Neutered puppy buster collar problems

hamsterboy

Hi All
Our little fella was neutered yesterday and had a small hernia removed from his tummy.
He's doing alright, no really showin any interest in both sets of stitches but the "buster" collar he was given is driving him mad.
He's always trying to shake it loose and can't seem to get comfortable.
We were wondering if it would be ok to take it off him while being supervised just to give him a break from it, its hard to see him so unhappy..

Any help would be great

HB

lorebringer

It's perfectly ok to take is off of him if he is supervised and isn't allowed to go at the stitches. Just be sure to have it on him when he isn't supervised (night etc.). The "lampshade" can drive them insane so a break will do him good. He won't be too impressed when it's put back on though!

Toulouse

Yes you can take it off but only while he's been supervised. If you have to take your eyes off him then put it back on.

I had to leave my guy's on for the full 10 days as he was going at his stitches before he'd even come around fully from the anesthetic! I could leave it off my girl while being supervised as she wasn't as interested.

Every dog if different but for piece of mind leave it on while you're not watching.

seamus

If you can leave it off him supervised for a few hours and you're confident that he's not going at the stitches, then you'll probably be alright, but you're still taking a risk. Our girl when she had her leg removed, couldn't leave her stiches (and later staples to replace the removed stitches!) alone for a second, so she had a buster collar on for the guts of 15 days and she hated it. We took it off to bring her for a walk though so she enjoyed that respite.

When we had her neutered then she showed no interest in the stitches and after two days we didn't bother with the collar and she was fine. So not only does it depend on the dog, the type of work done matters too.

In reality after 2-3 days (particularly with a puppy), the bulk of the fusing has been done in the wound, the stitches just provide additional support and give the wound a cleaner profile. So losing a stitch or two after 3 days isn't going to result in the wound bursting open and blood spilling everywhere.

Sigma Force

As said if you take it off watch him like a hawk. Thing is if you take it off then put it back on they can get even more frustrated but if you leave it on all the time they eventually get used to it although it can take a couple of days. By then half the healing is done.

Our guy is being neutered tomorow and deffo keeping the lampshade on, he's a real chewer so just know he's going to be at them.