# Terrified of the E-Collar!! Help!!



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Jax and Baron got into a fight last nite. Baron has about 15 staples. Some in his shoulder, in his leg and on his rear. He is terrified of the e-collar. I mean frozen and shaking terrified....any suggestions on how to keep him from tearing out the staples?

Tea Tree Oil Mixture - he licked that right off
T-Shirt - Will protect the shoulder but I dont' think he can reach that anyways.
E-Collar - Wanna see a dog panic?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Wow, sorry to hear about their scrap. Healing thoughts for Baron.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

First off - poor pups and poor you!







I hate dog fights - so traumatic for everyone involved. 

I also kind of hate e-collars. I know they're often necessary but so many dogs freak out in them and even when they don't they're always banging into everything. I know this isn't much help because I can't remember the name but isn't there a sort of low profile collar that keeps the dog from bending their neck around but isn't as big and obstructive as the e-collar? I could swear I've seen pics of something like that. 

Can you distract him with something else to occupy his mouth (like a frozen Kong or something)?


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Is the collar clear, or the white one that you can't see through? I found going up to petco/petsmart and gettting a clear one made all the difference. 

They do have other types of collars, like the inflatable donuts, and the bitenot collars.

eta: forgot to say, sorry about the fight and the injuries...no fun for any of you


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

This site lists some alternative collars:
http://petprojectblog.com/archives/general/alternative-to-elizabethan-collar/


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

It's clear. He is so neurotic. He just sat there and shook. So I walked with him and every time he hit something he came unglued.

i saw those inflatable collars. Petsmart should have them. Do they work? It has to block him from getting to his lower leg and rear hip.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3185093

This??


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Nina had one of those. She liked it, used it like a pillow!

It was so she couldn't reach her back legs. She was not very determined, so it worked. But it might be a calming thing for him too.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

It didn't help Max, but I can't remember why I used it? Oh, for his fistula - he's long enough that he could still reach his butt. 

It worked for Indy.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I'm thinking it should stop him from being able to turn enough to get to his rear and should block him from getting to his leg to

...that is until Jax thinks he has one of her toys around his neck.

I don't have any idea what started it. Did not see any toys, bones in the area so I don't think it was resource guarding but she has been acting funky since I was in the hospital a couple weeks ago.


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## triordan (Dec 5, 2008)

we had the inflatable donut when dresden was nuetered, he could still lick his private area...
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q...6096&sa=title#p


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: LisaThe's long enough that he could still reach his butt.


ohhhh...and he's a twisty turny dobie...I wonder if those BiteNot collars would work better and if I could find them in time to be useful.


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## triordan (Dec 5, 2008)

or a softer version
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.a...de-f85fb7b287fe

or this~

http://www.sitstay.com/dog/supplies/serv...ar_13280_13328_


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## socalgsd (Jul 29, 2008)

Hi, my GSD had knee surgery this past year, and I used two of the large donut collars. One was inflated properly and the other about half inflated. He wore them both, with the upper one laced into his collar so it wouldn't come off.

Hope that helps. (Sorry about the fight.)

Molly


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## DianaB (Jan 3, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: dresdenor a softer version
> http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.a...de-f85fb7b287fe
> 
> or this~
> ...


We purchased the comfy cone for Siena (she always needs one for one reason or another). When she had her hematoma in August it was our first opportunity to use it and she HATED it. It totally blocked her peripheral vision and she could not see beyond her nose and it stressed her out, so we went back to the plastic (opaque/clear) one and she did much better with that. I like the idea of the comfy cone, but will probably never use it again. 

I have a friend who used the donut type (on a whippet) and it wasn't right for her dog. Just gotta keep trying. 

Sorry to hear about the fight... scary stuff. Poor guy.


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## [email protected] (Jan 24, 2010)

HI- sorry to hear about the battle. We are currently using the clear collar with success! Our vet had it. We first introduced it by putting our Max into our mud room with his favorite treats. He was treated constantly as he was introduced to it and we quickly walked slowly away to get him to follow us in his new collar ---with the treats. He's doing good because he is able to see through it we believe. I recommend this one- simply because it is clear (very big, but clear). AND we put it on him when he was tired so he fell asleep soon after with it on- a good thing for sure.


