Just got my dog fixed and I have a question??

My dog got fixed on Wed. They put a cone on her head to keep her from licking her stitches. She hates the cone of course, but the vet says that I need to keep in on her for another week.
I was talking to a few people that have female dogs and they said that when they got their dogs fixed, the vet didn't put a cone on. My DH is dying to take it off early, but I'm not sure. Anyone else have any experience with this. They also told me that she can only go outside to go to the bathroom, and she can't run or jump. It is so hard keeping a 5 month old puppy still.

Re: Just got my dog fixed and I have a question??

When I had my dog neutered they put that cone/elizabethan collar on him and since he is so big, the collar was huge and he kept walking into things and scaring himself. When he got home from the vet he got so scared he tried to run into the closet and hit the cone on a lamp and lknocked it over and it was just so sad. I took it off him the night he got home. They said 10 days, I spoke to a few friends who have Bullmastiffs and they said take it off so I did. I just watched him to make sure he didnt lick his wound. He was fine. He was playing like normal the next day.
Not sure if the surgery is worse for the females, but thats my story!

Re: Just got my dog fixed and I have a question??

My vet doesn't use the cones for males or females. I have one of each and with my girl, she was licking the incision. So they suggested I put a tshirt on her, one that went past the incision area. It was a bit larger than her, so I tied it up in the back, making it fitted around her waist, and she couldn't get at the incision. It healed that way and she never had to wear the cone! Very important though!!! I would just be hesitant and careful with the tshirt if the dog is going to be alone with the tshirt on. I was afraid she might try to jump and get caught on something and choke herself. I am a very paranoid doggie mama. But I was off with her about a week or so, and stayed with her all times I had the tshirt on her and I never left it on her if I had to run out. HTH

Message edited 6/27/2008 11:49:55 PM.

Re: Just got my dog fixed and I have a question??

Misty had the cone and she had to wear it for a week.
She actually got it off one day in the crate and started licking the incision. She actually pulled one of the stitches out and the incision started to open. This was about five days after the surgery. We took her to the emergency vet and they put a tighter cone on her.

Re: Just got my dog fixed and I have a question??

Daisy didn't have a cone. We were just asked not to allow her to jump anywhere, so we carried her.

Additionally, she licked her stitches once - that was when she came home and licked the orange stuff off her belly (I think it was iodine).

Her stitches dissolved within a few weeks.

Re: Just got my dog fixed and I have a question??

i agree with the poster who mentioned the t shirt idea, when i was younger we did something like this for our cat when she was fixed and she didn't lick the stiches

Re: Just got my dog fixed and I have a question??

I would take it off when I could observe her for HOURS at a time and see if she even tries to mess with the stitches. If she doesn't, I would take it off.

Re: Just got my dog fixed and I have a question??

Re: Just got my dog fixed and I have a question??

All of my female dogs had the cones so they wouldn't lick the stiches. I would listen to what the vet says, or at the very least, call him before you take it off. the T-shirt was a good idea, but I would run it by him first.