# Sasha and the dreaded e-collar



## Leni (Sep 21, 2010)

So as some of you may know, I got Sasha spayed Monday and she came home home Tuesday morning. By late Tuesday night she was chewing/pulling/licking her stitches to the point of making the site red. Wednesday morning I got an e-collar from Petco, a Comfy Cone so it's a soft one. I was off work yesterday but sick so I slept on and off (plus I got no sleep the previous night making sure she left her site alone). When I wasn't watching her I would put the cone on, and she slept most of the day yesterday. She also had had some pain medicine since she seemed sore. I took it off to let her eat and take breaks. However, it wouldn't be even fifteen minutes before she'd be pulling the stitches, hard. I would give her a couple of chances, then put the collar back on.

She is miserable with the cone, yet her incision was looking a lot better yesterday since she couldn't get at it. No more redness. It's a small comfy cone, and it fits her well, but it seems a bit heavy for her 6.8lbs. She walks around a little but she mostly wants to cower and look miserable with it on. I feel so sorry for her but she won't leave her stitches alone. I know normally during the day she sleeps a lot and so does Sherlock, and the pain medicine makes her drowsy too, but I work 12 hours today and tomorrow and I feel awful knowing she has to wear that for such a long time. My husband gets home a couple of hours before I do, but in all honesty I don't really trust him to watch her without it because he won't pay attention and she'll probably hurt herself yanking them again. Her stitches are supposed to be taken out next Tuesday, and I'm off this weekend so I can watch her, but I'm just wondering how do you guys do it, those who have had had to put the dreaded e-collar on their cat? I just want to leave work and go cuddle her, poor thing.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

I've never had to put the dreaded collar on my girls, although we did have to put a collar on our toy poodle when he was neutered (he's no longer with us...this was more than 20 years ago). He hated it, but we just ignored his soleful looks and whimpers, and we would cuddle and play with him so he wouldn't focus on it. We figured if we felt sorry for him, he'd just feel more sorry for himself...whereas if we ignored it and pretended like it didn't exist, he might too. That approach seemed to work. If I ever had to put the collar on one of my girls, I would do the same. 

It's only a few more days, following which Sasha will be back to normal...so try not to worry. As you say, she'll likely spend most of tomorrow sleeping in any event. Spend lots of time cuddling her when you get home!


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## Leni (Sep 21, 2010)

I did cuddle her, lots! She was free from it til just now that we're going to bed, and she seems a lot more active. I guess I won't have to worry about her being alone tomorrow while wearing it since I feel awful again so probably won't be going to work tomorrow. Thanks for the response though Susan. I'm actually the tougher one with her, my husband is a huge sucker for her damsel in distress act and she knows it  I am definitely looking forward to being rid of her stitches though. Praying for a smooth recovery! Apparently I was getting over my flu and I think I've picked up a secondary baterial infection that's settled in my sinuses so I need to borrow some of those healing thoughts too!


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

I hope both you and Sasha feel better soon!


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## Leni (Sep 21, 2010)

Thanks Susan. I did stay home. I told my husband what you said, about acting like her wearing the collar is no big deal, and yeah, today she has definitely gotten around more while wearing it instead of acting like it was the end of the world. I've taken it off several times to give her food and water and cuddle breaks, but it isn't long before she goes back to yanking at the stitches so she has to wear it again. But so far it has helped keep her incision looking good so we will plow on.


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## grifter102 (Dec 5, 2010)

My Lala had to have her collar on for 10 days straight. I made sure to never take it off, since I didn't want her chewing her stitches, which would make her have to wear it even longer.

I think she got used to it after a few days, the hardest thing for her was being another 3-4 inches wide. She'd always pass by various objects in her room, trying to rub her face on them, but just smacking the collar instead. I made sure whenever I pet her to scratch inside the cone - the one place she couldn't reach. I had just gotten her before we had her spayed, and she wasn't very comfortable with us yet. I think by helping her scratch inside the collar it made her realize that I was a "friend", and once I took the collar off she was much more affectionate.

Think of it like a human wearing a cast... it's unfortunate for a while, but it's necessary.


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