We and our pets know those Elizabethan or lampshade collars are the pits. Here’s a handy do-it-yourself alternative for protecting an incision or wound site on your pet’s torso from Instructables. You’ll find good instructions for making a body sock or “cat jacket” out of an old t-shirt.
This could also be used on dogs, rabbits, ferrets, etc. It might not be enough to stop an obsessive pet from messing with their stitches, but I think it would work with a lot of pets. A side benefit could be that wearing this body sock might help curtail their activity, which is another post-surgery need. Try it out!
Check out these other alternatives to Elizabethan collars:
I saw this great rug in Dwell. It’s a simple white rug livened up with rabbit tracks so it looks like some bunny has been hopping through the snow. I love it! The rug is called Silence and was designed by Permafrost in Norway.
Looking for the perfect Spring/Easter gift for that bunny lover who has everything? How about this super cute rabbit dish rack designed by Chris Koens. (via SwissMiss) I didn’t find it for sale in the US, but you can pick one up from DutchbyDesign or the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The Ticked Off tick remover is a simple, but clever tool for getting ticks off your animals. There is a notch in the spoon-like part that you use to slide the tick out of the skin. The instructions are careful to note that you slide the tool. You don’t use it to lift or pry the tick out.
I’ve written about tick removal before. By sure to check out the video in the previous post on how to get the whole tick out with just one finger (wear gloves). And you can read up on twelve of the diseases ticks can transmit.
(Note to subscribers: There was a technical glitch after an upgrade and not everyone was getting email notices of new posts. The previous attempt to fix the problem didn’t work. Hopefully it’s fixed this time! Sorry for any inconvenience.)
We picked up a copy of The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health for $13.99 at Costco last night. I don’t know if all Costcos have it, but it’s worth checking out. The regular price is $22.95 and Amazon charges $21.95 with shipping.
The book is a very comprehensive guide written by the people who wrote The Merk Veterinary Manual which is the most used vet manual. The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health covers dogs, cats, horses, and, to a lesser degree, birds. There are also sections on exotic pets including:
- amphibians,
- chinchillas
- ferrets
- fish
- gerbils
- guinea pigs
- hamsters
- mice
- prairie dogs
- potbellied pigs
- rabbits
- rats
- reptiles
- sugar gliders.
According to the New York Times review, owners of exotic pets also need a book dedicated to the species they own. The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health would give you a good idea of what it takes to keep those exotic animals though.
This is a smart purchase. The book also includes sections on diagnostic tests–what they are and what they’re for, drugs and vaccines, pain management, and has the longest list of zoonoses I’ve ever seen.
