I’m sure you will agree that you’ve seen the “Cone of Shame” and agreed with it’s name. Most dogs that are wearing the very plain plastic E-collar always look sad and depressed.

There’s several reasons we conclude this occurs.
1. The majority of pet parents do not even think about the recovery collar until they go to pick up their dog and see them wearing this collar. Pet parents accept this as part of the recovery and go home.
2. The dog who is under anesthesia wakes up with this foreign plastic encumbrance which feels awkward and adds to their anxiety.
3. Not only is it not comfortable for the dog, their vision is impaired.
4. To make things worse, the funnel shape of the “cone” basically amplifies all sound back to their ears.

In essence we have imposed a non ideal way for your dog to recover.

With a little planning, you can help alleviate your dog’s stress and provide a more humane way for them to recover.

SELECTING TWO COLLARS IN ADVANCE

We offer nine different recovery collars simply because we know that not one size fits all. And we know that each dog is unique in size and recovery needs.

We recommend pet parents have one of each type of collar on hand. A “cone” structure collar when you need maximum protection, and then the “inflatable” style collar for minor recovery needs.

WEARING THEM IN ADVANCE TO DESENSITIZE YOUR DOGS TO THE COLLARS

Anxiety is alleviated with familiarity. We recommend that the collars are on hand at least 3 weeks prior to surgery. This way you can start to have your dog practice wearing them.

Start off with 10 minutes at a time, every day and extend that period of time so that your dog can wear them for a few hours each day. Please do this under your supervision so you can monitor how they fare during these “dress rehearsals”.

Escape artists tend to start to accept the collars when they have practiced wearing them prior to surgery. The “ambition to take the collar off” occurs when your dog is trying to take off the collar they have never worn before.

HOW TO SELECT THE COLLARS

1. Consider your dog’s muzzle length, body shape, location of recovery area and dog’s ambition in escaping the collar. The inflatable collars are for those dogs that need to limit their movement to access shoulders or their backs. Sometimes this is enough of a deterrent to stop dogs from reaching to incision points in their bellies or if they have bandages on their feet.

When you need more protection, we have “cone” shaped collars that radiate out further than your dog’s muzzle which in essence protects any incisions that need recovery time. The only drawback is the cone will limit vision which might add to your dog’s anxiety.

As an alternative the Kong Cushion inflatable collar radiates out far enough for most dog breeds. And because it’s inflatable it allows for full vision for your dog.

WHEN TO USE THE COLLARS

1. Consider the phase of recovery: Your dog will be given anesthesia so that they can be asleep during surgery. After the surgery is done, the vet medical staff will move your dog to a quite room and placed in a crate for observation. Imagine this critical time when your dog first opens their eyes. They will be confused and in a small space. As such, we recommend the Kong Cushion so that their vision is not impaired but yet they have a collar that radiates out far enough to protect any areas in the upper or lower bodies. In addition this collar is made of a hygienic plastic which is ideal post surgery. This is the collar to bring to the vet so that your dog can wake up in comfort post surgery.
2. Once your dog is home: They can continue to wear the inflatable Kong Cushion. However as the anesthesia wears off, they might want to lick their incision wounds. In this case, if the Kong Cushion is not enough protection, you may want to switch out to the cone or the EZ Calmer for the next few days of recovery. 

TIPS FOR A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE RECOVERY

- Provide a soft, nice and quiet place for your dog to recover indoors. If you have other dogs or cats, keep them away until your dog feels better.
- The first 24 hours will be a very mellow period. Your dog will sleep a lot and might even whimper while they sleep. Stay close and comfort them to let them know you are present. Keep them hydrated and offer their meal however note that they probably will have a small appetite that first day.
- A two week low activity rest is recommended. Don’t let your dog jump and run until they have fully recovered (typically two weeks).
- No baths until after two weeks.
- Check the incision site twice a day (in the morning and night) to confirm it is healing properly. Call your vet if it is has discharge or is swelling.
- Make sure you clearly understand the recovery plan from your vet and call them if you are concerned at any time during the recovery.