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: Jax08
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: LisaThe's long enough that he could still reach his butt.
> ...


After Too had major surgery I got her a BiteNot collar - worked great.


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## smerry (Dec 5, 2009)

You can use a shirt for his but too







Just put his tail through the neck or arm hole and legs though what ever is left ... that would cover his but ...

That's what we do for a spay/nueter surgery

good luck


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## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

For the front leg, you have a horse. Have any Bell boots, put it on above the wound so the dog can't get to it. 

I get creative instead of using the e-collar, made my own bite not out of a kids MotoX back brace, some thin cardboard, horse leg wraps and Vet Wrap. 

Sorry about the fight. I have dogs that can't be together and do the dog shuffle.

Val


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

yes we have really nice bell boots! I wonder where she put them! And if they are washed. I think we have some exercise boots around here that are to small for our horses too! Those would definitely work!

I also wonder if I can cut the e-collar I have so it's not hanging in his face as much.


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## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

OH NO! Im sorry!!!!!

(((hugs)))


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## TerriJ (May 20, 2009)

Hi, years ago our Staffybull had eye surgery and an e-collar. She went into such a panic she was hurting herself. When I tried a clear e-collar on her it was better but not quite right. What I ended up doing was reshaping the widest edge by cutting and taping so it wasn't so wide and my little girl was fine with it. Now I reshape any new ones we may need. I have 2 of the inflatable donuts and I found that with the larger breeds of dogs the collars were useless except as a pillow. We too have had to do the dog shuffle or fights broke out over nothing to the tune of hundreds of dollars worth of vet bills so I really understand what you're going through. Good luck and hope you find an answer.


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## Vio79 (Dec 29, 2009)

Sorry about your dog's fight!

From personal experience with our Max, I wouldn't recommend the donut or bite-not. We tried everything to make Max more comfortable, but he's also really long and could get around to his spots. We have to use the 40 cm e-collar - luckily he's fine with it even though it weighs his whole head down and he looks pathetic in it









The only _other _thing that works is using a basket muzzle (the light plastic ones) and taping up the bottom so his tongue can't get through to lick. But not sure you'd be comfortable leaving him alone with that all day. We just use our muzzle on Max at night for sleeping (every time he'd move, the e-collar would wake us up).

If you can create a positive association with the e-collar or find one of those clear ones, that's what I'd recommend!!!


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

I like this Bite Not Collar. http://www.dog.com/item/bite-not-collar/...CFSddagod33e10g

Meri is wearing it right now, after her surgery. She can sleep, eat, potty, and generally live her life in it. It's a little restrictive (that's the point, I guess). But she's ok with it.

If you order it right now and do next day shipping, you should be able to get it by Wednesday. I paid $28 for shipping overnight, but I'm way out here and up here in WA. You may pay less. 


If you do order one, disregard the weight category (unless he's overweight), and just measure neck size and most importantly, the distance from the base of the ear to the top of the shoulder. The collar is adjustable in terms of neck size, but the width of the collar has to be correct. 










Meri was discharged from the hospital wearing a Comfy Cone http://www.google.com/products/catalog?s...IwAg#ps-sellers (One of those soft Elizabethan Collars). 

I left it on her because it seemed easier to sleep in. But in the middle of the night, I awoke to thumping in her crate. She had pulled the darn thing down around her tummy so it was like a skirt. A friend told me that her dog had managed to shove his rear foot up into the collar and scratch his cornea. So I'm not a fan of those.

ETA: I just remembered that Amazon.com had Bite Not collars as well for cheaper than Dog.com, but they didn't have the size I needed. Be sure to check out Amazon as well.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

I love that picture


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

This has worked so well I had to share it! Baron has fluid under one of his stapled areas so he started licking it last nite.

I found a knee brace that was laying around the house, similar to this

http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104...20070926x00003a

Folded it in half, put a 2-3" strip of cardboard in it to stiffen it and Voila!! A homemade BiteNot collar!!


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

That's pretty clever, I'll have to remember that. Thanks!


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