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What types of e-collars or e-collar alternatives really work at keeping dogs from being able to pick at spay stitches?
Our current foster dog is getting spayed next month. She's also getting a mammary tumor removed at the same time, but that's close to her front legs, so it'll be harder for her to get at the stitches for it.
This 50-pound dog is young and agile, and she chews on everything she can that's in contact with her. She has chewed her ID tag that was hanging from her collar, she has chewed on her harness while she was wearing it, she tried to pull off the dog jacket we put on her in cold weather (she would have ripped it if I hadn't taken it off), and she has destroyed a couple of leashes while she was in the back seat of the car. So, she will almost certainly try to chew on the spay stitches, and she will do her utmost to remove an e-collar. If she can get it in her mouth, she will chew on it and/or try to rip it off.
Is a plastic cone of shame the best option for her? New types of collars for this purpose look more comfortable for a dog to wear, but I'm concerned that she'll be able to destroy them, and that even if she can't destroy them, they won't keep her from getting at her spay stitches.
What are your experiences with the various options?
Our current foster dog is getting spayed next month. She's also getting a mammary tumor removed at the same time, but that's close to her front legs, so it'll be harder for her to get at the stitches for it.
This 50-pound dog is young and agile, and she chews on everything she can that's in contact with her. She has chewed her ID tag that was hanging from her collar, she has chewed on her harness while she was wearing it, she tried to pull off the dog jacket we put on her in cold weather (she would have ripped it if I hadn't taken it off), and she has destroyed a couple of leashes while she was in the back seat of the car. So, she will almost certainly try to chew on the spay stitches, and she will do her utmost to remove an e-collar. If she can get it in her mouth, she will chew on it and/or try to rip it off.
Is a plastic cone of shame the best option for her? New types of collars for this purpose look more comfortable for a dog to wear, but I'm concerned that she'll be able to destroy them, and that even if she can't destroy them, they won't keep her from getting at her spay stitches.
What are your experiences with the various options?