Alternatives to the “cone of shame” are inflatable collars, soft E-collars and neck brace collars. Try covering the wound with soft fabric secured by medical tape to prevent licking. Keep pets busy with other fun things to distract them from licking wounds.
Apply a small amount of antibacterial ointment and cover the wound with a piece of sterile gauze or other bandage. Use the elastic tape to hold the bandage in place. Consider an E-collar. Pets can't understand not to bite or lick at a bandage.
Veterinarians suggest that the only guaranteed way to protect a wound from licking, especially at night or when you're not watching the dog, is to use a properly fitted Elizabethan collar.
You can use any shirt that will cover the wound and prevent your dog from licking at it. You can make your own dog cone, too.
For wounds on the torso, a t-shirt may do the trick. For the front half of the body, put a t-shirt on in the natural way. For wound in the back half of the body, put the t-shirt on backwards, with the tail going through the hole for the head and the rear legs going into the arms.
To apply betadine on your dog, gently wipe the wound with a washcloth saturated with the betadine solution. You can do this up to twice a day for minor sores or skin infections. One great thing about Betadine is that it is completely harmless if it's ingested.
Can You Put a Band-Aid on a Dog? Putting a bandaid on a dog is not recommended as the adhesive can cause skin irritation and infections. Instead, try using non-stick pads or gauze and tape to protect the wound. Seek advice from your veterinarian for proper wound care.
an Elizabethan collar (also known as an E-collar or cone) that stops the dog from chewing at the hot spot.
Wherever possible, a wound will be closed and sutured in order to speed healing. However, if there is gross contamination or deep infection present, the wound will be left open for topical treatment and to ensure drainage.
Bandage the wound — Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and cover the wound to help prevent contamination. If you wrap your dog's limb, ensure the bandage isn't too tight and could restrict blood flow. Monitor the wound — Change the bandage and clean and assess your pet's wound two to three times a day.
During the inflammation and proliferation stages, you can encourage faster healing by keeping the wound covered, create a proactive antimicrobial barrier to prevent infection, and keep the wound moist. Do not wrap your dog's wound too tightly. This can restrict blood flow to the area and impede the healing process.
Combining sturdy bandages with boxer shorts, sweaters, onesies and even booties can be extremely effective in deterring your pet from licking or scratching. While this may not work for all dogs, it's a good trick to try out after an operation and can be far more liberating than the cone of shame!
Yes – dogs can sleep, eat, drink, pee, and poop with a cone on. In fact, the stricter you are with the cone (officially called an Elizabethan collar or E-collar for short), the quicker your dog will get used to it.
If your furry companion is on the smaller side, a “onesie” may be a good choice. Made of soft, stretchy fabric, this bodysuit covers cats and dogs beginning at the neck, along the body and over the hindquarters. There are holes for the legs and tail to pass through.
It can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months for a wound to fully heal-- so make sure not to rush the process. Your dog will eventually get back to their normal behavior and routines-- you'll be taking them for walks and runs in no time!
Use a mild soap and water solution and rinse the area well. Do not use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, as these can actually delay healing. Once the wound is clean, you will want to apply an antibiotic ointment or cream. This will help to prevent infection and will also help the wound heal faster.
Chlorhexidine is a disinfectant and antiseptic used on dogs to remove unwanted bacterial or fungal growth from the skin. It can be used for a number of reasons, from keeping wounds clean to treating skin infections.
Natural antiseptics include turmeric, coconut oil, aloe vera and witch hazel. For a spicy antiseptic concoction that will also help with inflammation—and prevent licking, because most dogs don't love the smell—mix turmeric from your spice cabinet with aloe vera in a 1:1 ratio and smooth it on the scrape.
You can use an antimicrobial skin cleanser like Hibiscrub chlorhexidine gluconate to clean your dog's skin or to treat light wounds.
Use wet, cool towels
This is especially useful for dogs suffering from heatstroke. To keep them cool, drench a towel in tepid water and drape it over your dog. Leave it on for short periods of time and make sure to remove it once the towel has dried as it may make your dog feel warmer.