How to Make an Elizabethan Collar

If you ever have to keep your dog or cat from scratching or rubbing any place on his/her head, or you have to keep your pet from licking or biting on a wound or stitches on the body, use an Elizabethan collar. You can buy these at pet stores or get one from your veterinarian. Or you can make one. This is how I make mine.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 
    
   The second cat is wearing an Elizabethan collar

   You are really just creating a cone that sits over the head of the pet, but you want to make it as comfortable as possible for the pet. The idea is to keep the trouble-making part of the body (that scratches or bites) from the part of the body that's in trouble (and mustn't get scratched or bitten!

2. 
    
   The basic form for bendable plastic or cardboard

   I like to make mine out of a fairly stiff clear plastic so the pet retains some peripheral vision.

3. 
    
   The plastic was small so the blue tape shows two halves. The whole cone is NOT taped together yet for the photo.

   Cut a large curve at the top and a small one at the bottom where the collar will fit around the neck. Plan on using a much bigger piece of plastic (or cardboard) than you'd expect.

4. 
    

   Make loops along the bottom of your cut out collar to thread a ribbon through so you can tie it comfortably around the neck. I use strips made from offcuts from the plastic curved piece. Folding them in half, I staple them into loops to the bottom of collar, then I tape them over(blue tape) to make sure they stay in place and there is nothing to catch or scratch.

5. 
    

   Thread through a thick, soft string or a flat piece of ribbon. Then curve the collar around your pet's neck and tie the 'draw string' so it is loose but won't slide up. Then tape the overlapped plastic or cardboard cone edge closed. You can trim the top of the collar if it is too large. You want your pet to be able to eat and drink with the collar on.

6. 
    
   A professionally made Elizabethan collar

   Hopefully, your pet will heal quickly so he or she won't have to wear the collar very long. In the meantime, expect to clean the collar often and know that there will be a lot of scraping sounds as your kitty discovers he or she can't fit his/her head in the usual small places. If you are using it on a dog, keep an eye on your pal since dogs tend to butt up against walls with these collars on and get stuck. You may have to re-direct your pup away from flat vertical surfaces now and again.

Resources

• How to avoid dog flu
• How to help your dog lose weight
• How to help your cat lose weight

[Ballzy]

on 10/20/2008 Great Article! Thanks for the info! 5*