The dreaded "Cone of Shame"

We get it.  We really do.  That baleful look you give us when we say “Your pet will need to keep the e-collar on for 7-10 days.” Or “…..until the wound is healed.” Or “ …until the bandage comes off.”   Some of the many reasons we pass out the despised Elizabethan collar, aka “cone of shame”, “satellite dish”, “lampshade”….whatever term of endearment you chose, we all hate them.  We do not love putting them together. (FYI, watching first timers attempt assembly of an e-collar can provide for at least several minutes of amusement…)  We know what is going through your head when we present you with this lovely piece of plastic secured to your pets head with a white ribbon of gauze.  You are thinking, “How is he/she going to eat?”  “How will he/she fit in the crate?”  Or if you have experienced the displeasure of an e-collared dog in your house before, you might be thinking, “Oh no, the backs of my legs are about to take a beating!”  (Picture a 90 pound canine running up behind you and ramming your calves.)   

Unfortunately these stiff plastic leg bruisers are one of those necessary evil kinds of things.  We promise we aren’t passing them out just to make your life miserable for a couple of weeks.  We really do have your pets’ best interest in mind.  We make them don this head gear to keep us from needing to re-stitch a surgery site, or mend self inflicted wounds or tell you your pet’s eye has gotten worse because they have been rubbing it obsessively. We understand that e-collars are sometimes a huge inconvenience, however animals usually adapt quite well to wearing these “hats”, with the exception of those that just simply refuse, and we know that happens too.  Just try to stick it out and do the best you can to keep your little critter safe from themselves.  It is only temporary, and hey, you can take cute pictures of your furry family member looking pretty pitiful while they wear their collar!

 

Cayleb, my 90 pounder with an allergic reaction and corneal abrasion on his right eye.

 

 

Cayleb sporting his cone!  His eye was back to normal in 7 days.  We did have to bust out our super duper big crate for him to fit in with his e-collar, and of course watch out for the backs of our legs in our tiny living room!

Submitted by Michelle Schoepper  LVT