collars or not collars?

Re: collars or not collars?

plantagenet — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:00:20 GMT

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"]

I almost always use intradermals, and ALWAYS supply a buster collar for any surgery, including spays and castrates, excluding cat neuters though as they have no sutures.

I have seen plenty of animals lick and chew holes in themselves without E collars, and it is practice policy that they go home with them , and that the owner is SHOWN how to fit them, and reasons explained fully.

That way, any interference with the wound is down to the owner. Any other problems with wounds are down to us, and we deal accordingly.

[/quote]

ditto

Re: collars or not collars?

Stephen Courtney — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:54:37 GMT

I almost always use intradermals, and ALWAYS supply a buster collar for any surgery, including spays and castrates, excluding cat neuters though as they have no sutures.

That way, any interference with the wound is down to the owner. Any other problems with wounds are down to us, and we deal accordingly.

Re: collars or not collars?

Rob Davis — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:57:47 GMT

[quote user="Lorna McHardy"]I think he'd be better off taking some time to train his dog properly - that, or build a higher fence[/quote]

If only.....

Re: collars or not collars?

Lorna McHardy — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:53:07 GMT

[quote user="Rob Davis"]

I'm not sure why all those who don't routinely use collars have been one-starred! I try to avoid collars wherever possible - owners and patients invariably hate them. Occasionally they are a necessary evil, but they don't seem to be needed most of the time.

On a slightly different note, my neighbour has been having trouble with his dog escaping from his garden and getting into our field and chasing our sheep. His solution has been to fit a buster collar to prevent him escaping. I am uncomfortable with the collar being used for this purpose (presumably long term). What are others thoughts on this?

[/quote]

I think he'd be better off taking some time to train his dog properly - that, or build a higher fence. I also think a buster collar is unlikely to prevent a dog from escaping if it really wants to escape, and will have no other effect than to annoy and possibly stress the dog. In fact, I think it's one of the daftest ideas I've heard in a while.

Re the OP, I'm concluding that no-one's produced any evidence either way, and for the opinions, it's just like the haematoma thread

Re: collars or not collars?

Thomas Johnson — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:55:19 GMT

We don't routinely send animals home with buster collars, if the animal has been trying to lick the wound while at the surgery it will get one, and we discss it with owners when they collect the animals. We do intraderma sutures in all our routine ops and I can't remember the last time we had a problem.

Also we now mainly use the soft collars, I have to admit that I was very sceptical, but have been very impressed, the only thing I find they are not good for is limb extremities.

Re: collars or not collars?

Rob Davis — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:38:18 GMT

Re: collars or not collars?

Utlendigur — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:51:11 GMT

We simply sell ours out as we would any other product - standard mark up + vat - which also has the advantage of re-ordering a replacement (provided they're priced up correctly). We sometimes loan an owner a collar "in case" eg at a weekend when it would be harder for the owner to get a collar if needed - but don't charge if they return it unused.

IMHO we get more complaints about collars than the lack of them - damage to decor or furniture, owners complaining about grazes or bruises, behavioural issues, skin/ear problems worsening/starting in dogs prone to them - hence only using when there seems a risk. Plus we seem to have a lot of owners who modify the collars anyway - had a bichon in yesterday whose owner had turned the collar into a ruff about 10cm wide which was doing precisely nothing

Re: collars or not collars?

Louise6732 — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:31:41 GMT

We don't routinely send home with buster collars, but will do if the owner asks, or if the animal is having a go at wound/IV catheter etc then will get a BC home.

At a guesstimate, I'd say we see around 1in150 post op patient interference which needs a BC. (Very approximate, but it's not every other patient!) Of these, a BC usually sorts things.

For those who send home with collars, how do you charge? Is it included for spays/castrates, or extra? Also is it extra for eg lump removals etc? Or is it included in your GA fee? Intersting to know as a 25-30cm BC does work out quite expensive!

Louise

Re: collars or not collars?

Lorna McHardy — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:48:50 GMT

[quote user="Rob Watkins"]

Would someone not be able to answer this following a review of their clinical audit?

[/quote]

I don't really understand clinical audit; and I'm not aware of having worked anywhere where it's done. At least, not anywhere I've been advised of it or of the results. <Resolves to read book on the subject, which is sitting on the shelf being ignored at present>

Re: collars or not collars?

Rob Watkins — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:23:06 GMT

Would someone not be able to answer this following a review of their clinical audit?

Re: collars or not collars?

emma o'connor — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:36:42 GMT

we always provide a collar to go home with , and instruct the owner to use it when the animal is left unattended or if is seen to be bothering at its wounds. Dog castrates always seem to be the worst for licking the area afterwards! It is then up to the owner whether they use it or not, but then it is also their fault not ours if there are post op complications following licking of the wound.

My response to those who say that if your surgery and suturing is good enough then there should be no reason for trauma, is that dogs and cats don't always read the text books, and i see plenty of them with nice sutures that are not too tight etc who still want to have a lick at the wound

Re: collars or not collars?

Dagmar Steele — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:04:52 GMT

I am getting away with it now for over twenty years. I use intradermal sutures in all routine OPs, I always offer a collar, most of the owners decline and I don't insist on it. Exceptions are eye surgery, ear surgery, anal surgery - in these I insist on collars. Apart from that we have never had any problems without collars. (Ducking as I already know the next one will chew them out...)

Re: collars or not collars?

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:59:03 GMT

When you people who are getting away without buster collars have seen enough animals that have chewed their stitches out or just licked the wound enough to cause a wound infection you will routinely send home everything with sutures than be got at with a collar just like I do!

Re: collars or not collars?

Bob Russell — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:25:37 GMT

It is a bit of a hassle getting hold of a collar at midnight if necessary so we recommend owners have one in reserve. Pets tend to start bothering the wound at very odd hours!

Re: collars or not collars?

Mark Holmes — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:01:19 GMT

Licking really not a problem BUT in the past the odd one that has then resulted in owners complaining we haven't so now its policy to send one home with the dog. To ge honest it is far less hassle to send a collar home with every dog than deal with the odd complaint.

Re: collars or not collars?

Charlotte Marshall — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:34:31 GMT

We don't routinely send them home with collars.Only really if seen licking before sent home or if requested by owner (apart from ears etc as mentioned above).

Re: collars or not collars?

Utlendigur — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:06:02 GMT

I agree with the two gentlemen above

We send pets home with written instructions including making sure the pet doesn't lick sutures and to collect a collar if they are, but generally find most pets leave the wound alone if the sutures are not too tight. The nurses are also pretty good at flagging up any that have been paying attention to the wound while they are in. The only time I routinely use one is if there is a penrose drain that could be tempting to eat.

Re: collars or not collars?

Robin Grimmer — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:03:43 GMT

agree with all the above and I always use intra-dermals for all my routine ops anyway.

Re: collars or not collars?

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:18:52 GMT

I agree with the gentleman above.

Never routinely send dogs home with buster collars after neutering. I think one of the biggest reasons for wound interference are too tight skin sutures.

There are certain time when I do use them; head and ear surgery, 'licky' dogs, did a perineal urethrostomoy last week and that has a collar on.

On the whole dogs hate them, owners hate them and you shouldn't need them.

Re: collars or not collars?

Richard Carter — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:19:56 GMT

Think there is something wrong with either skin preparation or closure technique if having to routinely use collars. Dogs and cats should leave the wound alone. Worked at a practice that had to b/collar every castrate until clipping and scrubbing reduced to bare minimum.