Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Is There A Safe E Collar Alternative?

By Annabelle Holman


You might not instantly recognise the name but everyone knows what an E collar is. It is one of those lampshade shaped collars that dogs must wear to keep them from licking, nibbling and biting themselves after an injury. These collars can be very annoying for the dog and for you, which is why people want to know if there is a safe E collar alternative.

One of the first considerations that you must have when searching for an alternative is to make sure whatever you use is safe. You will also want to make sure that the method is easy and not expensive. With this in mind take a look at some of the items that other people are using to protect their dog from biting or licking a wound.

Soft collars - these are very similar to the E version, but they are not made from plastic. Instead they are made from strong paper that can fold and bend a little. This might not be suitable for dogs who are intent on getting to their stitches / affected area and biting them.

Collars that are just like the pillows that travellers use on flights that will blow up. You can fit one of these around your dogs neck and it will make sure that they can't get to their stomach and front legs. Be prepared for a blow up collar to pop if you have a dog that likes to bite.

Collars that are designed like a neck brace are perfect if you want to keep your dog from turning its head. Many of these collars look juts like the kind you would find in an emergency department and they work well on small to medium sized dogs.

Neck rings - these are not as scary as they sound and are really effective for smaller dogs. The ring is made from a soft material with filling inside and fits around the neck and stops your dog moving its head around as much. This will prevent the dog from getting to the affected area.

Onesies, socks, t-shirts - if you can't find a product in the store you might want to try and make your own. Putting an old t-shirt or a onesie on your dog will stop them from getting to wounds on their torso. If they have an injured leg or foot use a sock that you can fasten at the top with surgical tape. These are very effective and can be taken off an washed.

With all of these excellent and helpful alternative ideas to the E collar you will soon be able to find something that will suit your dog. It is essential that wounds are protected as they will heal faster and they will not get infected or pulled open by licking and biting. All dogs want to get to stitches, cuts and scrapes but with these methods you will be able to prevent them from doing that to themselves.




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