Protective collar for a cat: a means of barrier therapy. Collar-protection for dogs: do-it-yourself

We make a protective Elizabethan collar for a cat with our own hands

When a veterinarian recommends barrier therapy, inexperienced owners are horrified: “Forbid a free-spirited cat to do what she wants. Forbid scratching? Lick your coat?" It's not scary if you know how to make a collar for a cat so that the pet experiences a minimum of inconvenience and quickly gets used to an incomprehensible contraption covering the neck.

A dense cone around the head will protect the seams and healing wounds from the teeth of the mustachioed fidget, and will not allow the cat to comb the ears or muzzle. After the toilet, the cat always licks intimacy: what will happen when the pet licks the surgical suture or an unhealed wound with the same tongue? The Elizabethan collar is indispensable when it becomes necessary to treat wool or skin with toxic agents - flea spray, hormonal creams, ointments from skin mites or bacteria.

The right collar for cats is, first of all, protection against self-harm during the recovery period, when even without a terrible thing there is a reason for stress, irritation and demonstrative disobedience. Therefore, it is extremely important that the collar is safe for the cat, reliable - does not come off, does not slip, comfortable - does not make breathing difficult, does not rub the neck. Unfortunately, finished products from pet stores (and in small cities this is a real problem) rarely meet all the requirements.

But making a collar, even for a cat with a character like a real queen, is not so difficult:

the pattern always has the shape of a half bagel. Depending on the size of the pet, the bagel can be thinner or thicker, longer or shorter, narrower or wider;

You only need to take two measurements. The girth of the neck is the length of the inner, small semicircle (i.e., the diameter of the cut of the cone, if the pattern is folded). The length from the neck (the place of the collar) to the tip of the nose plus 5 cm is the width of the future collar. Cut a half circle with a margin, fold, try on and cut where necessary.

Option 1, for gentle cougars

This veterinary collar is extremely comfortable - light, soft, even cozy. And it is comfortable to sleep in it - almost like on a pillow or bedding. In the photo, the finished model, but sewing it is simple:

two main parts made of chintz, linen, cotton, etc.;

a layer of thick cap material is sewn inside, which keeps its shape well. You can fold any fabric in several layers and stitch it with small rhombuses to make a whole canvas;

the piping along the outer perimeter should also be tight, it helps the collar keep its shape;

Velcro across the entire width of the edge of the "steering wheel" is reliable and strong. So that the cat does not definitely take off the collar, you can replace the Velcro with lacing. The cone will securely fit the neck if a wide, not too tight elastic band is sewn along the collar zone.

This cone has a significant disadvantage - an active cat will crush even dense tissue, and still get to the wound with its teeth. Therefore, the postoperative collar will have to be reinforced with a rigid layer, replacing the inner layer of matter with a piece of flexible plastic. If a suitable plastic is not at hand, buy a collar like this:

This infernal horror costs a penny, it is sold everywhere. Just cut off unnecessary straps, adjust the length and width of the “steering wheel” with scissors and hide it under a dense soft cloth. To sew fabric to plastic, make holes around the perimeter with a hot nail or awl. Don't forget the lacing holes.

Option 2, for tolerant cats

Again, you can buy a pre-made plastic cone or cut one from a suitable piece of plastic (bottle, seedling pot, baby bucket, etc.). It is desirable that the plastic is transparent - a limited view makes cats nervous.

Number 1 - straps that cover the collar, forming loops.

Number 3 - collar clasp. Instead of a collar, it is better to use a harness, it creates additional support and eases the load on the neck.

Number 2 - a sharp edge that rubs the skin and fur. To make the Elizabethan collar royally comfortable, you need to hide the four edges from the strap to the strap (in the photo of the collar in expanded form).

from dense soft fabric we cut out strips from strap to strap, 2-3 cm wide. The strip of fabric should not cover the slot for the strap;

fold the strips along, iron with an iron;

make holes in the edge of the collar;

Place strips of fabric on edge and sew.

This is what a cat looks like in a harness and collar, but only the edges of the cone will not cut into the neck. From the photo it is clear how to put a collar on a cat: we circle the "steering wheel" around the neck, thread the clasp through the slots, pass the ribbons under the collar, bend it and also pass it through the slots:

Option 3, in a hurry

This option is suitable for emergencies when there is no time to mess around with sewing. It turns out frankly inconvenient and not very reliable, but before something more decent appears, it will definitely last. And such a collar can also be used as protection during the processing of leather and / or wool: I used it and threw it away, it’s not a pity.

