My dog won't eat or drink with his e-collar on. What can I do?

No, it's not common to see any appetite changes with a corneal ulcer. If Mylie is on any oral medications for her eye problem, it's possible that they may be upsetting her stomach. If not, I would be concerned that she may have a separate problem causing her to not eat or drink. Either way, I would recommend calling your veterinarian or taking her back in for a recheck. She may need lab work or other testing to help determine why she isn't eating or drinking, so she can get started on appropriate treatment.

It may be a combination of factors. Certainly as you mentioned the e collar may be bothering her, and she may just be recovering. I’m not that concerned about pain as it’s been several days since the surgery and she should no longer be in acute pain. I would take off the e collar when you are watching her, then play with her, brush her or interact with her with playing with toys etc. If she becomes more active she’ll get hungrier and will start back eating. As long as she’s drinking and eating treats you’re fine to give her another day or so to see if she returns to normal. If she still isn’t eating and is lethargic then please take her back for a recheck. She may have an infection from the surgery but that is unlikely. Be patient and I expect her to be better in a day or so. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you care for Dewey.

Because Lily is eating wet food, she is getting moisture into her system through that. If she won't drink water, I would offer her more wet food to increase her hydration. She likely is having trouble drinking water with the cone on. Put the water in a similar bowl to the one she is eating out of, as she can clearly eat with the cone on from that bowl. Be sure to keep the cone on her because she will rip out her drains if she has access to them. To keep it on her, you can use a cat collar strung through the loops of Ecollar to prevent her from taking it off.

The cone should stay on unless Jazmin has trouble eating or drinking. If this happens, it can be removed for mealtimes but should be replaced immediately afterwards. If you see her having trouble on the stairs, carry her up or gently raise her head to clear the steps. She will acclimate to the collar in a day or two.

Hopefully he will do better tonight as he gets used to the cone. You could try a different type of e-collar - some dogs will do better with a clear plastic or an inflatable version. I’ve had some patients that have needed a sedative to keep the collar on as well. Since he’s a little dog a post surgery bodysuit might be an option. I’d recommend seeing if your vet carries any other types of e collars to try first.

Hello. I would definitely take the collar off for a bit & see if he relaxes without it. You can always put the collar back on if he will not leave the biopsy site alone. If he truly needs a collar, check with your local Petco or other pet supply to purchase one of the soft, cloth-like collars. They are much more comfortable & Whisker's may do better with one of these. But if he leaves the site alone, he may not need to wear anything at all. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

Depending on how severe the ulcer is, the sutures will need to stay in place for at least 2 weeks, and sometimes more. I am glad you got the cone for him to prevent him from rubbing the eye and tearing the sutures out accidentally. After the first few days of surgery you can try removing the cone, while he is under your supervision, to give him a break from it. You can also remove the cone when he is eating to make it easier for him. Good luck during his recovery, I hope he does great!

Get an elizabethan collar that is firm, plastic and extends past his nose. It must extend past his nose! Make sure it is tight enough (but you should be able to fit two fingers between the collar and his skin so not too tight) so it doesn't slide down: https://www.amazon.com/Total-Pet-Health-Elizabethan-Collars/dp/B00FXKSWUC/ref=sr_1_9?crid=355YAQ65NHWAK&keywords=elizabethan+collar+for+dogs&qid=1580920059&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=elizabethan%2Cpets%2C253&sr=1-9 Then get one of the donut elizabethan collars to wear behind the plastic elizabethan collar to limit Shavy's movement: https://www.amazon.com/Protective-Inflatable-Collar-Dogs-Collar/dp/B0725C3RJX The links above are just to show you what I'm talking about. This method should stop him from reaching the incision. It is very important to keep him from licking the incision because he could open it up or cause an infection. Have him examined by the veterinarian if needed. I hope this helps.

Another check up is absolutely needed as a severe infection of the conjunctiva and eye surface is possible. Corneal ulceration are typically very painful up to the point where squinting is constant. The eye surface must be checked as some type of ulcers can progress very quickly. Systemic antibiotic may be needed as well.

Hello! In all likelihood, Bruce is annoyed by the cone and not actually hurting. Make sure that you can fit two fingers snugly between the cone and his neck- this will ensure that it is not on too tightly. Many cones fit into collars, and this may make it more comfortable for him. If the cone is not on too tightly and there are no sharp edges poking into his skin, it should be comfortable. However, it is a strange and new experience for Bruce to have "tunnel vision" and he may bump the side of the cone into walls, tables, your shins, etc. :) Some dogs are okay with the cone when they are relaxing, but do much better at eating and toileting with the cone off. My own dog refuses to urinate if he is wearing a cone, so I take it off to walk him when he needs to wear one. If he is truly distressed about wearing the cone, you can call your vet and ask them for a mild anti-anxiety drug for him to take while he wears the cone and heals. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Boop by Pet