Elizabethan Collars - very worried!

mugsy · Nov 9, 2005

I am taking Little Pete and Shorty in for neutering next week. The vet said they are going to have to wear Elizabethan collars (those plastic collars that prevent biting of stitching and stuff) for 5-10 days. I am a little worried about them wearing them. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m scared they are going to get really sad when they canâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t lick themselves. Especially Little Pete, who likes to suck on my arm at bedtime.. the Elizabethan collar will probably make it very difficult for him

. And they are very feisty kittens, always running around, and Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m worried the collars will hit corners as they run and pull them back. I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t want them to get sad and stop playing altogether. Has anyoneâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats had to wear this? How were they? Did their moods change drastically? Any advice? Thanks!

sibohan2005 · Nov 9, 2005

If anything the cones will make play more challengeing and slightly more fun for crazy kittens. A lot of animals have to ware "elizabethian collars" Duke had one and he kind of found it inconvenient when he wanted to be "invisable" and hide under the comforter or bed. But for a short period of time like 5-10 days the cats will probably just find it an adventure, you may feel sorry for them but it's better that they don't lick their stitches. They may even hardly care and end up entertaining the heck out of you *Smile* Let them go about there little kitty lives until they heal and they will be rippy-tearing all around the house.

rang_27 · Nov 9, 2005

My Isaac & my Maggie had to wear them. Maggie was less active while she was wearing the collar, but once I took it off she was back to her old self running around like a crazy girl. The collar had little to no affect on Isaac, he's smart & he actually used it as a tool. He loves to fetch, so when he wanted to pick a ball up to bring it to me he would use the cone to push the ball against the wall & flip it into his mouth.

yosemite · Nov 9, 2005

Neither Mika nor Bijou wore collar when they were spayed and neutered. The vet simply said to watch to make sure they didn't lick MORE THAN USUAL. Bijou didn't even have stitches or glue. The vet just pulled the skin together at the incision site and it healed quite naturally.

Honestly, I've never had to use collars when I've had any of my cats neutered - maybe I've just been lucky or had great cats.

gailc · Nov 9, 2005

I had never heard of using the Elizabethean collar on a newly neutered cat either. The vet must be pretty cautious. When Bakker was neutered the only thing that bothered him was not eating and chasing after Grizzzly!!

mugsy · Nov 9, 2005

Thanks guys.. I'm less worried now. Maybe I can ask the vet if there is anything we can do so that they don't have to wear the collars, but even if they do, I'm glad to hear no one had any really problems!

hissy · Nov 9, 2005

All the cats I have had spayed and neutered, none have ever had problems nor had to wear a collar? I would question your vet on the need for such a thing if I were you.

rang_27 · Nov 9, 2005

I just wanted to add that the only reason my cats needed the collars was because Isaac woke up & imediatly started licking & Maggie was trying to pull out her stitches. I was always under the impression that they only needed it if they were licking too much or trying to pull out stitches. My other two boys didn't need them because they left the area alone.

mirinae · Nov 9, 2005

Spike was neutered long before we got him, but Oz got neutered the day before we brought him home from the Humane Society, and he didn't have to wear a collar. (He did have to take antiobiotics, but that was for an infection ... not entirely related to the neutering.) I don't think I've ever known a cat who had to wear the Elizabethan collars after getting spayed/neutered. Unless they're actively picking at the stitches, I don't think there would be a problem?

jennyr · Nov 9, 2005

I have never had a male cat who needed a collar after neutering. No vet even suggested it to me. Some females may if they pick at the area. Males tend to bounce right back within hours of the op.

jane_vernon · Nov 9, 2005

It takes males around 1 day to recover from neutering.

Apart from licking the area a little more than usual, it doesn't seem to worry them at all. You just have to make sure they don't lick it too much and check to see that it isn't getting swollen and infected.

I don't think the collars are neccessary at all for neutering procedures and will only make them uncomfortable and distressed.

fatkitties · Nov 9, 2005

I've never seen a cat or dog wear one after a spay or neuter either, and I used to volunteer at a cat rescue/spay neuter clinic. The kitties went in a cage immediately after surgery so they could be safe from everyone else while the anesthesia wore off, and once they started clawing at the cage and trying to get out, they were let out, but watched carefully. Gizmo, my cat, did have some issues with licking/chewing at her stitches, but the vet gave (well, sold) me some bitter apple spray. I put a couple little spritzes on her belly and she licked it once and never touched it again. Healed up nicely and with no further comlications. I'd rather use the spray than the collar. Seems like the collar would be a bigger bother than it's worth when the spray works so well.

