I can’t remember if I have mentioned that our Blake has a bad habit of licking one particular spot on one of his legs? He has done it on and off for as long as we’ve had him (by the way, it was his gotcha day last Sunday, 4 years he’s been with us!)
When we got him, he had a big raw spot on his leg and the people at Dogs Trust thought that maybe he’d got hurt while he was left abandoned. But it turned out that it’s a thing he does, so we have to keep an eye on him all the time, or he has to wear a cone.
The weird thing is, there can be several months where he’s absolutely fine, doesn’t give his leg a second thought. But then there are also times when it seems like all he wants to do is lick his leg raw. It is very frustrating, for us and for him of course.
Well, the other week when I was ordering a new cone, like the one in the top picture, I thought I’d try ordering one of these inflatable collars. Just to see if maybe that’s more comfortable for him. And you know, I really think it is.
It certainly makes it easier for him to see what’s going on around him, because he’s not wearing what’s pretty much a plastic lampshade! :-D And it’s also easier for him to eat and drink because the collar doesn’t stick out as much (less mess for us to clean up as well).
And there’s an added bonus for us. Blake sometimes (most of the time, yeah, we’re those people) sleeps in the bed with us and it’s a lot more comfortable not to be poked in the leg by the plastic cone. So I think we safely say it’s a win for everyone.
Although he seemed very skeptical when I first put it on him, I think Blake is even enjoying that the inflatable is sort of a wearable pillow for him. :-D
So maybe if your dog (or cat?) needs to wear a cone, this inflatable type might be worth a try? Blake can definitely recommend it.
Yes! When our pup was neutered a couple of weeks ago, we put one of these on him instead of a cone, and it was super. He never seemed uncomfortable, and when he bonked it against walls or furniture it didn’t seem nearly as disruptive (or uncomfortable) as bonking a cone. ❤️
My dog Rowland has a bad habit of licking spots on his feet raw, either on the pads or between them. He then limps like a pathetic old man until they heal, and he suffers from us constantly telling him to “stop licking!” We tried one of those inflatable collars and it worked pretty well, although he’s so big he can still stretch and reach his feet if he’s really determined. But yes, the collar was like a big pillow for his naps, and for the most part he didn’t mind too much.
When I read your comment about Blake’s occasional problem, I immediately thought allergies – I’m in Florida and pollen season is in full swing. I also remembered the advice a friend got when her dog went through a spell of compulsive licking; in her case it was accompanied by a terrible odor. The vet told her that it was probably a type of yeast infection causing an itch and the licking helped spread the smell. Before going to an expensive medical treatment, the vet suggested that she wash the dog in Selsun Blue shampoo, which is formulated to address the yeast-like fungus that often causes dandruff. She tried it – problem solved!
That may not be Blake’s problem but it might be worth a try.
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Blake has doggy hay fever and we give him tablets for that. The licking on his leg seems to be a psychological thing. It may have been caused by him being abandoned and licking his leg was some weird kind of comfort for him. He had a big sore on his leg when we first got him but back then we didn’t know that it was a thing that would continue. But thank you for the shampoo tip, it may be worth a try. :-)