Hi all. So, Simba's got this cone that has to stay on for another 5 days. Couple of general questions: 1) Any suggestions on how to give him chew toys? He really does love to chew (!) and I guess I feel sorry for him and also want to give him that stress relief he can get from chewing. Problem being, of course, that he can't grab the chewie with his paws. 2) Unsupervised time? He goes out in the yard, I can't watch him like a hawk all the time he has it on - I do have a life too....kinda.... Also we are meant to be away this Sunday afternoon. I can't put him in the crate yet - with the cone on it's too bumpy and noisy and he came to me uncertain of the crate. I've been making sure the crate is associated with happy things (like feeding him dinner in it) but haven't closed the door on him for any length of time yet. Going to continue with that after cone comes off. So....what to do? I'm thinking I will probably have to stay behind to keep an eye on him...but.... :-\
Re: Managing the CONE i will await the replies as i will be going through the same thing next month, good luck lisa
Re: Managing the CONE Not sure about the chew toys other than to say you can get different sized cones depending on if the scratch with their feet or rub along things. Riley rubbed when he had a sore eye so had to have maxi sized cone - doorways were a chore for a while. Is Simba in the smallest cone that's appropriate? I'm not sure how big and restrictive the inflatable cones are as we haven't used one. I'm a massive fan of baby gates, we stopped crating Riley at about 6 months as he had to be out in the utility for his crate(too big for anywhere else). We put baby gates on the kitchen. Would that work for you and can you beg/borrow a gate or two? Good luck
Re: Managing the CONE Well I would say that he needs the size that he has....any smaller and he could probably reach the incision which is of course in his (ahem) privates. So...really I don't see any solution to the chew toy but wondering if anyone had any great ideas. Other than me holding it. Baby gates? I might be able to rustle one up. Not sure. We live in a split level house, so living room and kitchen on main floor, up (7 steps or so) is 3 bedrooms and a bath, down (same # of steps) is TV room (where we relax at night, and previous bad behaviour happened), and down again to the basement floor. I have a door to close between TV room and basement, so that's no prob. I could put baby gate across the kitchen to keep him from downstairs I suppose? Can't block off living room due to the configuration of the house. Not sure I want him roaming in the kitchen, mind.... ??? I could put him in basement? Have to think about that. Going to try keeping things chill and quiet tonight in the TV room and see how it goes, no play games, just ignoring.
Re: Managing the CONE Ha ha the view from my window as I'm sitting at my computer...he just discovered that he can see me inside here.... Not sure if that upload will work? Just as I snapped the pic he turned his head a bit but before he was just staring at me....a huge floating lab head outside my window....heh heh....Anyways a little light relief...
Re: Managing the CONE Hmm...well here's just the link from flickr....maybe this will work http://www.flickr.com/photos/31088481@N03/9043855642/
Re: Managing the CONE You can see from the pic that the cone has had some, shall we say, abuse....there's a tear in one part (little larger now from the explore around the garden,) and all the stress marks around the edges. Wondering of it's going to last another 5 days....
Re: Managing the CONE Poor Simba. I might be shot down in flames here......but if he is watched carefully and is engrossed in his favourite chew toy, might he just ignore his stitches if his cone is off?? Just for a short time? Or has he already shown his hand on this one? jac
Re: Managing the CONE Well he was licking at his stitches when he got home from the vet, so that's why the cone came on. The thought of taking it off and then trying to get it on again? .....shudder..... Here's the state of affairs now..... http://www.flickr.com/photos/31088481@N03/9046054236/ Sigh.
Re: Managing the CONE That photo is pretty funny!!! And that looks like the world's largest cone, poor man - I bet he thinks it is anyway. With toys, can you use a clamp (from the hardware shop) to clamp a rawhide chew to some robust object (table leg) so he can get a grip on it? Of course, that could go wrong if he doesn't recognise the boundary between the chew and the item of furniture... How long has it been since his op?
Re: Managing the CONE Oh Rachael, that made me giggle. I have to say, although he looks totally miserable, he also looks completely gorgeous and huggable in that photo jac
Re: Managing the CONE He had the op on Wednesday. Supposed to keep cone on for a week. Not sure this one will make it but we'll see....hubs and I have a plan for switching cones if we need to....keeping fingers crossed that won't be necessary! He looks so pathetic in it, doesn't he.
Re: Managing the CONE Oh dear, poor boy! Never mind, it's only a few days, and it's definitely better than having him nibble his stitches out...
Re: Managing the CONE Boys might be different but Lilly wasn't the least interested in her stitches following her spay. I guess they are all different! Jac
Re: Managing the CONE This morning's development.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/31088481@N03/sets/72157634141040981/ Needless to say that cone is history. New cone on now. We'll see how long that one lasts......
