A better e-collar

[StGermain]

The dogs attacked Frank again, although not so seriously (because I got there in time and was bitten several times getting them off). Anyway, he had some stitches and a drain, but despite constantly wearing a traditional plastic e-collar, he managed to get the drain and most of the stitches out. The wounds are on his inside back legs and he can finagle it just enough to reach them. I’ve tried the blow-up rings before, but they’re no good. Is there anything else out there to try?

And yes, I’m contacting a behaviorist. I need to find a reputable one in Middle TN.

StG

[Where_sMyWhite]

Plastic e-collar? Not sure how that relates to blow-up rings? I’m confused.

If the e-collar is a shock collar, not a big fan at all. They, IMO, don’t teach the dog in a positive manner (it’s all negative re-enforcement).

I’m pretty confused…

[StGermain]

An e-collar is the plastic “Cone of Shame”. It’s called an e collar short for Elizabethan collar. The blow-up collars are like inflatable donuts that go around the neck.

StG

[Where_sMyWhite]

Got it - to me an e-collar is the shock collar The cone of shame is, well, just that… cone of shame

[CanadianTrotter]

What size is the e-collar, can you go up a size?

Sorry, it doesn’t sound like Frank is going to be allowed to settle in and it might be better to find him a more suited home.

Best wishes for you and Frank.

[StGermain]

Canadian Trotter - The vet saw the collar I had on him and didn’t recommend a different one. He needs like a horse neck cradle to keep him from turning and reaching.

StG

[S1969]

@Where'sMyWhite

Got it - to me an e-collar is the shock collar The cone of shame is, well, just that… cone of shame

Agreed. E-collar means Electronic Collar to many people. Not Elizabethan collar.

Glad you found something new; there are a lot of options that work differently, depending on the location of the wound.

[StGermain]

@S1969

Glad you found something new; there are a lot of options that work differently, depending on the location of the wound.

But I haven’t found something new. I’m asking if anyone has a recommendation.

StG

[Tyrus_Mom]

Is Frank a dog or a cat? I’m in the dark. I too usually think when someone is referring to an E-Collar they’re talking about Electronic Collar, not Elizabethan.

Even if the vet didn’t recommend a different size Elizabethan collar, perhaps he/she wasn’t thinking outside the box and you can ask via phone now. I have had no experience with any other method of getting them to not be able to chew at stitches or paw at them (had a tumor over one’s eye recently). The times we’ve had either a dog with a drain or a dog with serious stitches we have put them in a clean human sized tee shirt and done a knot around the waist (our dogs are usually large). The tee shirt discourages the animal from messing with the drain, as well as the cone of shame.

Yeah, that’s no fun, dealing with a drain… tough on you, good job separating the dogs from poor Frank.

Incidentally, are YOU all right, after being bitten several times… cripes, when I’ve been bitten once it can make my whole hand swell up. When dogs are going nuts they just aren’t thinking, they are just reacting.

[S1969]

@StGermain

But I haven’t found something new. I’m asking if anyone has a recommendation.

StG

LOL sorry read too quickly. Thought you said the vet recommended something like a neck cradle. Sometimes the only thing that will work is a really big cone because smaller cones allow a flexible or long bodied dog to reach around. I had a dog that needed a king sized cone once. It was really annoying but it worked. Giant cone, in a crate.

Other people have had a lot of success with bodysuits but they might still need to be backed up with a cone for post-surgical situations. Here’s a link to some options: https://topdogtips.com/best-dog-recovery-cones-e-collars/

[walkinthewalk]

I don’t know of any fair and qualified animal behaviorist in our area but I would like to suggest keeping a big squirt gun full of water to spray the other dogs if trouble starts again. It’s only water, let them have have it right in the face. Negative reinforce,ent or not, its a safe solution in case you can’t find someone to help you…

Is it possible to keep the injured dog separate from the others when you aren’t around? How many dogs are we talking?

[StGermain]

I found this bite free collar, which I’m going to try. I’ve used shirts/body suits before, but his wounds are on his inside back legs. He needs chaps.

StG

[StGermain]

@walkinthewalk

I don’t know of any fair and qualified animal behaviorist in our area but I would like to suggest keeping a big squirt gun full of water to spray the other dogs if trouble starts again. It’s only water, let them have have it right in the face. Negative reinforce,ent or not, its a safe solution in case you can’t find someone to help you…

Is it possible to keep the injured dog separate from the others when you aren’t around? How many dogs are we talking?

There are 5 dogs in total. Frank stays in the house or in the kennel when I’m not home, and only goes outside supervised. Fortunately I work from home most of the time. The dogs give him his space in the house.

StG

[CanadianTrotter]

@Where'sMyWhite

Got it - to me an e-collar is the shock collar The cone of shame is, well, just that… cone of shame

I would hope that not many dog owners would put an electronic collar on a dog with a drain and stitches.

Anyway, he had some stitches and a drain, but despite constantly wearing a traditional plastic e-collar, he managed to get the drain and most of the stitches out. The wounds are on his inside back legs and he can finagle it just enough to reach them. I’ve tried the blow-up rings before, but they’re no good. Is there anything else out there to try?

[CanadianTrotter]

@StGermain

Canadian Trotter - The vet saw the collar I had on him and didn’t recommend a different one. He needs like a horse neck cradle to keep him from turning and reaching.

StG

Is he getting to the wounds by making contact with his nose/mouth or is he using the tip of the cone to rub the site? A larger/longer cone would stop him from being able to use his nose/mouth but not stop him from using the cone as a tool.

I never knew what a horse neck cradle was until you mentioned it and I googled it, something like that would definitely work. It’s a bit like the head poles we use in standardbred racing.

[CanadianTrotter]

@StGermain

I found this bite free collar, which I’m going to try. I’ve used shirts/body suits before, but his wounds are on his inside back legs. He needs chaps.

StG

That looks promising…hope it works!

[S1969]

@StGermain

I found this bite free collar, which I’m going to try. I’ve used shirts/body suits before, but his wounds are on his inside back legs. He needs chaps.

StG

They make full leg bodysuits. Can’t really understand anyone that would put one on a dog to keep it from shedding…that’s ridiculous. But if you get desperate, something like this might help.

https://www.chewy.com/shed-defender-shedding-dog-bodysuit/dp/167642?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Shed%20Defender&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAjwwo7cBRBwEiwAMEoXPAWX5NM4ENeXOYUbKi--TlkxWPBE3aN58S1RiKYi75cqzfQs2IR99xoC7agQAvD_BwE

[Denali6298]

My dog had stitches and a drain in the exact same spot about three years ago. I got him one of the soft cones. The trick was to get a size large enough so that no matter what he couldn’t get his snout around it. It worked for him so maybe that is worth a shot?

[CanadianTrotter]

@S1969

They make full leg bodysuits. Can’t really understand anyone that would put one on a dog to keep it from shedding…that’s ridiculous. But if you get desperate, something like this might help.

https://www.chewy.com/shed-defender-shedding-dog-bodysuit/dp/167642?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Shed%20Defender&utm_term=&gclid=CjwKCAjwwo7cBRBwEiwAMEoXPAWX5NM4ENeXOYUbKi--TlkxWPBE3aN58S1RiKYi75cqzfQs2IR99xoC7agQAvD_BwE

That is a bit ridiculous, isn’t it? I can’t see it actually stopping the shedding process but it would keep all the shredded hair contained. I guess that’s for the people that don’t know how to operate a vacuum?

[RacetrackReject]

I used a rolled up towel vet wrapped together around my guy’s neck to stop him from chewing at his hind leg when he got into ants and was making the bites worse by chewing them. It worked really well and so that’s my go-to now