You will need cardboard - a shoe box or packaging from small household appliances. The thick cardboard from which the large boxes are made is suitable only for large dogs. So:

draw and cut out a semicircle, with a margin;

gently roll the cardboard into a tube so that the collar does not turn out to be too hard;

try on a cat, cut off the excess;

tape, in several layers, paste over the sections. You can cut strips from the fabric and stick them to the tape so that the edges of the Velcro remain uncovered. Now we simply apply adhesive tape thickened with a strip of fabric to the cut and glue it;

if the collar is needed for protection during processing, you can immediately put it on the cat and secure it with the same tape. If the pet will wear the collar for several hours, we make holes in the cardboard and lace up the edges.

And even such a collar for a cat can be made more convenient with your own hands by attaching loops at the edge. They can be cut from thick paper or fabric, thin elastic plastic and any other material that can withstand the onslaught of cat claws. The loops are attached simply - with adhesive tape or lacing. Now a collar can be passed through the loops, which will not allow a persistent cat to remove the collar over its head.

Do not forget that the collar needs to be removed from time to time so that the recovering pet can rest. Of course, you shouldn't leave your cat unattended. Many pets refuse to drink and eat while they are wearing a protective collar - in this case, the cone will have to be removed regularly so as not to violate the usual mode of the mustachioed stubbornness.

More information

After our cat Murka had an eye operation, it was necessary to put on a protective collar for her so that she would not tear the stitches and introduce an infection. We used to put on such a collar for our cats, and there were no particular problems. But this time, everything turned out to be a complete nightmare. For five hours we could not attach a protective collar to the cat.

Fastening the collar on the cat. First try

The collar we bought from the vets was too big, but since there were no others available, we had to settle for this one. I sewed on additional Velcro and tried to put it on while Murka had not yet recovered from anesthesia.

But as soon as she got up and started moving, we realized that with such a device she would not only be unable to walk, but also to sleep. Her head was like a bullhorn. She shied away from side to side, rested against the wall so tightly that after a few seconds she had nothing to breathe.

I have never seen such a stupid design. And an hour later, she just walked up to the door jamb, rested this collar on the jamb, famously took it off and began to lick her eyes.

The second attempt to fix the collar on the cat

It was necessary to urgently come up with something. We cut out a new collar from cardboard, attached strings to it and put it on the cat. Now the collar looked like a plate. But Murka could drink in it and move freely around the room without bumping into obstacles.

Everything would be fine, but other cats surrounded her and began to stretch out their paws to touch this “miracle”. We were afraid that one of them might hurt her. I had to put Murka in a closet and close the sliding door so that none of the cats could get in there.

Without a collar in this closet, the cats were quite comfortable, but with him this comfort turned into a problem, because. with such a “plate” you can’t turn around much. But we haven't been able to come up with anything else yet.

In less than ten minutes, Murka tore the cardboard collar to shreds, and again began to lick her eyes. We wrapped it in a towel and urgently began to finish the first version of the collar. It was clear that it needed to be somehow fixed on the cat so that she could not remove it.

Third attempt with fixing the collar on the cat

We sewed four loops on the underside to the plastic collar, which will be fixed on the neck. My daughter quickly knitted a harness that we put on Murka's torso and pulled the straps through the collar loops. Got something like this

Turned out just like in this photo.

All this was fixed, and they breathed a sigh of relief. But it turned out too early.

A few minutes later, we had to cut notches at the top and bottom of the collar so that the cat could drink on its own and raise and tilt its head at least a little. We decided to close her in the kitchen for the night so that other cats would not touch her, and she could drink and go to the tray herself.

Everyone went to bed. You could hear how Murka, poor thing, walks and pokes at all the walls. After 15 minutes there was a sudden silence. I decided to check what is happening there. I went into the kitchen and froze. Murka is sitting, washing herself, and the collar hangs on her side.

Fourth attempt at fixing the collar on the cat

Somehow, I untied the ribbons, unfastened the collar and put everything on again. The ribbons had to be fastened under her armpits and tightened tighter. I checked to make sure it wasn't too tight anywhere.

All night I worried and listened to the sounds from the kitchen. Only after three in the morning the cat calmed down and fell asleep under the battery on a soft rug.

These ten days that Murka was wearing a collar until the stitches were removed from her eye seemed like hell to us. I did not expect such a rush from her. And the cat was even more fed up with everything during this time. Not only could she not wash her face, but her eyes were probably itching.

Some write that this collar was removed during feeding, but we would not have succeeded in this, and we did not want to injure the cat once again. Therefore, we fed Murka from our hands. Good thing she has a good appetite.

