# Cone of shame and ears



## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

My boy is 2. he has never had to wear a cone. In preparation for neuter surgery I decided to introduce it to him because he fights it. This can't be good for his ears??

He has very tall ears. My girls ears are smaller. Hers squish too but his are bigger and a little softer.

Am I being paranoid? Is there any reasonable alternative? I have seen the inflstable donut ones but can they lay over and sleep in those?


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## farnln (Nov 4, 2012)

You might not even need a cone, neither of my dogs did after being spayed and neutered.
They were just fine and healed with no complications.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

If you take the cone off and he licks at incision and open it up the process has to be started all over again. Max has big ears and was fine. He recently had to wear the cone for 3 weeks as he had a surgery and it took him that long for the sutures to be removed - there were no complications just took awhile to be ready to come out. Max's were fine. We did use the comfy cone which is more comfortable then the hard plastic cone. Important it is fitted and on correctly so can't be removed. He has also used the comfy cone when he had his neuter/retained testicle surgery. He was also comfortable with this cone and not bothered by it at all. He even squeezed on to a tiny love seat with my son. It sure did help make those three weeks bearable. 
https://www.amazon.com/All-Four-Paws-Comfy-Small/dp/B002MVURV2


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I love these foam collars - I have one that's close to 10 years old that I keep in the closet and pull out as needed:
Jorgensen Laboratories Soft-E-Collar | Lambert Vet Supply

It won't keep them from getting at their feet, but it will keep them from licking the torso. It's pillow-like, so they can lie down and rest their head on it comfortably. They also have peripheral vision in it, so they aren't as freaked out. Most importantly, they aren't ramming that hard plastic cone-edge constantly into my leg!


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

2 months, there could be an issue... 2 years, yes you're being paranoid lol. That said, there are alternatives that may be more comfortable for him.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

@Jenny720, did Max's ears get squashed like mine?

I Google GSD in a cone and see dozens of pics of GSDS with their ears up inside a cone, so I don't know why my dogs always get squashed flat 

Partly it's that if I put it on looser at the base of his neck he will whip it right off. 

I suspect he is going to require a cone because he has sometimes been a little compulsive bothering boo boos. I don't want to have to be experimenting with this while he is recovering, I want to have something ready to go. He may be long healing because they have to dignore for the one.

I was blessed with ONE dog who never had to wear a cone. He'd do a reasonable cleaning job and then leave well enough alone.

I'll buy him a soft cone and see how that looks on him.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

@Magwart the one you linked- do you think it will keep a long bodied does from being able to reach his junk?


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

My girl wore panties when she was having incontinence due to prednisone. Do they make something like this but much bigger that he might be able to wear to get a break from the cone while I am supervising him? Maybe mastiff sized bitch panties?


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

It depends on how determined the dog is. The XL one is gigantic (the diameter is about 30"!!!), so it sticks WAY out. Unless they mush the pillow and contort themselves in crazy ways, it works well. We had a dog wearing it who was a butt-licking at one point. My XL is came with a green camo cover and the dog looks like a tricerotops in it. The cover can be sprayed and wiped before putting it away for next time. It's extremely well made, which is part of why I love it (the regular "comfy cones" are good for about one use before they're worthless).

The smaller M-size one has a much shorter diameter, and it's far easier to get around (but that plus a t-shirt are still all I usually need on spayed smaller dogs). 

I spray Vetericyn 2x day on incisions and they heal super-fast.

I would suggest avoiding the kong inflatable ones because they pop way too easily. In multidog homes it's like a toy around the neck of the healing dog -- no bueno!


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## Suki's Mom (Nov 24, 2008)

How about "suitical"? https://www.suitical.com/products/recovery-suit/


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Suitcal...interesting. I believe that might be the maker of this dog sleeve that I have. It's great, and he has worn it before when he had a leg wound that he was licking.

I got it back in FL when my girl had this recurring yucky elbow from the heat and humidity, it has never happened here. It covers one leg and snaps over their shoulder.

I wouldn't trust him alone in something like this but it might be a nice way to let him have a break while I am with him which is a lot.


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## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

Thecowboysgirl said:


> My girl wore panties when she was having incontinence due to prednisone. Do they make something like this but much bigger that he might be able to wear to get a break from the cone while I am supervising him? Maybe mastiff sized bitch panties?


I used a pair of old boxer shorts upside down so his tail went out the opening. The waist was too big of course but I pinched it shut with a bulldog clip. Q. is very laid back and never tried to remove the shorts but if you are keeping an eye on your guy and he will tolerate underwear then that is a more comfy short-time alternative. I did try a T-shirt but he is too long-bodied for that to cover the incision.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Magwart said:


> I love these foam collars - I have one that's close to 10 years old that I keep in the closet and pull out as needed:
> Jorgensen Laboratories Soft-E-Collar | Lambert Vet Supply


That's what they sent Keefer home in from his bloat surgery. It was HUGE, lol. If he looked down at all, it would hit the ground and then he'd trip over it. Needless to say, that came off as soon as we got in the door. His was XXL, which was for a much larger dog, but maybe they couldn't get the smaller sizes over his giant head. :wub: 

He was fine for the first few days wearing nothing, about 4 days I put him in a BiteNot collar that I'd bought years ago for Halo when she had a hot spot on her side and wouldn't stop licking it. I prefer them because he could go in his crate, use the dog door, and eat and drink water wearing it. BiteNot


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

I put the collar on the tightest one so he can't take it off to. Max's ears were squished it did not look as squished as your boy with the plastic collar on but squished enough to make me worry/think about his ears. I would take collar off when we went for walks. It's soft and comfortable. Max would not move with the big plastic collar so is why I switched it. The comfy cone seems not to bother him at all. Depending how he tilts his head but normally pushes his ears slightly forward.


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## lauren43 (Jun 14, 2014)

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My GSD continuously destroyed his cone. I replaced it and taped it back together but the best answer for him was to be on crate rest until he finally healed.


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