Cervical Collar for Dogs

Cervical collars for dogs do not perform the same job as cervical collars for humans. Cervical, or Elizabethan, collars prevent dogs from accessing areas on their body they need to leave alone. Veterinarians typically recommend them to keep dogs from bending their necks to chew injured or surgical areas. Several styles of these collars are available to the dog owner.

  1. Function

    • Dogs are limber and bend their necks to access all areas of their bodies with their mouths. They tend to chew or lick areas that have recently undergone surgical procedures or are injured. Keeping a dog away from those areas promotes quicker and more efficient healing. Cervical collars disable dogs from bending their necks around to reach these compromised areas.

    History

    • The most common type of cervical collar is known as an Elizabethan collar. The name was borrowed from once-fashionable high, ruffled collars worn by men and women documented as early as the 1500s. The collars gave the appearance of extending beyond a wearer's neck and framed the back and sides of the neck and head, framing the wearer's face.

    Original Elizabethan Collar

    • The original and most frequently used of the veterinary cervical collars is still the bucket-type style known as the Elizabethan collar. This collar is fitted at the neck of the dog and secured there by weaving the narrow end of the collar with the dog's buckle collar or a length of gauze. This secures the collar on the neck of the dog. The open and widest end of the collar extends beyond the dog's nose, making it appear as if the dog's head is in a open-ended bucket. The collar restricts the dog's neck, preventing the muzzle from reaching most areas of the body. The main problem with these collars is that to work properly they need to extend beyond the dog's field of vision, thus allowing him only to see straight ahead.

    New Designs

    • The Bite Not and Pro Collars are new collar designs. The Bite Not actually resembles a human cervical collar, while the Pro Collar looks like a doughnut on the neck. These rigid collars are made to fit based on the size of your dog's neck. The principle is the same. The collar restricts the bend in the dog's neck so he cannot reach problem areas. The benefit of these collars is that the dog's field of vision is not limited, since the bucket effect does not exist. The downside is that some creative dogs are still able to reach areas they need to leave alone.

    Where to Find a Collar

    • If your veterinarian recommends a cervical collar for your dog, most will provide a collar for you, but it will likely be of the old Elizabethan design. The newer designs are available from high-end pet supply stores and through online retailers.

    Warnings

    • Place the collar on your dog for the first time when you can be with the dog to observe his reaction. Some tend to panic and, especially using the original design, tend to bang into things since they are not used to having something wide on their heads. Most dogs adapt quickly if the collar is left in place.