Amber

mugsy · Nov 9, 2005

Wow... well majority wins! I'm definitely going to question my vet on the collars! When I was young I remember my dog Mugsy had to wear one after neutering, but that was only due to exessive biting at the stiches. Hopefully Little Pete and Shorty won't require one. I took off two days of work to monitor them after the procedure, so it's not like they'll be left alone to do as they please. And the spray is an EXCELLENT idea.. I'm definitely going to look into that. Thanks everyone!!

semiferal · Nov 9, 2005

I have heard vets recommend e-collars for a week or more following neutering. I suspect it's a liability thing, so that if there is a problem they can at least say they gave you the collar and instructions to keep it on.

That said, I have never used an e-collar for any of the cats I have had spayed or neutered and it has never caused a problem for any of us. As long as they are not licking excessively there is really no need to wear it.

shiraz21 · Nov 10, 2005

Originally Posted by semiferal

I have heard vets recommend e-collars for a week or more following neutering. I suspect it's a liability thing, so that if there is a problem they can at least say they gave you the collar and instructions to keep it on.

That said, I have never used an e-collar for any of the cats I have had spayed or neutered and it has never caused a problem for any of us. As long as they are not licking excessively there is really no need to wear it.

laureen227 · Nov 10, 2005

Originally Posted by Yosemite

Honestly, I've never had to use collars when I've had any of my cats neutered - maybe I've just been lucky or had great cats.

me either - i've had 6 females, spayed them all, none wore collars...vets didn't even suggest it! & none were down more than a day - i spay as early in their lives as possible, & they act like thy've had nothing done to them!

solaritybengals · Nov 10, 2005

Maybe they want to use them because you have 2 that are really young and feisty?

My little girl was sown together from teh inside so she had no stitches visible. However she played really really hard! Even with the type of surgery where they pull it together there is still one area where the stitch is visible (like the end area) and that actually came open! Ugh. Thats how hard this little girl was playing...I can't imagine what would have happened had she had the whole incision stitched on the outside. She had to go on antibiotics to prevent infection. In my situation an elizibethan collar might have been appropriate.

I had a long haired cat that had to wear one once. The situation that caused it was really scary. He came in teh house and had half his face covered in blood. I told myself to calm down adn wash his face before I panicked. Sure enough he had fang marks in his head. Poor thing wouldn't let it heal, he would just keep scratching. We had to put the collar on him. He walked around backwards for quite some time before he accepted it. Then eating was a bit of a challenge but he finally figured out he sort of had to dive straight into the food otherwise teh collar would push his food bowl away and he would end up chasing after his bowl without accomplashing anything. He looked really sad but it was a necessary evil.

mugsy · Nov 10, 2005

Originally Posted by SolarityBengals

He walked around backwards for quite some time before he accepted it. Then eating was a bit of a challenge but he finally figured out he sort of had to dive straight into the food otherwise teh collar would push his food bowl away and he would end up chasing after his bowl without accomplashing anything. He looked really sad but it was a necessary evil.

My heart broke just reading that. I can imagine the poor little thing walking backwards and trying to eat but never being able to get just one more inch closer before the food bowl moved. It's like in the old movies where they tied a carrot onto a stick and dangled it in front of the donkey to get it to move. Awww!! If Little Pete and Shorty end up wearing the collars, I'll be sure to keep a close eye on them when they eat.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. Hopefully they won't have to wear them, but if they do I'll do my best to keep them happy!

rang_27 · Nov 10, 2005

Originally Posted by fatkitties

I've never seen a cat or dog wear one after a spay or neuter either, and I used to volunteer at a cat rescue/spay neuter clinic. The kitties went in a cage immediately after surgery so they could be safe from everyone else while the anesthesia wore off, and once they started clawing at the cage and trying to get out, they were let out, but watched carefully. Gizmo, my cat, did have some issues with licking/chewing at her stitches, but the vet gave (well, sold) me some bitter apple spray. I put a couple little spritzes on her belly and she licked it once and never touched it again. Healed up nicely and with no further comlications. I'd rather use the spray than the collar. Seems like the collar would be a bigger bother than it's worth when the spray works so well.

Amber

When I read this I Thought OUCH. I've never head of putting bitter apple on a spay site before. Did it hurt your kitty?

solaritybengals · Nov 10, 2005

Originally Posted by Mugsy

My heart broke just reading that. I can imagine the poor little thing walking backwards and trying to eat but never being able to get just one more inch closer before the food bowl moved. It's like in the old movies where they tied a carrot onto a stick and dangled it in front of the donkey to get it to move. Awww!! If Little Pete and Shorty end up wearing the collars, I'll be sure to keep a close eye on them when they eat.

Yes it was really hard to watch and that analogy is right what it looked like. We finally got a mat that didn't slide so the bowl didn't run away from him. I think the hardest thing was just thinking how itchy it was and seeing him try and scratch at his head to no avail (you knwo how annoying it is when you itch but can't scratch?). But there are times when its just best for them. Its times like this when you wish you could tell them what you are doing is not to be mean but to help.

Elizabethan Collars - very worried!

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