Turning the Cone of Shame into the Halo of Healing pt.2

Last month I wrote about how important it was to ground yourself and really accept that the plastic cone around your cat or dog’s head was the cheapest and quickest way to ensure your cat or dog heals.

Prepare yourself emotionally that “Kitty” or “Fido” will be awkward. This is OK. You promised your pet a home, love and regular meals. You did not promise them every day would be sunshine and cone free. Next, prepare your home. Remove breakable items from low surfaces tables. The less there is to knock over, the easier it will be for you and your pet.

 Troubleshooting:

- If a dog or cat is able pull off the cone, you can place a harness (available at pet stores) on them and tie the cone to the harness.  I like shoelaces rather than the gauze that veterinarians usually send home.

- If they can still get to their paw or lower leg, even with a large cone, put an inflatable E collar on first, then the cone. In a pinch you can place a rolled-up towel secured with duct tape around their neck, then the cone. (see illustration 1).

- If they use the edge of the cone to rub the wound, you can place pipe insulation (or pool noodle for very large dogs) around the edge and tape on or thread some soft twine through holes punched in the plastic (see illustration 2). All items are at hardware stores.

- Raise the food and water dish and take them out of corners so that dogs and cats can position their heads directly over the bowls.

- Remove the top of litter boxes so there is more room for the cat to negotiate without hitting the sides.

Alternatives:

- Inflatable E collars can work, but only for wounds on the body. Dogs and cats can still get to their legs with these!

- Fabric and soft cones are not reliable; some pets will crumple them and still get to their wounds.

- Onesies and shirts are not reliable, they can chew through them.

Some pets do indeed leave their incisions or wounds alone and do not lick but it is best to be prepared with the proper protection. Some owners say they will just watch their pet closely. This is fine but still take home the cone and put it on them so you can sleep, use the bathroom and other tasks. It only takes 30 seconds or less for them to rip out stitches.

Some cats and dogs tolerate them with the help of anti-anxiety or sedating medications. There are many good alternatives, so please ask your veterinarian.

In 38 years of practice, I have met a total of 5 pets that did not tolerate any type of cone. Working with each owner, we came up with a plan sometimes consisting of sedatives, pain relievers, anxiety medication, supervision and some type of coverage. This is a (thankfully) small minority of pets; most will tolerate them just fine and be happy when you take it off after an uneventful recovery.

Written by: Dr. Lissa Richardson, DVM, Dip. Amer. College of Veterinary Surgeons