft one or that Bite-no-more collar in my city, but no luck so far.

 

He's back in a t-shirt that I rigged a little more securely. This is really a bit of an ordeal, though the swelling has lessened each day and the wound seems to be mending now.

 

I appreciate the well wishes.

 

You know , I never thought of his , but can you give him a bone or something he really enjoys that will keep his mind off the site ? There is a toy that was mentioned in the virtually indestructable post that will keep them busy for hours , that is if he likes it , LOL....Or try something really yummy stuffed into a kong , like peanut butter ..?

It wnt be long before its healed. The body works very fast .

Now you might have your other guy done next week ? POOR YOU...

Hopefully your other guy wont be as affected like Colt was. When my older guy was neutered , he didnt even notice !!! He was just too busy I guess. All I did was keep him leashed walked and put a hockey game on for him. He just loved to watch hockey on TV , it kept he amused..

 

Good luck

[flyer]

No, no there is just Colt, though I am in the process of searching for BC number two.

 

I have been giving him bones and stuffed Kongs and yes, I think that does help. He is doing much better today, thank goodness.

[IPSY]

No, no there is just Colt, though I am in the process of searching for BC number two.

 

I have been giving him bones and stuffed Kongs and yes, I think that does help. He is doing much better today, thank goodness.

 

Glad to hear Colt is doing better today... It wont be too long before Colt is his old self again And good luck searching for your next BC Aaahhhh puppy breathe !