5 comfortable alternatives to the ‘cone of shame’
Oh the dreaded cone! Have you ever picked up your dog after surgery and they’re wearing a plastic cone around their neck and they look super depressed? They look at you with their big eyes, as if to ask “why?!”. The cone is huge, it’s ugly and it looks so uncomfortable. I remember Soda struggled to eat and drink with it on and she bumped into the furniture because she couldn’t judge the size of her new accessory. I must admit, it was pretty funny to watch but I also felt really sorry for her.
The plastic cone does a great job in preventing dogs from licking their stitches after surgery. They can be worn by dogs with skin conditions or hotspots, and dog groomers can use them to prevent aggressive dogs from biting them. They’re extremely useful, however being a dog can be quite restrictive while wearing one, which is why this article shines a light on a few alternatives to the plastic cone which work just as well.
Here’s 5 alternatives to the traditional plastic cone
Soft collar
This particular soft collar looks similar to the traditional cone of shame, however it’s made from soft material instead of plastic. The soft material and bendable foam will allow your dog to move around more freely whilst still preventing them from licking their wound. It also won’t scratch your furniture like the plastic cone, that’s a win-win!
To put on the soft collar, all you need to do is thread your dog’s regular collar through the attached loops at the base of the soft collar and do up their collar as normal. Next, use the adjustable velcro straps to create a snug fit around their neck – but not too tight. If you’re after a more breathable material, give this mesh soft collar a go.
If you decide you’d like to use a soft collar, but you’d like to inject a bit more personality into your dog’s look, or you’d like to crack a smile every time you see them, why not consider this flower looking soft cone, so cute!
Inflatable collar
I mean, who wouldn’t love to have a permanent pillow attached to their neck so they could have a comfy sleep at a moments notice! These inflatable collars remind me of my inflatable neck pillow I use when travelling. They look and feel much more comfy than a plastic cone, and they’ve been designed not to obscure your dog’s vision or interfere with their ability to eat, drink and move around. They’re made from tough material which is scratch and bite resistant, which may come in handy if you have a second dog or if your dog likes to play rough with their friends. And the fabric casing is washable so it won’t get smelly.
Similar to the soft collar, you simply thread your dog’s regular collar through the loops inside the inflatable collar to keep it in place. Once you’ve finished using it, you can deflate it and store it away.
Surgery recovery suit
If your dog has an injury on their body you might like to try a surgery recovery suit. These look just like a onesie. They’re used after surgery to reduce the possibility of infection. Covering a wound with material will prevent it from being bitten, licked or scratched and getting wet which will help accelerate healing.
These suits are made from a stretchy cotton-lycra material blend which allows your dog to move around with ease. The material is breathable and machine washable.
This particular surgery recovery suit has a zip on the belly of the suit where you can easily access wounds and an internal pocket where you can keep a cold pack or extra gauge to adsorb discharge. This suit also has clips around the tail end of the suit you can undo and easily roll up the material and secure it with the belly belt so your dog can go to the toilet.
DIY dog cone alternatives
If you’re a bit crafty, you might like to have a go at altering human clothes to protect you dog’s wound. Here’s what I used when Poppy was desexed.
Baby onesie
Poppy was born with a hernia which was repaired when she was desexed. She came home with 10 stitches which looked pretty horrific. I knew her stitches would be taken out in 10 days so I decided to put her in a baby onesie to prevent her from licking them. My friend had a baby at the time and she sorted me out with a few short sleeve onesies that I cut the legs off and was able to fit Poppy’s tail though the hole of the button-up crutch. The onesies worked a treat. They were big enough that she had enough room to walk around in and let the air circulate around her stitches. The only challenge I faced was remembering to unbutton them when she went out to go to the toilet, I forgot a few times and she wet herself.
Baby singlet
After a few days of wearing the baby onesie, Poppy’s stitches had started to heal so I transition her to a baby singlet. The singlet covered her stitches and she didn’t try to lick them, out of sight, out of mind I guess. The singlets were a lot easier to put on than the onesies, and she could go to the toilet on her own without me having to undo any buttons. They also protected her stitches when she played rough with her big sister Soda. I kept her in the singlets for the next 7 days before she went back to the vet to get her stitches taken out.
There you have it, 5 alternatives to the dreaded cone of shame. Not all of these options will suit your dog, it will depend on their size, their personality, how active they are and where their wound is, so it might take a bit of trial and error until you find what works best for you.
Whatever type of collar (or in my case baby clothing) you use to prevent your dog from licking their wound, just ensure you supervise them while they’re wearing it.
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