neutering - cone of shame - etc

jsabina

Hi everybody.
Today I will bring Jago to the vet for neutering.
It's friday so I'll have the weekend off.
I am quite worried by the cone of shame, the e collar.. because he is kind of crazy hyperactive and I suppose he will hate it.
Anyway..

I will stay all the weekend with him..
but on monday I need to go to work.. and usually I come back at lunch time as usual..
do you have any experience?
Should I leave him in the crate (sigh sigh, too many hours, poor...)

mymo

I have never used a cone on any of our animals, my vet doesn't like them and always says in the first day or two you'll know if they'll go at the stitches, watch close and if he doesn't go near them, I'd leave it off.
Leave a stuffed kong to keep him busy and have another ready for lunchtime.
Thankfully we never had an issue, they heal quick too, hope your fella is the same. Good luck!

Edited to add, if he does go for stitches there is a soft ring thing you can get, you put it round the neck and it prevents him from reaching stitches, but it's not as awkward as the cone and I would imagine more comfotable.

jsabina

Just back from the vet..
they said that they... burn? (sorry with my english sometimes I don't get the words ) the stitches so maybe he won't need the e collar..
or I've seen they have the inflatable ones, so if he will need I will try one of them.

thanks!

bluecherry74

I tried one of the inflatable ones when my Setter was neutered last year, but Setters are so long and bendy that he could reach right around it. I would say Jago will be the same.

I agree with Mymo, if he doesn't go at for the first few days he should be ok. Most of my dogs have never needed a cone.

jsabina

The vet said that the the stitches are buried and he doesn't need the e-collar.. just to have a look he is not too much at them..
Buah, to be honest he seems a lot "annoyed" by them / or in pain.. he can walk four steps that he stops and he starts licking (thing that I stop obviously)
He slept a bit, now he is in the garden, looking around..
it's not easy to don't let him touch the stitches zone, but maybe it's for today as he could have more pain.. I hope..
He cannot go out until monday evening, poor, that he has the 1st check..
he already wanted to play with the ball, he is a super active almost 7 months old guy!

jsabina

Ok this morning he cannot walk properly yet.
He does some steps then he tries to "run away" and lie down and start licking.
When he lies down he doesn't lick.

I don't know if it's normal that he cannot walk, anyway I gave him the metacam this morning as prescribed and I hope it will help.
I mean, just to go toilet a normal walk in the backyard, no activity, I know.

Still not sure if I need to buy this ecollar, the vet said no, but on monday I'll go to work I cannot check if he is licking or not, auff

jsabina

brought to the vet after calling them..
he is fine but swollen.. she said just to give the pain killer (I did already) and bring back on monday.
I've asked the cone of shame and here we are.
Poor him is so sad, but at least he is more quiet.. and cannot lick..
She said if I can supervise to take out, now I want him to get a bit used, but he is more quiet like that.. (I am evil I know)

jsabina

first check..
infection..
e-collar 24x7 and antybiotics..
auff..
difficult to keep him quiet and enterteined..
(he destroyed the first cone.. I bought a "soft" fabric one with straps..)

aonb

Poor Jago!! Hope he's better quickly.

When my dogs were neutered we didnt need a collar (I hate them - think they would freak the poor dog out more than the stitches! but if they are pulling at stitches I guess there are situations where they may be unavoidable). Its tough when he's an active dog, and so young - hope hes back to normal soon!

jsabina

aonb wrote: »

Poor Jago!! Hope he's better quickly.

When my dogs were neutered we didnt need a collar (I hate them - think they would freak the poor dog out more than the stitches! but if they are pulling at stitches I guess there are situations where they may be unavoidable). Its tough when he's an active dog, and so young - hope hes back to normal soon!

yeah I hate it as well, these first days I've tried to check him always and say NO if he was licking.. unfortunately he is always trying to lick and tac, infection
The one that I've bought is much better than the plastic one..
Maybe I hate more that he can't go for normal exercise..
I am letting him playing, taking care that he doesn't jump too much..
He found a funny game.. the ball under a tv table.. he spend hours putting the ball under the small table and trying to retrieve it from the other side.. and with the cone.. it's also funny to see :P

aonb

that sounds like fun game - clever Jago!!
I guess if he has to have a cone, the soft one is much much better
how long before he can be taken for walks? (I cant remember)

jsabina

I don't know
The vet said few days in the beginning.. today I am going to take the antibyotic and I will ask if I can bring him for short walks, just to sniff a bit around.
Now he found another funny game, he is taking the ball in the cone and launching it ahah..
It's good to see how animals can get used to annoying things!!!

