Combine a towel and duct tape to create a soft, comfy cone collar for any size of dog—small, medium, and large. This DIY cone of shame takes two people. Your assistant gets to treat and distract your dog with a plate of peanut butter as you fit and secure a towel around his or her neck. How smart is that?
All you have to do is roll or fold a towel or cloth lengthwise, gently wrap it around your pup's neck, and secure it with duct tape. For smaller dogs, use a kitchen or tea towel. For larger dogs, use a beach or shower towel.
Alternatives to the “cone of shame” are inflatable collars, soft E-collars and neck brace collars. Try covering the wound with soft fabric secured by medical tape to prevent licking. Keep pets busy with other fun things to distract them from licking wounds.
What can I do? Solid deodorant sometimes will work to stop licking—same thing, apply it around the incision. Too much of this can be bad for your pet, though, so if he or she continues licking, you will need to find another solution. T shirts and onsies can also work to help block licking.
Abdomen wounds: Short-sleeved T-shirts knotted at the waist are a good way to protect sutures located on your pet's abdomen. Hindquarters wounds: Short-sleeved T-shirts put on backwards (tail through neck hole, legs through arm holes) and knotted to secure can help protect hindquarters sutures.
Do not allow your cat to lick or scratch the incision, as he may pull the sutures out and could introduce an infection into the incision. If the incision is not bandaged, inspect it at least twice daily.
Another option is to bandage the wound to prevent the cat from licking or biting it. The dressing must be tight enough to stay on, but not so tight that it causes discomfort. You can buy special cat bandages with a bitter taste to deter your cat from chewing or biting them.
Try a bitter spray or ointment on spots where your cat is overgrooming. If your kitty tends to focus its overgrooming on a particular spot—like an itchy wound or an infected area—then a bitter spay can be a good temporary option while you treat the underlying issue. These unpleasant-tasting sprays discourage licking.
You can use any shirt that will cover the wound and prevent your dog from licking at it. You can make your own dog cone, too.
Keep the Cone On
The first step in how to make a dog cone more comfortable is to keep it on. It might be tempting to take the cone off every time you see your dog struggle. But it is best to be consistent and strict with the cone in order to help them adjust to wearing it and to protect them post-surgery.
If your furry companion is on the smaller side, a “onesie” may be a good choice. Made of soft, stretchy fabric, this bodysuit covers cats and dogs beginning at the neck, along the body and over the hindquarters. There are holes for the legs and tail to pass through.
Having a rolled blanket or pillow to prop their coned head on can be much more comfortable. Lots of rewards. Provide lots of positive reinforcement when they're calm and relaxed in the cone. Treats and affection help to show them they're doing the right thing and eases their tension.
Your cat may be able to get away with licking minor wounds, but a more serious wound could get infected by a cat lick and put the cat through a lot more unnecessary pain. That's why, in general, it's best to prevent your cat from licking any wound.
Dogs, cats, small rodents, horses, and primates all lick wounds. Saliva contains tissue factor which promotes the blood clotting mechanism. The enzyme lysozyme is found in many tissues and is known to attack the cell walls of many gram-positive bacteria, aiding in defense against infection.
Why does my cat bite me and lick me? If your cat licks you then bites you, or bites you then licks you, this is likely a sign that they are overstimulated. Licking humans or other cats is usually a bonding exercise for cats that helps them share their scent and feel good.
Good items to have at home in case of wounds include: Sterile, non-stick gauze. Antiseptic solution (povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine diacetate) Saline solution.
Be gentle as the skin around the wound is often sensitive and easily damaged. A little bit of Vaseline placed into the wound first can help catch any stray hairs and can then be gently removed afterwards.
Psychogenic alopecia is a stress-related disorder. It is an obsessive-compulsive behavior where the cats suddenly cannot stop licking or chewing at themselves. Since grooming releases endorphins (hormones that make the cat happy), they will often partake in this pleasurable and relaxing ritual to help calm themselves.
The most important things
1. Absolutely no licking of the incision area is allowed! If your pet is going to lick or begins to lick their incision, they need to wear an E-Collar (plastic cone) for 7-10 days after surgery. A pet can pull out stitches easily which can lead much more damage.
Initially, attempt to stop the bleeding by applying direct pressure to the wound with an absorbent dressing, such as dry gauze, followed by a layer of bandage material or a clean, dry cloth. This will protect the wound during transport to the veterinary clinic and prevent any further contamination of the injury.