 

 

It's one of the most overlooked items post recovery

Every day dogs and cats go are admitted into veterinary hospitals around the country for surgical procedures ranging from spay and neuter, luxating patella or other.

The focus leading up to surgery morning is to prep the pet for the big day.  Standard instructions from the vet include fasting prior to the event.  

And once surgery is completed you get a call from the vet, you breath a sigh of relief and pick up your pet (dog or cat).  

If the surgical area needs to be protected, its standard procedure to pick up your dog or cat already wearing a dog cone or cat cone.  These plastic rigid devices are stocked as a standard at any animal medical facility.   They are often called the "cone of shame" because of how despondent the pet looks while they are wearing it.

It starts off while they are waking up from being under

One of the reasons why dogs and cats dislike this cone so much is the unpleasant experience they will have with it from the second they realize they are wearing it.  If it's a major surgery the pet will be put under anaesthesia.  As they wake up they will be groggy, confused and naturally trying to stand up. 

Imagine for one moment how distressing these initial seconds are.  They might bump into the edges of the crate, and they are probably looking for you.  Everything smells differently and everything sounds LOUD.  The reason for this is the rigid cone acts as a speaker amplifying sound back into your dog or cat's ears.  They do calm down with the help of an animal professional who stays on close watch as they start their journey to recovery.

That's why we invented our collars - because we care

Our first design was for our own Boxer.  We wanted a better solution than what we could find in the shops.  We've evolved from that first first prototype and worked with veterinarians and animal behaviorists whose feedback we listened to when we came up with our final designs.

Kong Cushion for Post Surgery

The first premium pet recovery collar we recommend for all pets (dogs and cats and rabbits too if needed) would be our inflatable Kong Company Kong Cushion.  It's soft design minimizes any jarring as your dog or cat starts to wake up from anaesthesia.  Additional thought went into the colors of the product because these are the colors they can see and are soothing.  The collar comes in five sizes and adjustable around the neck.  It allows for maximum visibility and it doesn't amplify sound back into their ears.

We show a photo of a dog wearing one from our Instagram page below:

 

A post shared by Dog And Cat Cone Of Love (@petrecoverycollars) on Apr 18, 2017 at 1:32pm PDT

 

Why we recommend having a second collar on hand

After you check out and settle your bill with the vet you are sent home with your very groggy dog or cat, and a sheet of post recovery instructions plus and meds they have to take.

You'll find the first few hours to be un-eventful as your dog or cat wears off the anesthesia and starts to become more alert.  This is where the secondary collar comes in.

Depending on the location of the surgical spot, and the intensity of your dog or cat trying to get to their stitches, they might need an actual cone for their own protection and allow them to heal.

The Calmer™ is a brilliant evolution in recovery collars. 

Made out of fabric with three adjustable velcro strips, this caring alternative to the plastic cone is our next most popular pet recovery collar.   It allows you to have peace of mind that your dog or cat is wearing a collar that doesn't cause them distress.  It's soft and malleable design doesn't impact their quality of life.  You can see this collar below.  

Another reason we recommend a second collar in your first aid kit is due to the fact that you don't know how your dog or cat will react to the cone or inflatable pillow.  Having options allows you to try different ones that they will tolerate and not try to take off.

Purchase them ahead of time so you can make sure they fit

Most recovery periods range from 1 to 4 days.  By the time you go home with the plastic "cone of shame" that the vet sends you home with and realize your dog or cat is miserable in it, you won't have enough time to order one and have it arrive in time for when you actually need it.

Shipping is free when you purchase directly from Pet Recovery Collars and we recommend you order them as soon as you know your dog or cat is going to go in for surgery.  That way you can have time to measure them and order the right size.  Ideally you would have them start to become comfortable with them prior to surgery day and actually train them to wear it for a few hours each day leading up to the big day.  That way when they come home they are already used to either of the collars you have them wear.

And if you have ANY questions at all about our products.  Feel free to call us.   We take your pet's recovery needs seriously and we want to help you select the correct collar.