Cones! Such a downer

[Archie]

Well, Archie had his neuter surgery on the weekend and is currently rocking the cone of shame.

We tried buying him one of the blowup donut things but he can still reach around it and get at his incision, so we're playing it safe. But they are such a downer!

He's frustrated - he'll get stuck somewhere and just look at me like "really?" It sucks seeing him frustrated. Plus, they are LOUD! I haven't had a full night sleep because I can hear him crashing around and getting stuck places so I have to go help him out.

I guess I just need to vent about that! Otherwise he's doing well. He's a calm house dog so keeping him quiet hasn't been an issue. He's having a doggy friend over on Saturday which will be exactly one week after surgery. Hoping he's all healed up and ready to play.

Anyone else have fun cone-wearing stories?

[BaconsMom]

Poor Archie! Hope he is healing well!

[BeataK]

Oh poor boy - does he wear the cone all the time or do you give him some break when you're around?
Is his friend's visit approved by your vet? We were told to avoid other dogs up to 10 days but of course different vet means different opinion

[smartrock]

After a few days, Chase didn't need his cone any more so hopefully Archie will stop checking his incision. Our vet' written instructions said no running, jumping, or roughhousing with other dogs for 10 days post Chase's neutering, too. It was 2 weeks after Lark's spay. We had to leash walk them only for that period of time also. Hope he heals up quickly!

[Archie]

Yes he gets lots of breaks, but has to wear it all day while I'm at work and all night during sleeping time, but it's off from 5-10 in the evening.

His doggy friend visit really depends on how he's healing. If I don't like how the incision looks on Friday I will cancel. I didn't realize how much my life revolved around doing things with him until he suddenly couldn't do anything!

[SunDance]

Sunnie has to wear hers for two weeks (one left to go) following having a molar extracted.

Sunnie doesn't like new things...they exacerbate her fear. So now she has a new thing and it's touching her (!!!). She hates it. If it hits something, she freezes. She sits with her head down like she's being punished....and then when she walks somewhere with her head down, it hits and skitters on the floor....which scares her even more. She pretty much lived on Rescue Remedy for the first three days.

Danny is afraid of Sunnie's cone. He doesn't like being around her at all if she's wearing it...although he's been known to sneak in a sniff or two on her other end. He freaks out if she hits him with it or when it makes noise hitting up against the wall, etc. He's been sleeping in his crate instead of in one of the beds so that he doesn't get hit overnight.

We've been leaving the cone off as much as we can....Sunnie's shown absolutely no interest in her mouth (vet fear is pawing, kicking, or rubbing face....or unhibited playing rough/bitey face with Dan). She's gotten a bit used to it by now (Dan hasn't) or maybe she just hates it less when it's on and off.

She's supposed to wear it till next Wednesday when she has her two-week check-up. I envision non-stop bitey-face as a celebration when they realize she's cone-free for good.

[charliebbarkin]

Ugh the cone. I hope that Archie heals up quick and clean!


I know I shouldn't say this, because it is not good advice, but as long as I was able to stay next to Charlie I wouldn't make him wear the cone. And at night it drove us nuts hearing the cone smash into the crate all night, so my husband and I (no joke) set up camp on the living room floor and slept with Charlie at night until he no longer needed the cone. He healed totally fine, no complications.

Hugs to Archie!

[Scoutpout]

oh poor guy! hopefully in a day or two he loses interest and it can be off a bit more...I swear, the sound of a dog licking themselves at night is like an alarm clock for me, I'm immediately awake and trying to find out whats going on...I didn't normally make mine wear them at night because I'd here them licking and be instantly checking out what they were doing...

How are your shins? the cone seems to be the perfect size for bashing edge-first into your shins, leaving wonderful narrow bruises, as if someone had taken a crop to them. Used to take me a week or so to heal up after the dogs were healed!

[POPTOP]

Ah, Archie, so sorry. Luckily, when Archie was neutered he came home without a cone because the vet knows we are home all the time. I did have a soft cone for at night.

Sending quick healing prayers.

[Sandra]

We have just gone through three and a half weeks of the cone after Charlie's eye surgery. It was awful and I'm glad it's over!