A frugal tip for those who have dogs
By dragon54u
@dragon54u (31633)
United States
December 11, 2009 2:30pm CST
My rat terrier, Cookie, had to take another trip to the vet yesterday. She had licked a spot on her chest raw and it was filled with fluid. The vet said it was probably caused by Gus playing too rough with her and slamming into her. Anyway, $230 later she had a drain put in for the fluid and came home with meds for pain and infection. She also was wearing the dreaded cone! We all know how much our friends hate these. I saw a cartoon where one dog referred to it as the "cone of shame"! 
I had a 3T sized sweatshirt that I used last winter to keep her warm and took off the cone. The sweatshirt kept her from licking the wound site and she's warm enough, too. The area is seeping as it should so the shirt doesn't stick and I went to Walmart and bought her two more at $3 each.
The vet didn't charge for the loan of the cone so keeping her from licking her wound has only cost me $6 and she looks so cute! And there's no tail between the legs and laid back ears in displeasure from wearing a cone.
These child's sweatshirts are also excellent substitutes for those expensive dog sweaters. I just used a safety pin to cinch up the bottom of it so it doesn't hang on her.
I had a 3T sized sweatshirt that I used last winter to keep her warm and took off the cone. The sweatshirt kept her from licking the wound site and she's warm enough, too. The area is seeping as it should so the shirt doesn't stick and I went to Walmart and bought her two more at $3 each.
The vet didn't charge for the loan of the cone so keeping her from licking her wound has only cost me $6 and she looks so cute! And there's no tail between the legs and laid back ears in displeasure from wearing a cone.
These child's sweatshirts are also excellent substitutes for those expensive dog sweaters. I just used a safety pin to cinch up the bottom of it so it doesn't hang on her.2 people like this
7 responses
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
11 Dec 09
Here's another tip!
An aunt had a mid size female dog which she wouldn't have neutered. She did not believe in unnecessary surgery for her dog. When the inevitable happened and the dog began to pee around in the house, she altered an old pair of panties to fit the dog, and made a hole in the back for the dogs tail. Although this arrangement looked very strange and quite funny, it stopped the peeing, and her dog never got pregnant.
I can only imagine the frustration of the male dogs in the neighborhood! (if she had let the dog out.)
2 people like this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
11 Dec 09
The mental picture that evokes is just priceless! I hope they were pretty, lacy panties. I really enjoy seeing Cookie in such a nice, feminine sweatshirt. Those dog sweaters are usually quite ugly and not very feminine!
I hope they were pretty, lacy panties. I really enjoy seeing Cookie in such a nice, feminine sweatshirt. Those dog sweaters are usually quite ugly and not very feminine!
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
11 Dec 09
This same procedure would have cost me double if we were still in Arizona--things are so cheap here in Ohio! Cookie likes the shirts because she's always cold, I won't turn the heat above 67 in the winter. Yes, the industry really makes a good profit off us dog and cat lovers! Goodwill used to be a good place to get these little shirts but you can get a new one at Walmart for $.25 more than what Goodwill charges for a used one.
@mzz663 (2772)
• United States
12 Dec 09
Wow....I didn't know that would happen from too much licking! One of my dogs kept licking his private parts until they were red and started to look raw, I kept an eye on him and would tell him no or diverted his attention every time he started doing it. It really looked bad. I'm glad he quit! Sounds like a lot to go through!
I'm glad Cookie is doing better with her little sweatshirt and cone!
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
17 Dec 09
Yes, they can really do a lot of damage with those tongues! I got Cookie a couple of turtlenecks and they work even better. Her drain came out Monday and the stitches come out next Monday. Maybe your dog got into something he was allergic to? Half a benedryl tablet or generic equivalent takes care of stuff like that and is safe for dogs.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
11 Dec 09
cute idea... Now the trick is to find the right size for every dog ;0) Perhaps if one of my kids trashes a sweatshirt as his lil area gets awfully cold this time of year. I've tried beds, blankets... he tears them up *sigh*
Plus I think the one neighbor would love it since she dresses up her ....-poo's in cute lil sweaters from time to time.
2 people like this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
11 Dec 09
Cookie is 24 pounds and a 3T fits her well. You just have to get the neck size right. She's wearing one today with a penguin on her back (the front of the shirt) and it says "chill out"!
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
20 Dec 09
oh how smart you are. thanks for that idea. i have noticed that coco can also wear baby things
i hope Gus will soon learn to be more careful with her. when i had my Bear, coco being so much smaller i had to limit their playing together and constantly remind him she was the little "baby" dog so he would remember to be careful with her. and he was. he was such a smart dog. it broke my heart when we had to have him put to sleep.
i still miss him.
i hope Gus will soon learn to be more careful with her. when i had my Bear, coco being so much smaller i had to limit their playing together and constantly remind him she was the little "baby" dog so he would remember to be careful with her. and he was. he was such a smart dog. it broke my heart when we had to have him put to sleep. i still miss him. @dragon54u (31633)
• United States
20 Dec 09
I've had to put down two dogs, both of them very old. I still get teary when I think of them. There was a song playing on the radio with the last one, and to this day I can't bear to hear it or I start to cry.
Cookie's stitches come out tomorrow, hooray! Gus has been quite gentle with her lately, I guess he knows something isn't right. They can be so funny, can't they?
@Java09 (3075)
• United States
17 Dec 09
I have a lhasa apso,and he loves to wear his winter coat I bought him.It was pretty expensive.I think that's a good idea you have there.Maybe I get my dog a couple,he would love it!He gets excited when I puy clothes on him,and he looks so cute too!
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
17 Dec 09
That's such an adorable breed! I do think that many dogs enjoy clothing to a point. My dogs get very upset when I take off their collars, that's their jewelry I guess! Cookie seems to like her sweatshirt but she like the little turtlenecks more. I picked up a couple of those, too, one red and one green.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
11 Dec 09
hi dragon54u what a great tip for mylotters with dogs and
I am sure they will all appreciate it too. I knew that dogs,
at least most that I have seen, hage those cone things.so
to come up with a safe substitute makes great sense to me.
These will keep the dog from licking the wound and promote
quicker healing that way.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
11 Dec 09
Thanks! And you should see her, she's so cute in her little penguin sweatshirt! Those dog sweaters are such a ripoff, they don't even cover the front legs and the cheapest I've seen are $7.
Those dog sweaters are such a ripoff, they don't even cover the front legs and the cheapest I've seen are $7.