But how happy she was when, after 10 days, we removed the stitches from her eye and removed the collar! And although the doctor did not advise taking it off yet, we still took the risk. They just made sure that Murka was not zealous with washing this particular eye.

For three days she washed herself all the time and purred with happiness. God forbid that she would never have to wear that collar again.

It is rare that an animal pleases its owners with absolute health and never gets sick. And as much as it would not be desirable to visit a veterinary clinic solely to vaccinate a pet, sometimes they require surgical intervention.

The most common operation now is the sterilization of cats and castration of cats. Uncastrated cats, especially those who were given hormonal drugs, suffer from mastitis, cystosis, purulent pyometra (purulent inflammation of the uterus), hydrometer (formation of fluid in the body of the uterus), breast cancer, tumor diseases of the uterus and ovaries. All of these conditions threaten the cat's life and require immediate surgical intervention. Operations are also performed for fractures, ruptures of internal organs and for other reasons.

The main question after the owners took the animal from the veterinary clinic is how to take care of it now? In addition to injections, tablets and ointments, a cat needs a protective collar to treat stitches.

What is a protective collar?

The protective or Elizabethan collar for cats is a means of barrier therapy, a veterinary device that limits the mobility of the animal and does not allow it to violate the integrity of postoperative sutures by chewing, licking or scratching. He also does not allow external preparations to be licked from the body, combing damaged areas (bite marks, burns).

A properly selected protective collar for cats sits comfortably on the animal, does not prevent him from moving, eating and drinking, while limiting access to wounds, seams on the body and limbs.

The only discomfort with a well-chosen and worn collar is the inability to lick. Cats are clean animals and may worry about leaving scent marks. But this inconvenience is nothing compared to open stitches, drug poisoning, and damage to healing wounds. So the animal will have to be patient.

Why does a cat need a collar after surgery?

A collar for a cat is needed in the following cases:

Cats after abdominal operations are sometimes put on cloth blankets.

A big plus of the blanket is that it protects the seam not only from the impact of the cat itself, but also from contact with objects. At the same time, the movements of the cat are not limited, she almost does not feel the blanket and quickly gets used to it. The pet can lick and not worry about the smell.

The disadvantages of the blanket are that it quickly gets dirty, and the pet can tear it off with its claws. Movement of the tongue along the blanket at the seam sometimes leads to damage to the seam even through the fabric. The blanket cannot be used when treating the body of an animal, because it will absorb ointments, sprays and gels.

The advantage of the collar is that access to the site of surgical intervention or treatment is completely limited. The collar will prevent the cat from hiding in a hard-to-reach place, where they often hide in case of poor health.

The disadvantages of the collar are as follows:

it is less convenient for a cat to wear it than a horse blanket;
he can cling to objects;
picking it up is also more difficult than a blanket.

A protective collar for cats is necessary for all kinds of medical interventions. It preserves the health of the animal, being a necessary measure in the postoperative period. Source: Flickr (thebiblioholic)

How to put on a postoperative collar on a cat?

Collars are of two types:

The first option is cheaper. This is a semicircle that wraps around the cat's neck and is fastened with “tongues” inserted into the slot. If the cat does not agree to put on the collar, then it will have to be kept alone, and the collar should be fastened to another person.
The second option is more expensive, but more convenient. It is attached to a decorative or anti-flea collar: its edges are equipped with Velcro and can be easily fastened. It is easy to put on even on a resisting cat alone.

Important! After the operation, the cat must be handled with extreme care: do not squeeze it, do not grab it abruptly and do not pull it out by force, holding it by its paws, from somewhere in order to avoid damage to the sutures, internal bleeding or an epileptic seizure.

Problems when wearing a post-operative collar

A collar that is too large or heavy for a cat will greatly disrupt coordination: it will be difficult and even impossible for him to jump somewhere, pass between objects, eat and drink.

An excessively tight collar will lead to hypoxia - oxygen starvation of the brain, circulatory disorders, rubbing of the skin at the point of contact, and violation of the coat.

An animal can remove an excessively loose collar, or it will jump off below and complicate movement.

It is unacceptable to buy collars with a sharp "chemical" smell. These products are of poor quality, and the cat may be poisoned when wearing it.

Buying a collar for a kitten “for growth” is not the best solution. A young animal will feel uncomfortable in a bulky design designed for an adult. A collar is not such an expensive thing to buy for future use. It is better to pick it up individually each time, rather than squeezing a large cat into a small collar or trying to fix a device bought for an elderly cat on a “teenager”.

