It doesn’t have to be the cone of shame

Depending on what surgery your pet received, the Veterinarian might recommend they wear a cone.  There are a few different options that I have come across. 

The first one is a hard stiff plastic and can come opaque or clear. As a pet owner I would be resistant to use an opaque cone because I do not like the fact the cat or dog can not see what is happening around them. It is unnatural for their peripheral vision to be blocked. Some struggles with the hard plastic cones is that they can break easily and the pet may stumble into things they normally would not have before.  A major downfall of hard plastic cones is the pet can have difficulty eating and drinking with it on. 

There are clear hard plastic cones that are a bit more Fear Free. 

These soft material cones are what we have started using when appropriate. The pet can eat and drink with them on and can see through the window slits. 

These inflatable cones are another option. The idea with these ones are that the pet can’t turn their head enough to lick the area. These might be good for incisions on the shoulder or back but are not recommended for foot or leg injuries. 

There are other alternatives as well.  These shirts can be great for cats or dogs that refuse to eat or drink when they have a cone on.  They are a better option then no cone.

This dog got a Fear Free cone from the clinic! Did I mention they can also be washed?

There are many cone options and alternatives.  we like to choose which one the pet will tolerate the most.