# Avery will not leave his incision alone...



## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

He continually licks it. I couldn't get the traditional e-collar on him (he nearly had a heart attack) and the one I have for him is wayyy too big, so I'd have to cut it down. Then I bought the blow up one and guess what..he can still reach it. We also tried having the vet bandage it and that seemed to just make him more interested in the area (he basically licked the bandage off).

I go back to work tonight and I want to make sure he's not spending the entire time I'm gone licking, but nothing seems to be stopping him...


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

maybe the cone of shame? 

it worked on bubba, much as he hated it. but he did get used to it.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

magicre said:


> maybe the cone of shame?


That's what I ment by traditional e-collar (elizabethan collar)... :-/
We tried putting it on him and he literally tried to leap out of it, I didn't want to overly stress him or have him tear his stitches just trying to get the cone off...


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

apparently, i can't read today either....sorry.

i know they don't like it. but does he have pain meds? maybe try putting it on him after you give him something for discomfort?

i don't think he'll have a heart attack, although it surely will seem as if he's being tortured...how else do you get them to leave the wound alone.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

Oh no! That really sucks, its so stressful when pets dont leave the incision site alone. 
I would put the e-collar on too, it may be uncomfortable for him, but its better than a possible infection or trauma to the incision side. Especially left to their own devices, im sure he would take all the stitches out.

When I got my cat spayed 4 years ago, she acted like she didnt care at all about the stitches. So I went to bed, woke up the next morning to have a look, and she ripped out ever last stitch. I burst into tears because the incision was open, i could see the muscle underneath, and back to the vet we went for surgical glue. I made her wear the cone of shame for 3 weeks after that. Even when the vet said it was safe to take off, I kept it on lol.


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## catahoulamom (Sep 23, 2010)

Have you tried bitter apple spray? The vet gave me one called Bitter Orange, it's "veterinary strength" lick-deterrent. Works like a charm with my guys.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

IMO this is not ok. He's completely shut down and scared.

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj278/liltk43/9ef2e2bf.mp4

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj278/liltk43/35c7fedd.mp4


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## catahoulamom (Sep 23, 2010)

Did he take treats in that video? I was always under the impression that a dog under severe emotional distress that shuts down wont take treats. He does look scared and nervous, how long did you keep it on him? My dogs will usually freak out and stand still and not want to walk for the first several minutes they have it on, they do get somewhat depressed, but it's worth not having them tear themselves open, IMO.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

And yes they gave him pain meds, they have no effect on him...lol


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

Avery always takes treats no matter how scares he is. He could be blatantly barking at someone and he will still accept their treats.

He still has it on. He does walk around with it but every time he hits into something he freaks (tail between his legs, ears back)...oh and he insists on following people all over the house, he won't just park it and lay down not until someone will lay with him.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

How far up the leg is it? We use to take a mens shirt and put it on the dog backwards (like put the back legs into the arm holes with the tail out the neck) if you can picture that. Then belt it around the tummy area so it stays on like a pair of pants. The arms should cover the incision if it is on the upper leg area and they can't get to it. Of course, that may bother him more then the e-collar but I understand about those. Rocky would NOT wear the e-collar when they neutered him. It drove him crazy.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

chowder said:


> How far up the leg is it? We use to take a mens shirt and put it on the dog backwards (like put the back legs into the arm holes with the tail out the neck) if you can picture that. Then belt it around the tummy area so it stays on like a pair of pants. The arms should cover the incision if it is on the upper leg area and they can't get to it. Of course, that may bother him more then the e-collar but I understand about those. Rocky would NOT wear the e-collar when they neutered him. It drove him crazy.


Lol a shirt as a pair of dog pants, that sounds too funny :tongue:


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Do you have a muzzle? When Rebel was licking giant hotspots in his feet, we tried everything and eventually went with a muzzle.

And i'm not sure, once he gets used to that cone, he couldn't reach his back leg.

Another thing we did was put a baby sock on Rebel and then wrap it (fairlly loosely) all the way up his leg with an ace bandage.

BUT I wish we had known someone to tell us about Chowder's shirt solution. That sounds alot better.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

He was pacing like crazy so I took it off him. He just acts really bizzare with it on and hes supposed to be kept quiet but having it on does the opposite...The bf is staying with him tonight.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i feel so badly for him.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

chowder said:


> How far up the leg is it? We use to take a mens shirt and put it on the dog backwards (like put the back legs into the arm holes with the tail out the neck) if you can picture that. Then belt it around the tummy area so it stays on like a pair of pants. The arms should cover the incision if it is on the upper leg area and they can't get to it. Of course, that may bother him more then the e-collar but I understand about those. Rocky would NOT wear the e-collar when they neutered him. It drove him crazy.


that's a d'oh. my friend did that with her boxer who had an incision from the removal of mast cell tumours.


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## bett (Mar 15, 2012)

dope him up and get the collar off.
most dogs can't be trusted and it's better to have him freak for a bit over the collar, than need to be restitched and then get the collar anyway.


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