The sharp edge of the collar at the point of contact with the cat's body must be pasted over with a fabric-based adhesive plaster.

Periodically, the collar must be removed to allow the animal to run freely and restore muscle tone. It would be good to put on a blanket for a cat after abdominal surgery. Leave the animal unattended while the collar is removed.

A protective collar for cats is necessary for all kinds of medical interventions. It preserves the health of the animal, being a necessary measure in the postoperative period and during conservative treatment with topical preparations. The cat gets used to the inconvenience of wearing quickly. In addition, a properly selected protective collar almost does not cause them.

Types of protective collars for dogs

Classic version - elizabethan collar, which in shape is a truncated cone (lampshade). Made of flexible transparent, non-obstructive, translucent or colored plastic. Plastic collars for dogs are easy to clean, low cost, perhaps these are the most important advantages. The disadvantages include that plastic models make noise when in contact with other objects, crack or break over time, and most dogs feel uncomfortable in them. They are attached to a collar or harness with 3 or 4 plastic fixing strips. The circumference is adjusted with the help of special fasteners-tongues.

There is another kind of plastic collar, which is plastic tube, closed in a circle, over which a protective removable cover is put on. It limits the mobility of the neck, thereby preventing the animal from reaching its head to the damaged areas on the body and licking them.

Exist soft tapered collars for dogs, made of durable water-repellent non-woven material, non-toxic and non-allergic. Light and flexible, they do not interfere with the free movement of the neck, the animal can eat, sleep and not experience discomfort. The advantages include increased wear resistance, because such models will not tear even when chewed by animals. In addition, the soft collar can be folded compactly after use and stored away. However, not all soft models are suitable for large dogs, which have strength, long limbs and can reach with their paw to the head or tongue to the body, crushing the unreliable barrier. Soft models are not suitable for dogs with a long neck, because they do not cover the head enough.

Another type of soft collar is also a cone, made of soft, water-repellent nylon fabric, but with a plastic insert inside that is about half the size of the cone. The plastic insert at the bottom of the cone adds rigidity, which prevents the animal from bending the barrier. For convenient and reliable fixation to the collar there are Velcro.

Inflatable collars for dogs They come in different types and are classified according to the type of material from which they are made. All of them are shaped like an inflatable lifebuoy. For the manufacture of flexible and soft material. There are transparent models and models with nylon removable covers. Inflatable barriers are easy to use, cause the least discomfort, do not obstruct the view and at the same time perform a protective function by limiting the mobility of the neck. However, less wear-resistant, because dogs can break through the collar with their claws when trying to reach the head with their paw. But when using an inflatable model with a durable nylon cover, there are no problems with material damage. Effective when used on dogs with short limbs that cannot physically reach the protective barrier with their paws.

Elastic protective neck corsets made of soft foam are no less effective than other types of collars. They are worn around the neck and fixed with Velcro, preventing the movement of the neck. Convenient in cases where there are injuries on the body of the animal, and not on the head.

How to choose a protective collar for your dog

The main thing is to choose the right size, as well as the model, depending on the breed and purpose of use (restricting the animal's access to the body or head). The choice should be made according to the width of the protective field, which is most often 7.5, 10.5, 12, 15, 21.5, 25 cm. Among the existing options, you can easily choose the right collar for a dog of a particular breed and any age. An improperly selected barrier can obstruct vision, cause inconvenience during eating, sleeping, playing, and can also slide down to the shoulder blades, thereby providing no protection.

Price

The price of a protective collar for a dog depends on its size, type, manufacturer. So an ordinary Elizabethan collar costs from 90 rubles, the cost of other types varies between 200-1000 rubles. Soft collars are more expensive, for example, the Procone model costs 840-1000 rubles, and the cost of the Procone elastic cervical corset exceeds 1500 rubles.

If it is not possible to purchase a ready-made protective collar, you can make it yourself from improvised means, but at the risk of causing even more discomfort to the animal.

Do-it-yourself collar for a dog

For dogs of small breeds, the basis of the collar can be an x-ray, and for larger breeds, a plastic kitchen napkin, thick or corrugated cardboard. The workpiece is shaped into a cone, and the edges of the lower and upper diameters should be wrapped with a soft cloth (gauze), fastened with adhesive tape, or glued with adhesive tape to avoid injury to the animal's neck.

The bottom circle should be equal to the diameter of the buttoned collar. Collar width - the length from the neck (where the collar is) to the tip of the nose and an additional 5 cm.