jsabina

uff the wound looks bad tonight..
I went to take the antibiotic and the vet assistant said "he cannot go even for short walks because he is sore"...
but I cannot keep him quiet!!
he wants to run, to play, doesn't care the eventual pain or the cone!
Auurgh..
I have toys, bone, bone from the butcher, kong (but poor, with the cone), we do training sessions, hide treats.. but auuuu, the time go so slowly for him, I don't want to put him in a crate as well.. ufffff

aonb

Poor dog - its hard to rest when you're a puppy and full of energy!
Would it be worthwhile giving him something like Bach's Remedy?? Calm him down a little bit, make him more inclined to rest up a bit?
Sounds like you are doing all you can for him - its probably harder on you worrying about him!

jsabina

aonb wrote: »

Poor dog - its hard to rest when you're a puppy and full of energy!
Would it be worthwhile giving him something like Bach's Remedy?? Calm him down a little bit, make him more inclined to rest up a bit?
Sounds like you are doing all you can for him - its probably harder on you worrying about him!

Thanks a lot for your replies, really!! It's important sometimes just to talk a bit :P
Yeah I think that sometimes we worry too much and the animals take everything better than us!
For sure his being crazy and jumping around, or cry for play it's not easy to manage :rolleyes:
I am not anxious or things like that, I had a dog with serious health problems and I know that neutering is "just a routine"... but..
A friend told me to give him something to calm down.. I have no idea and I didn't ask the vet.. uff.. maybe tomorrow I'll ring them again!!
They will hate me

jsabina

poor jago, we went for a check.. now 8 days after neutering.
the hound is healing but still infected.
Another week of cone and antibiotic e pain killer.
He has also pain to a ear and I have to put a cream (he doesn't want obviously and cry for pain).
He told me to keep him quiet, no jump no run, but bring him for walks on leash.
Auuuufff
He is driving me a bit crazy because it's impossible to keep him quiet!!!
Hope with the walks it will go better..


I bought a bigger crate as mine was small... but this one it's too big!!!
It's 4 times jago, would be ok for a sant bernard :P or two dogs!!
But was on offer on internet... :P

aonb

wow, you've been unlucky.
At least you can walk on the leash now, so you can bring him out now - help to break up the monotony - and hopefully tire him a bit too.


You can never have a crate that is TOO big!! Throw some extra blankets etc in there, and he can stretch out

mymo

Poor Jago, he's having a really hard time.
My boy had a bad reaction to anaesthetic, it took about a week before he any way normal, he was very wobbly, almost drunk like.

I gave him his dinner in kongs to keep him quiet, if you freeze them they take ages to eat them. We also played games that kept him from jumping around, I got plastic picnic bowls and hid dry food under them, I made him wait while I put a small few dry food bits under the upside down bowls, maybe 2 out of 4 bowls, then he would take a few minutes trying to turn them over to get the food. You can feed him a meal like that, little at a time, make him wait each time.

Also ask you butcher if he could give you any bones, marrow bone is good, lamb ribs are very soft this time of year, beef ribs bit harder. Tell them it's for your dog they usually know what's good. Dogs will spend all day at a good bone.
I don't leave the dogs with bones while I'm not there, but kongs are safe then.

jsabina

The problem with the kong is that with the cone is a bit difficult...
The bone that the butcher gave us was really big!
I am really happy that I got it, because Jago was busy hours this week on that bone!
Now inside is empty so he is less interested.. I put some treats or peanuts butter inside.. but today I'll try to get a new one!!

Thanks for your answers!!

jsabina

I feel so bad but I've put him in the (big) crate now..
He is crazy.. too many energies!!
We went for a walk, a nice walk, sniffing around.. on leash without running..
we came home and he started jumping everywhere!!!
running and jumping!!
The wound is still bit open, don't look that good.. the vet said to keep him quiet, no need for crate and tablets.. but keep im quiet.. eh.. easy!!

he is complaining, trying to escape.. crying.. auuuufff

andreac

If you can't keep him quiet outside the crate then you need to crate him.
He could end up doing more damage if you don't crate him.
You are doing it for his own good.
My dog was crated for 6 weeks after an operation as it had to be done.