Our dog, Joshua, develops "hot spots" in the heat of summer, and constantly chews his back and his bobtail until it is raw and the hair is gone. I have tried all kinds of ointments with no success. So I have devised a collar that I can slip over his head to prevent him from being able to reach those spots to chew. I measured the distance from the back of his ear to his shoulder. (5 inches) Then I measured around his neck. I added a little to this measurement so that the collar would not be too tight.
Using these measurements, I cut 6 layers of muslin, then cut 2 layers from a manila file folder about 1/2 an inch smaller all around. I laid down 3 layers of the muslin, then the 2 layers of cardboard to make it rigid, and then the other 3 layers of the muslin. I sewed around all 4 sides close to the edge, then sewed seams lengthwise about an inch apart to keep the layers from shifting. I took large safety pins and pinned this around his neck.
It is not tight. I can slip it off his head to bathe him, but he cannot get it off. He wasn't real happy with his new collar, but it has prevented him from reaching back and biting those places on his rear and they are healing. The photo shows pretty clearly what I have just described.
You might think this collar takes care of the problem, and yes I'm sure it stops him from being able to chew on himself. But what about the hot spots themselves? They are still there and probably driving him more nuts now that he can't reach them! Try taking him to the vet and finding the cause of his distress and fixing it! This collar would be more practical for use after spaying/neutering, or surgery of some kind to keep him from chewing at his stitches. I do like this collar more than the cone collars the vets give out. And I'd suggest marketing it. Concentrate on the veterinarian community. I bet they'd love it. But to simply keep him from scratching or chewing an itch or a hot spot, if you can't fix the problem with any of the fine products that the other people suggested, TAKE HIM TO THE VET!
Did no one notice those sad, sad puppy dog eyes? He looks so sad. Looks like he was thinking "great first you put this on me and then you go and take my picture? He is adorable and you are one great dog mom! When my doggie got fixed he had the lamp shade the piece of plastic the vet gave us and he kept wiggling out of it my mom had it and put a true lampshade on him that fit just right and he quit licking! Your idea is going to be filed in my mind, just in case. Good job!
Forget the collar. Someone on this site told me about a miracle shampoo for dogs called NEEM. It's amazing. Bathe your dog in it, and his problems will be gone. I found it online. It's everything they said and more. Really. Good luck!
You're on to something. Have you thought about getting a patent and marketing this item? Even if you don't get a patent (very expensive process) you could still make and sell these. If I were you I would check with vets in your area. www.etsy.com is a good website where a lot of crafty folks sell their wares. The website charges a small fee but I'm sure you could make it up with just a couple of sales. The designer fabric tip from a previous post is also a good idea. Good Luck and I hope no one steals your idea.
This is what I use for hot spots. It works very quickly and promotes healing. Got the recipe from the Natural Schnauzer list some time ago:
Boo Boo Medicine for Dogs
1 - 4oz size plastic bottle from Wal-mart Fill 1/2 of the bottle with aloe vera gel Fill the other half of the bottle with witch hazel Add 15 drops of tea tree oil (also from Wal-mart) and shake shake and shake!
I used a flip top bottle so that I can apply directly to the area so there is no mess on hands.
About three years ago someone submitted a "treatment" for healing hot spots on dogs here on thriftyfun. There was considerable favorable response from readers who tried it and said it worked. I copied the "recipe" just in case I might ever need to use it on my dog. The "recipe" called for equal measurements of original listerine, baby oil and warm water. Put all in a spray bottle, shake it up, and spray the hot spot several times a day. Wish I had copied the name of the person who submitted the hint. I like your collar idea too. We have to keep our fur babies from hurting themselves.
Very ingenious idea, amazing what one can create when needed. Just wondering if you thought about checking his food as the culprit for those hotspots.....One of my dogs developed hot spots, use to chew and scratch at them all the time, Tried all kinds of stuff, nothing worked, Until I tried looking into his food, (which I knew just wasn't the cause) But It did turn out to be irritating allergies caused by the food he ate, Seemed to have it for months then went away for months sometimes, summer was the worst time,,,,Wheat, corn & soy are among the top irritating allergies in food, My little guy couldn't have eggs, wheat or soy, He's never had any hotspots since i removed those ingredients from his food.... I have read it is getting to be more common in dogs then ever,
Hey great idea. Why not cover the collar in a stylish fabric to make it look more like doggie clothing that is trendy now. A bandanna style if he's a country dog or terry cloth if he's sporty. There are endless possibilities.
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