I don’t know about you but whenever my vet tells me that I have to keep my dog quiet with minimal activity for several weeks, I start to get physically ill. I become nauseous, my blood pressure goes up and my heart rate increases. I know those instructions are tough for any dog owner but I have an Australian Shepherd not a Basset Hound. No offense to Basset Hounds intended.
Aussies can be high-strung hyenas and I have three. Fortunately, only one was being neutered and needed to be kept calm. Yes, I went through it with the girls too, but that was awhile back and I honestly forget what we did to keep them from wrestling out their stitches or conjuring up a hematoma.
The vet’s advice: don’t let him play with other dogs, (did I mention I have 2 others), leash walk him and no jumping or vigorous activity. Oh, and do not let him get at his stiches.
Here is how day one went. I put the leash on him to take him out to do his business. Somehow, this signaled to the girls that it was let’s play “attack the puppy” and he was up for the challenge. So, I learned not to walk the boy with the girls around. Next, I put the “cone of shame” on him. The vet said it would keep him from getting at his stitches. I am sure it might have if he didn’t destroy it in less than an hour. He used it as a front loader scooping up mud and dirt from our garden, he found a way to remove it himself by scraping it against the trees in our yard (it took an hour to find it) and somehow he chipped away at the plastic until there was barely anything left. There was no amount of duct tape that was going to save this thing.
OK, OK, I know you are looking for a product review not the “day in the life of an Aussie owner” so here is what I tried. I decided to address the “don’t let him get at his stiches” issue first, so I bought the Suitical Recovery Suit for Dogs. I bought it at Chewy because they do stand behind all the products they sell.
I can honestly say we were not disappointed. It covered his surgical area and he did not try to get at his wound. It was very easy to roll the bottom (backside area) up to let him do his business. He was so much happier than being in the cone.
Here were the specifics that I really liked about it
• Comfortable, stress-reducing alternative to the traditional cone is recommended by vets.
• Snug fit with rear fastening prevents the pet from wiggling out; can be pulled back for potty breaks.
• Covered areas are kept clean and dry, which prevents bacteria and dirt from causing an infection.
• Made from a non-toxic, breathable, 4-way stretch fabric that is machine washable for reuse.
• Allows air to circulate around the wound for healing, with built-in pockets for gauze pads.
Dax was actually much happier not having to wear the cone. In all honesty, I wish I had purchased 2 suits because we did want to wash it once a day so it was hygienic for his wound. My only real complaint about the suit was that he was able to chew through one of the legs when he was bored one afternoon. He did not get to his surgical site but I did have to sew the area.
Pros:
The dog was much less anxious than being in the cone
It did keep him away from his wound
Is perfect for both males and females
He looked adorable in it
Cons:
He was able to chew on the stitching around the legs and do some real damage.
All in all we rated this product Four Butt Wiggles.
