# Tess: Can I cut back her Elizabethan collar a bit?



## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

Tess and Wilson had a playdate yesterday, which ended in a fight. We had to take Tess to the vet, where they put two sutures under her eye and they gave me a collar for her to wear. Needless to say, last night was difficult...My impression is, that the collar is rather big. Do you think I can cut of a bit, to give her a little more room in the crate? She shouldn't be able to scratch it with her paw, but now her head is completely covered by it, she looks like a little nun...


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## nixietink (Apr 3, 2008)

Awww poor Tess! Not sure about cutting back, but, I think at Petco they sell soft e-collars. They look way more comfortable. They are called 'The Comfy Cone'.









Or, even better, if you could find a place that sells the 'BiteNot' collar.


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## Abbydabbydo (Jan 31, 2007)

I have never had to cone either of my dogs. I just told them to leave it alone.

How did the fight happen? What did the other guy look like? Sorry for your pain, Tess!


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## C's Mom (Dec 7, 2009)

I'm sorry I don't have any answers about the collar but am sending Tess a soft kiss on the muzzle and hope that she recovers quickly.


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## Our3dogs (Apr 3, 2008)

As long as it is still big enough to keep her paws from reaching the area, go ahead and trim down the e-collar. Sometimes they have to get the larger one (which actually is a bit too large), just because the next size down is just too small. I've done it many times. For our full-grown dogs I also put masking tape around the outside edge, it helps soften the hard plastic edge and hopefully save the paint on the walls when they scrape the walls as they try to walk with them on.


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

_How did the fight happen? What did the other guy look like?_

Wilson is her littermate. And as how the fight happened...one moment they were playing more or less peacefully, the next moment the fur was flying...brother and sister love...We broke the fight up after a few seconds, but the damage was done.


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## buckeyegoldenmom (Oct 5, 2008)

Oh...poor Tess!!! She looks adorable. She will probably get used to it. I have bought the comfy cone....don't think my dog liked it any better. But you can bend it back. However the most important thing is not to let her get her paws up near her eye to scratch. You can leave off the cone if you are with her and able to monitor her completely.

good luck to you and Tess!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Personally, I wouldn't mess with it. It's amazing how bendy they can become when they want to get to something to scratch. Quiz had to wear a GINORMOUS cone when he was neutered. We had to go something like 2 sizes larger ON PURPOSE because he was so bendy!

I did have him sleep in gated in the kitchen rather than the crate when he had the jumbo cone b/c he didn't fit into the crate unless I backed him in and bent the cone to get him out -- which is what we had to do while riding in the car!


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

FlyingQuizini said:


> Personally, I wouldn't mess with it. It's amazing how bendy they can become when they want to get to something to scratch. Quiz had to wear a GINORMOUS cone when he was neutered. We had to go something like 2 sizes larger ON PURPOSE because he was so bendy!
> 
> I did have him sleep in gated in the kitchen rather than the crate when he had the jumbo cone b/c he didn't fit into the crate unless I backed him in and bent the cone to get him out -- which is what we had to do while riding in the car!


That is too funny. I could visualize you trying to bend and twist that cone to get him in his crate! lol!!! I think putting Tess in the kitchen or another room in an X-pen might work out!


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## Goldnbear (Dec 28, 2009)

She looks so adorable but slightly pathetic in the cone, thanks for the pic  Try this; push the cone down towards her shoulder, now push her nose against the side of the cone. If she cannot get her nose past the end of the cone, you should be able to cut it back a little up to that point. If she can almost get it past, DON'T cut it! Agreed, masking tape or medical tape wrapped around the edge and along where the two sides meet will help make it more comfy. Good luck! Sorry for her injury though.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

The one we had for MacKenzie was shorter than any I have ever used. It actually about a couple inches longer than her muzzle. The vet even commented that to come back for a new one if this didn't work.

Well, she wore it for the full week or so, and it did not bother her at all, but still kept her from her inscision. I think it was because it wasn't so big.

Maybe you can get a smaller one.


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

I'll give it another try tonight...Last night I took her up in my bed after having had to rescue her from getting stuck for 4 times, she slept like a baby there. She doesn't seem too bothered by her wound, which is good. The only thing is, that I can't leave her alone, it almost looks like she is guarding me...every move I make, she's there, and her favorite place to chew her antler is on my feet...


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