The Cone. The lampshade, the Elizabethan collar, the Buster collar, the Cone of SHAME…. That vital piece of equipment in the veterinary toolkit that does actually save lives, although more often it saves patients from multiple repeat anaesthetics to restitch chewed wounds, and overlicked skin allowing us to skimp on the post op anti-biotics needed in case Foofikins decides to sit and lick that sucker 23 and three quarter hours a day.
Yet, this vet with her overblown sense of empathy and guilt complexes still has a very hard time sending patients home in these! I’ve devised all sorts of cone-avoidant strategies, such as:
1) carefully-placed intradermal stitches so there are no tempting little stringy things to pull at or lick. I also avoid overzealous knot tying on stitches, so the wound isn’t tight, sore and tuggy.
2) plenty of anti-inflammatories and pain control intraoperatively and post op
3) the use of zooty coloured body suits that will often go down a treat with owners even if they cost a bit more, providing that thin barrier between wound and tongue.
4) Adhesive wound covers (like big professional-looking plasters that do the same as above but just covering the wound.) OK these are possibly the least reliable option, since any truly determined critter will whip them off with only a moderate amount of effort and then there are those with sensitive skin types that go and get an itchy rash from the sticky adhesive that holds them in place….that’ll REALLY get them a-lickin’! Nonetheless, they will often leave the wound and go for the red spotty surrounding skin so, well, silver (or bright pink) linings and all that.
So yeah, not the biggest of veterinary horrors there is and perhaps it’s just me, there are plenty of somewhat more risk-averse vets than I, who will slap one on all and sundry to avoid just the tiniest chance of a self-induced disaster scenario. The pooches and the puddies will all adapt and accept this unloved appendage, learning to negotiate doorways and tight spaces after a day or two so really, it is often a necessary evil.
Confession: mostly I made this post because it was dead fun doing the drawing- I’ve discovered the spray paint function on the Sketchbook app and I intend to use it! The Ring movie is one of those classics that really really did creep me out when I watched it way back when….aaarrgghhh….. can’t you just smell that wet boggy well-water hair ?
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