Sunday, April 7, 2019

Has your dog or cat worn an Elizabethan collar (e-collar) in the last 12 months?



Has your dog or cat worn an Elizabethan collar (often referred to as an e-collar) in the last twelve months? We'd love anyone living with a dog or cat (including vets or vet nurses) to help us by answering a very short survey.

E-collars, are applied to prevent animals from accessing particular areas of their body.

For example, they may be applied after surgery to prevent an animal from licking, biting or chewing a surgical site on the body until it has healed, or to prevent the animal from scratching, rubbing or otherwise injuring the eyes or face.

Different types of e-collars are available, including hard plastic, soft plastic, inflatable collars.  They come in a range of sizes, depending on the size of the patient and the area of the body that requires protection.

Researchers at the University of Sydney, including myself, are seeking to find out how Elizabethan collars impact the behaviour and welfare of animals wearing them. 

Owners of dogs or cats whose pet wore an Elizabethan collar in the last 12 months are invited to complete an online survey which will help us understand the effect these collars have on the animals that wear them.

In order to complete the anonymous survey, you will need to type the following link into your internet browser: http://bit.ly/2ELjiEN