When Your Dog's a Conehead

[Java]

Boomer had a dead tooth and a benign eyelid tumour removed. Here's how the cone process went down:

• After nine days of cone, Boomer was free! Yay.
• Razor burn on his leg from being shaved for surgery + Licking = Hotspot! Boo.
• Cone back on for seven days (we're on day 3). *Sigh*

Boomer tends to lick his legs to begin with. No issues from it before but now... When the cone comes off this Saturday evening, if he licks the recently healed area, the cone has to go back on. So sayeth the vet tech. I'm thinking until the fur grows back.

Exactly how fast does fur grow back? I refuse to google it.

I think Boomer's a little depressed about the whole cone thing. He PLODS through his walks. I know the cone's temporary but I miss my dog's "Hey, hey, hey!" approach to the day.

Poor guy.

He's staying well-socialized though. That cone is a sympathy magnet.

It's hard to do all the training homework from obedience class. For one, Boomer hasn't been able to go. Two, he acts like he can't hear my commands unless I (a) lift the upper edge of the cone up or (b) make direct eye contact.

He can still hear me opening a bag of frozen blueberries from another room so...

My dog, the Conehead. *Sigh*

[SunDance]

I always take the cone off for walks. I'd recommend that unless his walks are off leash and he can then get into trouble.

[POPTOP]

Boomer, me thinks you are milking this for all it's worth, LOL

I too would remove the cone during leashed walks unless he is really going at the licking.

Seems like lately I've read of several dogs who have had procedures requiring an IV or whatever and shaving, then a hot spot happening. This is what caused Melody's hot spot. Wonder what the vet could do, more diligence when shaving, different type of clippers, that could prevent this from happening.

[Annette47]

Poor guy! I too always take cones off for walks, unless it is one to protect something on the face (ear/eye etc).

For long term use (more than a few days) I much prefer the Bite Not collars, but I don’t know that would keep him from a front leg - it’s great for abdomen or hind legs though.

https://www.amazon.com/BiteNot-BN6-C...not+dog+collar

[barry581]

Awwww, poor guy! I used one of the blow up donut type when I had Sophie spayed. It worked very well, and she was constantly bashing it into things. Like Annette said with the one she uses, I'm not sure if it would keep him from licking front legs. I only put it on her when I wasn't there to watch her, and at night.

This is the one I have: KONG Cloud Collar for Dogs Cats, Small - Chewy.com

[doubledip1]

Comet's hair still hasn't grown back and his surgery was at Christmas.

[smartrock]

Dang, what a pain! Wonder if they nicked him or something when shaving. You'd think 9 days would have been enough to heal up any razor burn or for the IV site to heal. At not quite a week, Chase's hair is not the normal length yet, but is filling in nicely and I can't even tell where the IV was.

When I have to use a cone for mine, I walk them without the cone but with Boomer's procedure, you had to be careful that he didn't do a dive to scrub his face on the ground and mess up either surgical site, which is one of Chase's favorite activities. A cone for sites on other parts of the body are easier to leave off for walks. I hope it clears up soon, poor Boomer.

[Java]

Thanks for all the suggestions & for sharing what worked for you. I really appreciate it because the thought of using the cone 24/7 until the fur grows back...

Comet's hair still hasn't grown back and his surgery was at Christmas.

Oh, wow.

I looked at the BiteNot and the Kong Cloud Collar, checked out the reviews, talked to someone at our local pet supplies shop, and mulled over everyone's thoughts on this not-so-vital-but-oh-so-pressing-to-me-in-this-moment situation. Although I dearly would like to use the donut "cone", I think I'll keep the cone on until Sunday morning when I don't have to apply the cream medication anymore. After that, I'll take the cone off whenever he's on leash - for training in & outside the house, obedience lessons (because he IS going to go to those lessons, darn it), and for his walks/hikes.

On the plus side, he's back on solid food and allowed to have stuffies to play with.

I suppose I could go to a softer, solid-coloured cone but I don't like the idea of having him blinkered, of giving him a funnel vision. With the current cone, at least we've got a routine going. He's learned how to go down the stairs on his own. He doesn't like coming up the stairs so once he's downstairs, he stays there and waits until someone comes along to lift the top edge of the cone high enough to miss the stairs going up. He's also learned to whip his head to one side to free himself whenever the cone gets stuck against something.

Wonder what the vet could do, more diligence when shaving, different type of clippers, that could prevent this from happening.

Boomer might need another tooth removed next year. I’m going to ask they shave a smaller area (like last year when he had two surgeries and nary a hotspot problem) and, with all due respect, to try not to give the poor guy a razor burn. I love my vet & my vet clinic. They’ve been terrific and saw me through my two previous dogs. I think it’s a new vet tech settling in. They didn’t charge me for the two checkups over this thing so there’s that...

[Java]

[barry581]

Awwww!!!! Boomer you look so sad!!!