Some dog owners simply wrap a towel around their pet's neck, securing the edges with a bandage or tape to keep the towel from falling apart. The towel acts as a neck corset, preventing the neck from turning.

How to train a dog to wear a collar

Many dogs express their reluctance to wear something that they do not understand, which causes discomfort, by numerous attempts to pull off the collar. Therefore, if it is known in advance that the pet will have barrier therapy, for example, after surgery, then the animal should be prepared before the operation.

To begin with, the collar should be placed next to the pet so that he can sniff it, understand that the item is safe. Then you should put a barrier on the animal for a short time and try to captivate the dog with a game, give a treat, stroke or otherwise encourage in order to evoke positive associations. Animals usually get used to wearing a barrier in a few days.

In some situations, pet treatment involves barrier therapy, which is carried out with the help of special devices and accessories, including bandages (they must be worn after), Elizabethan collars ... It’s good if these products are sold in veterinary pharmacies in your city, but if not? What to do in this case? In our today's publication, we decided to tell you about how to make a protective Elizabethan collar yourself ...

What is an Elizabethan Collar

Why you need an Elizabethan collar

What should an Elizabethan collar look like?

Based on the purpose of the Elizabethan collar and its description, we can conclude that this thing should be reliable and safe for the pet, not cause him any inconvenience - do not make breathing difficult, do not rub his neck. Despite the fact that today in most cases you can purchase a similar collar at a veterinary pharmacy, it is not always possible to choose finished products to fit the size of your sick pet. As a result, a collar that is larger in size flies off and is of no use, and a collar that is smaller in size rubs the neck and literally suffocates the animal. That is why it will not be superfluous to master the technology of making an Elizabethan protective collar at home. This information can be useful for absolutely all pet owners. After all, you can wear an Elizabethan collar not only on cats and dogs, but also on rodents, if necessary ...

How to make your own Elizabethan collar

To make a protective collar for a sick pet, you will need a pattern - it will have the shape of half a donut. Depending on the size of the animal, the width of such a donut may be more or less, as well as the length. That is, to make a pattern, you need to take only 2 basic measurements - this neck girth(this will form the length of the inner little semi-circle and represent the cut diameter of your cone if you fold the pattern), and neck length- measured from the collar line to the tip of the animal's nose + 5 centimeters (this is the optimal width of the Elizabethan collar). Cut out such a pattern from paper, and then, depending on what materials you have at hand, and for what purpose you want to put a protective collar on your pet, start making it ...

Soft collar option

This version of the collar is of increased comfort, the animal can even sleep in it, the head will lie on a soft pillow. As a manufacturing material, you can take chintz, linen, cotton, any natural fabric, inside you put a layer of strong thick fabric that could hold its shape well, or you can fold any material in several layers and quilt it so that the fabric does not stray. Be sure to make the outer piping tight - this will help the collar to hold its shape. Sew secure Velcro across the entire width of the edge of the collar - this will prevent unauthorized removal of the collar by animals. If, in your opinion, Velcro is not very reliable, they can be replaced with lacing, but in practice it is not very convenient to quickly unlace and lace up the collar.

For a snug fit of the collar in the neck area, you can sew a not very tight elastic band into the collar area.

Despite a number of advantages, such a soft version of the Elizabethan collar has its drawbacks - active animals easily tear even the densest fabric, the material quickly gets dirty during eating and the collar looks untidy after the first feeding of your pet, if he did not care too much about following the rules etiquette. So, much more reliable, although less glamorous, will be a protective collar with a plastic insert.

Plastic version of the protective collar

Today, in stores, you can easily purchase ready-made plastic cones to cut a collar of the right size from them. If the size of the plastic bottle matches the size of your pet, you can also use plastic bottles. Some enterprising owners use plastic pots for seedlings, baby buckets ... No matter what you take, the main thing is that the dimensions match the sizes you need.

However, I would like to draw attention to one important point,

as practice shows, in a collar made of transparent plastic, animals behave more calmly than when their view is limited.

You will need to take care of the straps for the girth of the neck - they will be like loops, and the clasp for such a collar. Instead of the collar itself, it is better to take a harness - it will ease the load on the pet's neck area and create additional support. To prevent the edges of the collar from injuring the animal and others, sheathe them with a cloth.

In order to put on such a collar, it will be necessary to circle it around the neck of the animal, thread the clasp through the corresponding slots, pass the ribbons under the collars, bend and pass them through the slots. The plastic collar is ready. It is easy to clean, quite comfortable, practical and has virtually no flaws.