Dog onesie vs. Dog Cone. Key Factors To Consider:
So the question now is: should you use a dog onesie instead of a cone? The short answer is: it depends. A dog recovery suit is great for some situations, while an e-collar is more appropriate for others–in some cases, it might be helpful to use both! So what are the important factors to consider when you’re choosing between a dog recovery suit vs a cone?
If the site you’re trying to protect is on your dog’s trunk or abdomen, you can use either a dog onesie or an e-collar. Both of these contraptions will be effective at preventing access to sutures from gastrointestinal, urogenital, chest, and spine surgeries, as well as any injury or skin condition in the back or belly. However, for medical conditions affecting the limbs, face, and tail, an e-collar is your best bet. The e-collar works by limiting the reach of the tongue, it also limits the animals ability to scratch at its head. So, it is more versatile than the dog recovery suit that covers only the dog’s chest and abdomen.
There are some dogs that are driven by an intense desire to get at the very area they’re not supposed to touch. And while you might think that a dog with strong willpower to lick or bite the site would benefit from using a sturdy and durable cone as opposed to a soft, cotton onesie, you’d be surprised to know that the opposite can be true.
The discomfort of using a cone may make our furry friends restless, making them much more likely to engage in self-traumatizing behavior. There have been cases wherein dogs that keep trying to get at their wounds when placed in a cone suddenly mellow down when wearing a onesie.
But for dogs who just won’t stop going for their wounds or sutures, combining a cone and a onesie may be an option. You can opt to remove the cone to give them a break from the discomfort, but be sure to supervise them even while they’re wearing their onesie.
Your dog’s comfort during the recovery stage is not just an animal welfare issue, but a medical one. During times of chronic stress, the hormone cortisol tends to depress the immune response. Studies have shown that this leads to slower wound healing, increased incidence of gastric ulcers and diarrhea, and inefficiencies in the digestion and absorption of nutrients. It is clear that recovery can be enhanced by preventing stress in dogs recovering from surgery or illness.
Unfortunately, canine comfort appears to be vastly impaired when they are wearing a cone. This can manifest in two ways. Some dogs seem depressed and sad, with their ears lying flat on their heads and their eyes wide with discomfort. Others are manic and restless, engaging in desperate attempts to take the contraption off. It is for this reason that fur parents begin to look for a dog cone alternative to help keep the animal calm and relaxed.
This intense discomfort is likely caused by the cone’s interference with sight and sound reception. A dog’s peripheral vision becomes much more limited with the e-collar’s wide brim. The cone also tends to amplify sound waves as they bounce around the animal’s head and into its ears. We know that the canine’s sense of hearing is much more sensitive than ours, so it’s easy to understand why it would cause them discomfort. With poor range of sight and painfully loud sounds, dogs can get disoriented and scared–which explains their pitiful expression when they are wearing the cone.
In the study by Shenoda et al. (2020), owners reported that their pets experienced difficulty with a number of daily activities, including drinking and eating. This negatively affects recovery, as dogs need nutritional input to bounce back from disease and surgery. In the same study, approximately 25% of those interviewed reported their dogs getting injured from bumping into objects, falling down stairs, stumbling, and skin irritation around the area of the cone. Again, this is not good news for pets recovering from medical conditions.
On the other hand, using a dog recovery suit or t-shirt instead of an e-collar is much less restrictive when it comes to hearing and sight. Many dogs, particularly those used to wearing clothes, have no problem going about their day in a onesie. They can eat, drink, and play just fine, which tells us that the stress they feel from wearing it is negligible, if non-existent.
Facilitating your dog’s recovery demands your time and attention. It calls for administering medicines and ointments, making sure they eat and drink, watching out for symptoms of infection or recurrence, and constantly making sure they’re healing well. Ideally, what you use to keep them from getting at their stitches should remain intact so you can go about your day without worrying too much.
If your dog is used to a cone, then this should be no problem. But if they’re not, you may need to remove it intermittently to allow them to do their other activities. For example, if the cone prevents them from drinking, eating, or doing potty time, then you’ll need to give them a break every few hours. Depending on the design of the e-collar, this can take time to remove and put back on. While you can train your dog to be comfortable in a cone, it will take time, effort, and patience to achieve.
Many pet owners find that using a recovery t-shirt instead of e-collar for dogs is more convenient. Onesies for dogs are designed to accommodate the needs of our four-legged friends, with a clip-up system that makes it very easy for them to do their business without getting their recovery suit dirty, or needing to take it on and off each time a dog goes outside. The only time you have to take it off is to wash it.
When comparing a dog recovery suit vs a cone in terms of convenience, it’s worth considering that the suit allows for stabilization of the bandage. It helps hug the bandage against the skin, preventing it from slipping or sliding–even with some scratching. Dog onesies even come with a small pocket to insert gauze sheets for absorbing wound exudates and excess topical ointment. This is conveniently situated in the belly portion, where many surgical incisions are made.
One of the simplest alternatives for the cone of shame is to dress your cat or small dog in a onesie. A onesie will provide full coverage for your pet, covering their torso, preventing them from licking or tearing at any stitches. It’s also a far more adorable option.
If you aren’t in the mood for a little DIY, there are also some store-bought alternatives to the stiff plastic collar. Some of these options include a soft collar, which fastens around your pet’s neck, as well as an inflatable collar, which looks like a big fluffy doughnut.
If you don’t have any onesies on hand, another alternative is to cut up an old t-shirt to create a post-surgical suit. For this option, you’ll cut out a large square of fabric, cut four holes for the arms and legs, position your cat or small dog in the leg/arm holes, then use safety pins to fasten everything.
The good news is that there are some more comfortable alternatives to the cone of shame, which will leave you and your pet feeling a little bit calmer.
You’ll need to customise the leg and arm holes for your pet, and when it comes to pinning the suit, you’ll want to pin along the top of your pet, rather than the abdomen, for comfort’s sake. If your pet is patient enough, you can try using a darning needle and some yarn to stitch the jacket into place, in place of safety pins. (You’ll have to cut them out of the jacket, but that’s why you use an old t-shirt.)
Following spay/neuter surgery, your pet will require time and a little extra attention to ensure their body properly heals. The following aftercare instructions provide guidelines for the next several days of your pets recovery, as well as what to expect and potential red flags.
If you have questions or concerns that are not addressed here, please call AHS Vet Centers at 763-489-7729. Video URL
Do not allow your pet to lick or chew their incision. Licking can lead to serious complications like the incision opening or becoming infected. This can be painful and may require follow-up visits which could result in unexpected costs.
The following guidelines will help you to determine if your pet’s recovery is normal, requires attention, or is in a state of emergency. These guidelines dont cover every potential issue, so if you have concerns that are not addressed here, please call us at 763-489-7729 or seek emergency treatment at one of these locations. Normal issues after surgery
To prevent irritating the incision, we recommend you purchase an Elizabethan collar (E-collar) to keep your pet from being able to reach the area with their mouth. These cone collars are the most effective protection against your pet causing trauma to their incision, and should be worn for 10-14 days following surgery.