My dog hates his cone after neuter. Can I use a belly band instead?

Hi and thank you for your question! A cone would be best but a belly band could also work. Spray would not be recommended. That could irritate the incision. A baby onesie put on him will help. Not only is it cute, but it will keep him him licking his incision area. I hope this helps!

The problem with the surgical suit is that it may not let the incision breathe as well as it should in order to quickly heal. You could try an inflatable collar - it looks like an airplane pillow and sold at the pet stores. Make sure you get a big enough size - if it is too small it won't work. This works well with most incisions on the body but doesn't work for anything on a leg/foot. I hope this helps!

No, Bella needs to wear the cone at all times even though she hates it. Bitter sprays should not be applied to the incision and many pets will lick regardless if the spray is used. If Bella licks the incision, she is at risk for opening it up or causing and infection. The cone is the best protection and it is only a short amount of time. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Rough day for poor Atom! To your first question, no. Unfortunately the cone is the best we have. Most dogs learn to navigate with it in a day or two. For the second, yes!! An ice pack is likely to be very welcome and effective. Apply an ice pack or frozen bag of veggies wrapped in a thin kitchen towel or paper towel for 5-10 mins every 4-6 hours to help with that swelling and bruising (and the pain/discomfort that comes with it). This can be repeated for the next few days if needed. Best wishes to you and Atom!

Hi ! With my dog I used a medical pet vest, that it’s fabric, can be washed and it is well tolerated.There is a XXXs size for Chihuahuas. The alternative is to have your vet put the buster collar on Kobe, you could give the collar a last try once fitted properly. Hope this helps !

E-collars are not always necessary post-neuter, but if the vets put it on him, then they may have been particularly worried about him bothering the incision. You can always take the e-collar off and observe him for a while. If he's really attacking the incision, then the e-collar may be best, but you can also try your ideas of keeping it covered. You can also try to spray some anti-licking solution (can find this at the pet store) over the cover for the incision if he is still trying to lick that. Essentially, the point is to keep him from breaking open the incision, so whatever works for preventing this should be fine. I hope that helps and all is well with Rexxy.

Give pain medication as prescribed by your veterinarian. It is important to make sure that you restrict his activity to short leash walks only (for the purpose of going to the bathroom) for the first week after surgery. Excessive activity such as running jumping or playing will increase the likelihood of complications. Lastly, but most importantly, he must wear an E collar (cone of shame) to prevent him from looking at or biting at the incision. Licking or biting the incision could lead to the incision coming apart and a need for further surgery. It could also lead to the incision becoming infected which could even make him systemically ill. He will need to wear the color for about 7 to 10 days. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach !