How to Deal with a “Cone of Shame”
We hope your companion has a quick and easy recovery from surgery. A few years ago, our boxer named Tank wore a cone for two weeks following eye surgery. It took him a couple of days to get accustomed to wearing it, and we had to make a few minor adjustments to our daily routine.
The cone you mention is called an Elizabethan collar, or E-collar for short. We use the terms E-collar and cone interchangeably. An E-collar is a large plastic shield worn around your pet’s neck and extends a bit beyond the tip of the nose. Some people call it a “lampshade” or “cone of shame.” Despite the moniker, there is no shame in wearing an Ecollar.
A cone helps keep a dog or cat from licking or chewing its stitches. It only takes a few moments for a pet to gnaw out its sutures. We have had numerous patients that didn’t wear E-collars return after surgery with infected or gaping incisions that required a second surgery to fix. We like to take the approach that it’s usually easier and often less expensive to prevent a problem than treat one. Wearing the Ecollar helps your pet heal more quickly and with fewer complications.
An E-collar should fit securely enough around the neck so your pet can’t pull it off, but not so tightly that it pinches or digs into the skin. The cone’s rim also needs to extend far enough past its muzzle so it can’t reach the wound. Some clever and persistent pets still figure out how to remove the cone. If your pet is a “Houdini,” you may need to get creative with how you attach the E-collar. Instead of simply tying the E-collar around the neck, try crisscrossing the E-collar ties around the chest, under the armpits, and then secure them over your pet’s back.
If your pet doesn’t tolerate a plastic cone, you have a few other options. A softer fabric collar may be more comfortable to wear and less obstructive to your pet’s vision. However, these less rigid collars may fold over and not be as effective as the plastic ones in preventing your pet from reaching its surgical site.
You may have seen dogs wear inflatable “doughnuts” held in place with Velcro tabs. Some dogs tolerate these better than the traditional E-collars.
Lastly, some collars mimic a neck brace that doesn’t allow the wearer to turn their head, thus keeping them from getting at its surgery site. These sometimes work well but may cause a dog to get a stiff neck with continuous use without breaks.
Although initially bewildered and annoyed, a dog or cat soon tolerates wearing an E-collar. Animals can sleep, eat, drink, and do their daily business while wearing the collar.
Sometimes, however, you have to make adjustments to daily routines. If your pet wears a cone, don’t let it roam outdoors unsupervised. Wearing an E-collar outdoors may increase the risk of getting stuck somewhere and hinder the ability to escape predators.
Cones make eating or drinking a challenge. We recommend using a smaller bowl and raising it high enough so the mouth fits inside the bowl and the rim of the cone fits around the bowl perimeter. If you have to remove the Ecollar so your pet can eat or drink, it’s best to stand close by so you can slip the cone back on if your pet attempts to get to its incision.
You may find your dog can’t fit through the dog door, or your cat is unable to squeeze through the opening of a covered litter box while wearing a cone. In such circumstances, you will need to provide access so your pet can relieve itself.
If the collar is easy to take on and off, we recommend you give your dog a supervised “breather.” Our dog Lola was recovering from surgical repair of a torn knee ligament and wore a cone for about two weeks. We briefly removed Lola’s collar twice a day to massage her head, ears, and neck, all the while standing right beside her so we could stop her if she tried to get near her surgical incision.
We notice that pets that wear E-collars for several weeks may be prone to developing ear infections. Check the inside of the ear canals at least once daily. If you notice any unusual debris or redness inside your pet’s ear canals or they are itchy, please consult your veterinarian.
We sincerely hope that your dog’s surgery goes well and that you can easily manage his post-operative care. Please follow your veterinarian’s instructions regarding the use of the E-collar. Although we already have a reader request for an article on veterinary care expenses for our December 2021 “Ask the Vets” column, we welcome you to email us any questions or topics you’d like us to address in 2022.
This publication is intended to provide general information regarding the subject matter covered. We encourage you to contact your regular veterinarian should you have specific questions about your pet’s medical care. We hope to hear from you soon. Hail State!