Hi :)

After your advice regarding having Molly Spayed, she is booked in at the vets tomorrow for a test to see if she is due to come in to season soon. If not we will confirm the date for having her spayed!

Can you please offer some advice on helping her cope post op.

I am a bit worried about her wearing the 'lampshade' while we are at work!  She has a dog flap for access to the garden and she obviously will not be able to use that.  I know my neighbour comes in every day but she is so used to having free access to the garden I am worried how she will cope.

Would it be better to wait until we have time off in August so we can be around for her? would waiting that few weeks mean she will need another test before we have her spayed?

Thank you :)

When was her last season ?

I very rarely use collars . I find that they upset rather than help recovery.

The ideal time for a spay is bang smack in the middle, 3 months after the finish. (if she comes in regularly every 6 months you can work out the best time)

My girl had her 'lampshade' off when I was at home and being supervised but I put it on if I popped out and on a night-time just to make sure she did not lick her fresh wound or attempt to pull out the stitches (some dogs do) but after the 2nd night it was off as she showed no interest in her wound.

So, it will depend on your girl if she is going to undo the stitches or ignore them, unfortunately, you won't know until she has it done. :-)

August would be a better time to be able to keep an eye on her, but if her season is about to start then.... not really any good. :-)

If you really need to do the spay when you are at work, I would keep the collar on for 2 days and just have your neighbour come to let her out more regularly for a toilet break, (she'll survive not having the freedom to come and go ;-) ) if she is not licking her wound it can come off then, but if she is........ best to keep it on rather than need to go back for re-stitching.

Also to add if you really have to use one try this as they are much better.

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/veterinary-supplies-pet-medicals-c-141_438/comfy-collar-an-alternative-to-elizabethan-collar-p-2535

I would be interested to know what Test the vets are using to see if she is due in season. When I was waiting for my bitch who was 2 months late coming in i was told there was no way of finding out when a season was due.
I have never had to use a lampshade on any of my dogs  with wounds, they have always left them alone...thanks goodness. I would wait until you have time to be with her for at least 72 hrs post op anyway in case she has a reaction to the GA.
Aileen

I don't like Elizabethan collars at all and neither to my dogs. On the rare occasion when one has been advised, we have abandoned it within 24 hours.

Can't remember if I've told this story on this forum before but if so, apologies for repetition. I was living is Hungary a few years ago .My husband went to put out the rubbish bag and was away a long time. He returned with the explanation that he'd encountered a poor dog by the rubbish bins with a lampshade stuck round its neck. Assuming, he told me, that the dog had got into this situation while scavenging in the bins, he thought he'd help the poor creature by removing it. It had been a bit of a struggle but he'd eventually succeeded and chucked tho remains of the 'lampshade ' into the bin. I explained to him that 'scavenging' dog was in fact our neighbour's and the 'lampshade' was in fact a special device to prevent him getting to his stitches following surgery the previous day ! Said nothing to neighbour and just hoped she didn't find the collar in our bin.

I only have to show one of my dogs the 'flower pot' collar and he acts the perfect angel and doesn't touch a wound LOL!

Would it be better to wait until we have time off in August so we can be around for her?

Yes. This is a major operation and you can't leave her unattended until the stitches are out or dissolved, about 10days.

Some vets use specially designed post-op t-shirts, I know someone who used one for her rott.  Or if you can find one long enough (shouldn't be hard for a cocker :-)) then a normal t-shirt should be fine, just tie a not in the top and bottom over her back to tighten it up a bit.

I have always used a "back to front" human tee shirt.
Put the head opening over the dogs tail,the arm holes on the back legs and knot the waist around the dogs trunk...it works a treat to stop and licking or stitch pulling.  Also dust the wound with gold bond antiseptic talc..  My girls have been fine without an e collar , and healed fast with their tee shirts.
You can also secure the end of the shirt to the dogs collar if it slips forward.

I'm another who don't use the collars. The vets send me home with one (well okay the dog or cat), I add it to my ever growing collection. I have some in the kitchen cupboard, some in the hall, even one in the bedroom. :) But I would not want to leave a newly spayed bitch alone, whether she wore a collar or not -safest to be with her for the first few days to keep an eye on her. That's how my Ginny ended up sleeping on our bed every night -I wanted to be able to keep an eye on her so she didn't touch her stitches. 3 years on and she's still sleeping on the bed LOL.

Thanks for your opinions and advice :) I will do away with the horrible lampshade and go for the T-Shirt!

Molly is booked in for the 2nd of August, which is great as we have the following 2 weeks off work :)  I am due to meet my potential new Gordon breeder at the end of the month!  Can't wait! :) Hopefully there may be news of a potential litter :)

I think it can depend on the dog as to whether or not you need to use a protective collar. When my WSD was neutered  he never attempted to touch his stitches at all. My GR had a growth removed from over his hip area and despite wearing an Elizabethan collar - the largest they make - he was able to reach the site of the wound. I also had a comfy collar for him but he ended up having to wear both collars in an attempt to stop him. He very quickly learnt that he could sit down and put his head between his back legs contorting himself into a position you wouldn't believe was possible and nibble at the stitches.

I tried a T-shirt and he removed it in no time, tried an all in one coat with legs and he managed to undo the zip and reach the wound, tried a pair of knickers on him, a jumper and a children's shampoo ring around his middle section and nothing worked at all. He managed to take out one of his stitches even though he wasn't left alone at all and then the wound developed an abcess. Poor boy ended up wearing two comfy collars along with an Elizabethan for a total of 8 weeks and was very fed up and depressed during the very long healing process.