Seeing @Boogie’s post about Kier and his big boy operation - is there anything I can be doing in preparation for Red’s big girl operation at the end of April. I remember Sky having the ‘cone of shame’ after her spay 10 years ago but collars have improved since then. Should I buy one and just pop it on Red from time to time?
Definitely worth getting her used to a cone of whatever description you decide upon. It's worth the time know so she isn't bothered after the op. I was lucky and only used a cone when Jen was left alone while I went shopping or overnight. The rest of the time the cone sat on top of her crate ) .
I bought one for Sam before his cancer surgery, but only had four days to get him used to it . He viewed it with great suspicion , hated it but by popping it on for short periods of time , he got used to the feel of it . For us, it was a complete waste as the surgery site was right where the buster collar sat , so he wore an old adapted polo shirt of mine x
I got him just putting his nose on it for a few days. Then I practiced him listening to the Velcro noise - it’s near his ears and when I take it off it makes a disturbing noise. Next just on - treat - off a few times a day. We are now up to wearing it for a few minutes. He’ll now lie down in it but hasn’t yet put his head down to use it as a cushion. I’ll try that next time he’s sleepy. I can’t decide whether to try it overnight or not.
We didn't have a cone at all for Poppy - the vet provided us with a body suit that covered her stitches. However, she was so miserable that we took it off her, and we just spent all our time with her for several days (she and I slept together in the guest bed!). She was very good and never licked or bit at her stitches.
I think it's a good idea to do things to minimise the stress if you can, I never thought about the cone before Cassie's recent spay, but the vet nurse asked me did I want a cone or medical T shirt, like a baby vest. I chose the latter and I'm pleased I did, Cassie doesn't really like her head or ears fiddled with but she does wear her towelling coat when wet. The T shirt has been great, apart from the first night when she got it off, she's been fine with it, not bothered at all. But that only happened because in the dark I hadn't poppered it up properly, so long as I do it stays in place no problem. It's very light. Also, slightly different, her breakfast is always a moveable feast, she doesn't routinely get it as soon as I get up, it's not unusual to go for a walk first or go out in the car to the horses, so there was nothing unusual for her about going out that morning with no food. It was one less stress for me and hopefully for her. Of course the day went downhill from there for her!
I think it's definitely a good idea to get them used to it, Stanley hated his. We tried a few different methods then just gave up as nothing worked. He ate his cone from the vets: Popped his comfy cone that we bought him: And ripped off his boxers: Luckily he didn't seem to bother it too much and it was healed in a couple of weeks
Plum had a medical t shirt. She was very happy in it, didn't fuss with it at all. Didn't try to bother her stitches although she did have a laparoscopic spay and the incisions are very small. @Atemas, I'm happy to post it to you if you want to borrow it, save you having to buy one. The vet nurses put it on her post op and I removed it after about 5 days. You have to unpop it for weeing and pooing, I left it rolled up after a couple of days. Obviously it's clean! I think Plum and Red are similar in size, Plum is just under 20kgs. I won't be at all offended if you would rather not but if you want to see any pics of her in it to get an idea, let me know.
Unfortunately Red has her breakfast first thing. We have had to not give Sky her breakfast twice - when she had her spay and when she had her x rays last year - she was not impressed. DH will just have to take Red out before anything else that morning. She’s not going to like that .
For some reason I hoped for the best and did nothing (that's so unlike me, I don't know what I was thinking). All's well that ends well, though - she didn't need a cone or a cushion. The vet didn't even send me home with one. It's definitely worth preparing and training for, but if you're lucky Red will be a gem and just leave the stitches alone
I think anything you can do to help them to expect the unexpected is a good thing. I've had 4 bitches spayed in the past, in different times, they've all come home, slept for 24 hours, no extra pain relief then got up and got with life as normal. I expected that with Cassie, but it hasn't been like that for her. I'm very pleased that she has from time to time worn her drying coat, not with great enthusiasm but enough that the T shirt on her body isn't a problem. It's very unobtrusive, licking the wound is one less thing to worry about. Although the nurse told me that when the stitches dissolve after a week is when she's likely too. @Atemas, there's no reason to think Red wan't sail through it, they mostly do!
I`ve had many bitches spayed , none needed a cone, buster collar or shirt , until Miss Nelly ! She , being the smallest , was the worst for messing with the wound , we got her a medivest which she instantly took to and being so small it meant that the wound was protected on walks too x It fitted round her back end but on walks I peeled it back to make performing a little easier !
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. That’s what I’m doing. I’m also mentally preparing myself for the possibility of the anaesthetic really upsetting him. It did Tatze when she had her tooth out, it took three days to leave her system.
Sam always reacted badly to GA too . His cancer surgery was quite a big op , he was so unhappy afterwards for about two days . Good luck to all the girl and boy dogs having the snip xxxxx
We bought an inflatable collar for Cooper, and we already had a cone stored away. We did not need either one. She only licked the incision a few times, before it was healed up.
For Finn his big boy operation the vet said try without anything. When he starts to lick you can always give hime a cone... So Finn started without anything, but after a couple of hours he started licking. I give him my t-shirt, upside down of course, tail through the neck part en two hind paws through the sleeves. He was so angry at me that he gave me his back and wouldn’t give me a glance. I let him one moment out of side and the t-shirt was pulled of. Then I went to the vet for a cone, he ripped it of, was very down and depressed. I felt sorry for him! Of I went to the pet shop. Bought a cone, same as Keir is trying on. It came off all the time, no success and I brought it back to the shop. Then I found a medical dog shirt at medpets. I ordered it and the next day he had it on and kept it on! He even liked it! It was in blue army colors, so we called hem GI Finn....
Yes, prepare for the worst but hope for the best. Neither of mine needed cones or collars after being spayed and they didn't worry at the wound at all. I think it depends on the type of stitches/staples used. Fortunately they didn't seem to have adverse reactions to the anaesthetic either. This is the 'belt-and-braces' needed after Tuppence had cut her leg badly a while ago (and she'd chewed through a previous plastic cone!).
Just a gratuitous poorly puppy pic. No time to prepare him for this incident..... Good luck everyone. Have personally found no problem with Monty bouncing back from a GA, but they're all different.
