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Dog won't keep e-collar on

The Menagerie
#1

All these years of dog ownership and I never had a dog that needed an e-collar!

I just picked up my dog from surgery - a benign tumor removal near her tail. She is to keep an e-collar on at all times for 7 to 10 days. The vet fitted the e-collar on her for me.

On the way home it took her 2 seconds to take it off. I am SURE she will remove it when we’re not watching her (at night!) and will do a number on her incision site and sutures. Her collar is already awfully tight IMO.

Has anyone tried to fasten an e-collar to a harness? I’m thinking that with a harness it would be harder to take it off…
Also, I don’t see how she will drink or eat with it on…

Since we got home, she hasn’t moved. She is sitting in the kitchen, looking at me with doleful eyes…

Any other tips for dogs having to wear the Cone of Hell?

#2

I prefer the blow-up neck “collars”; much easier for the dog to move (and eat, and drink) in and pretty hard for them to remove - there is a strap that you thread through the collar, and you just blow it up to the desirable firmness.

2 Likes
#3

I’ve found they stay on much better if firmly fastened to a flat buckle collar that fits the dog well. I put the water or food bowl up on a big book or small footstool, depending on the size of the dog.

#4

They definitely need to be tied to something (e.g. a collar) or they slip off. Or, need to fit very well and use maybe a length of gauze through the loops and tied.

If that won’t work it sounds like it’s too big.

#5

Thanks everyone.

I read that the blow-up collar doesn’t prevent them to reach their tail, and the same goes for all the more comfortable e-collar “alternatives” :frowning:
Last night she got the cone off even while wearing her new harness, and obviously licked the incision, but her stitches are still on, phew.
I tightened her collar (it is a flat buckle collar) and put the cone back on.

She is a Std poodle, and the vet sized her collar and everything. DH works from home so he will keep her close to prevent any collar removal during the day, but at night, all bets are off…

#6

Can you have 2 points attach from the e collar to the harness; 1 on the back and 1 to the chest? I would be impressed if she was still able to get it off then.

I can confirm that the blow up collar and soft e collar alternatives will not work; about a month ago my Bernese got a hot spot on her butt hole/tail underside and I tried both of those options. She was still able to reach the area so we had to use the big e dollar.

1 Like
#7

Ah, yes - the position of the “affected area” determines whether or not the inflatable collars will work.

I assume there is no way to cover the incision site with Vetrap or similar?

1 Like
#8

Before e collars, we used buckets. The lighter weight ones, like for mopping, not the heavy eight buckets we use in the barn for water. Cut a hole in the bottom to fit the head through, punch some holes around that to thread some twine, and tie to the collar, just like an e collar. It needs to be deep enough so their nose does not poke out.

It looks sad, and does need to be removed for meals (probably, depends on the dog) but it’s temporary.

The picture at the top of this page is what I mean:

”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹https://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

1 Like
#9

Before e collars, we used buckets. The lighter weight ones, like for mopping, not the heavy weight buckets we use in the barn for water. Cut a hole in the bottom to fit the head through, punch some holes around that to thread some twine, and tie to the collar, just like an e collar. It needs to be deep enough so their nose does not poke out.

It looks sad, and does need to be removed for meals (probably, depends on the dog) but it’s temporary.

I tried to include a link with a picture, but it’s stuck in the spam filter. If you Google bucket Elizabethan collar dog and click images, you’ll see a few pics.

1 Like
#10

@Simkie LOL! I can’t imagine her with a mopping bucket on her head. At least with the clear eCollar she has peripheral
vision…

@Dr. Doolittle the vet didn’t put anything on it. It’s in a very awkward place, to the left of the top of her tail, on her rump. I did try to use one of my underwear to cover it :lol: but it didn’t stop her. Maybe we can somehow wrap up for the night with vetrap or something…I will ask.

@CWNSF I ran the harnesse’s collar, which is attached on the back and chest to the rest of the harness, though the eCollar. She took it off very quickly with both front paws… I might try to exchange that harness for a smaller one so we can tighten it collar more.

A friend mentioned a muzzle. I wonder if she could still damage her incision site with a muzzle on…

It’s really only for the night. Right now she is sleeping on her bed, collar-free, and not trying to worry her incision at all. She is also very good at obeying the NO! command even from afar.

Taking Dog back to the vet for advice tonight.

Thanks again everyone.

#11

Well, you can probably find a clear bucket.

Like I said, it looks sad. :frowning: But it does work.

#12

Tying the back of the collar to the back of a harness would work. I’d definitely give that a try if nothing else is working. Loop a piece of string from the collar to the harness (I’m assuming the collar has “loops” you can thread through?)

ETA: Oh rats, just reading your update. :frowning:

Maybe a slightly smaller neck size is needed? She’s a smart one. LOL.

#13

The vet laughed and said she is a little too smart and sneaky for her own good! She had to redo one suture but nothing bad. She readjusted and tightened the combo eCollar/collar and added a piece of gauze to tighten it even more. Hopefully Smarty Pants will keep it on all night!

#14

I have attached a cone to a harness and that works. It also is more comfortable than tightening the cone or collar.

#15

It didn’t work for her. She wrestled out of the harness too.

Good update - she is now keeping her collar on at night! She is also keeping us up at night, banging into doors and walls lol so we let her sleep on the bed, where she is happy and won’t move around.

Such a relief to know she will heal properly! We are cheating though, and we don’t put the collar on when we are with her at home (watching her at all times) or when taking her for a walk. She only wears it when no one is at home to watch her, or at night.

#16

I used a pot from a bush at 2 am one time. He used a hole saw to make a bunch of holes around the sides for extra light. She could drink, eat, go up/down steps, through the dog door. She used it for almost 3 weeks. Rosie’s surgery was just above her hock.
”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹
We loaned it to a neighbor a few years later. He had one of the big satelitte dish style e-collars. He was running into things, bruising his owners legs. He wore it for awhile. He was much happier and it works well. His surgery was on the top of his butt just in front of the tail.

#17

I had the same issue with my GSD - he could get out of the collar or reach the back leg. I have since discovered after trying to keep a bandage on a paw - that he would promptly gnaw off - if I coated the outside of the bandage with Vicks Vapo rub (or generic) he wouldn’t chew it or bother it. So, for what it’s worth, that might be something to try. Good luck!

#18

Thanks for the tip!

#19

You are welcome! Let me know if it works!

#20

Alternative; https://affordablevet.net/elizabethan-bitenot-collars-for-dogs/

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