post - op rat cone

Hello,
would really appreciate some advice. I'm very conflicted.
2 months ago I had a female rat spayed. After the op i was allowed to take her home and put her in with her 5 cage mates. Vet said would be fine. And it was.
2 days ago, 2 girls had an lump removals (1 tumor 1 abcess). Vet put cones on them and told me to keep them separate and cones needed to be on for 2weeks!
they are so unhappy! It's really upsetting me to see my babies so misserable. They can't eat properly or move around very well. They can't wash. I took it off them to do meds (we all get in a mess with the yoghurt and thought be good for them to wash their faces afterwards.)
And they fight like hell when I need to put the cones back on. I've left the cones off n put them back in their cage and it's been 3 hours now and they mostly just been sleeping, they don't seem to have paid to much attention to the stitches. I mean I really don't want them to pull them out (and and can't afford it after a

Sorry post keeps going blank for some reason. Basically all i want to ask is wether it is standard to put cone on for 2 weeks. Even though they havent shown signs of pulling out stitches

Depending on the location and size of incision cones might be necessary on a rare occassion. If they are properly medicated for pain management they will usually leave the incision sites alone. I have only used cones twice and one of those times it was only for 1-2 days. Most of us are told to keep them separate from other rats for 2 weeks which to us means maybe 2 days, keep cones on 24/7 for 2 weeks which means to us only use if absolutely necessary when we cannot watch them for a day or two. So basically if you don't see a reason for them take them off.

I've had over a hundred girls spayed and never used a cone on them. If they have proper pain management, the girls will leave the area alone.

I too have had well over a hundred rats who had surgery - girls spayed, boys neutered, and various other surgeries - over the last 10.5 years
I have never used a cone.
As Jorats said, with proper pain management, they will not bother their incisions
There is also no reason to separate rats after surgery once they are no longer groggy,
Keeping them separate just adds stress which has a negative impact on their health and wellbeing

Yeah, thanks everyone, i did take it off last night and kept it off and they have barely paid any attention to the stitches. I couldnt stand seeing them so misserable. Both of their stitches are like less than an inch. Thought sod it if they take um out ill deal with it, hate seing them upset with me, going through an operation is stressful enough! They were kept together in a cage for 2days but going back in with the rest of the clan tonight.
Im really anoyed at my vet for doing this. He had me thinking my first vet was wrong who was quite happy for her to go straight back with the others no cone or anything. But yeah i get it now, cones usefull as last resort for the chewers but not usually necessary. Didnt know if i was being negligent by keeping it or or taking it off! Everyone in my house kept saying leave it on coz the vet said! grr
And the bloody vet gave me ocoxin told me it was a new wonder drug for preventing tumours! Just found out its not even a drug its a suppliment!!! stupid vet.
Yeah anyway. Thanks for clearing that up for me everyone!

chaz14xxx said:

But yeah i get it now, cones usefull as last resort for the chewers but not usually necessary.

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Actually, if they are bothering their incisions, they don't need a cone, they need pain meds, more pain meds, or a different type of pain meds.

Glad we were able to support what you knew (in spite of what the vet said).

The reason I'd be afraid to use a cone is that rats need to drink, eat and groom frequently. I'd never want to leave a rat with a cone overnight.
I once saw a rat of SQ's who'd been wrapped in a bandage around the torso to protect his incision. The poor little guy was so miserable, leaping repeatedly in a frantic attempt to get it off, that SQ had to remove the bandage. He was fine without it.

I've had a tumor removed on one of my girls, she never messed with her incision except to clean the area when she was bathing. Never put a cone on her because as you stated they cannot eat, sleep, bath, move properly. Keep pain managed with pain meds from the vet and there should be no problem without the cone.

I have never seen a rat cone. Did you happen to take any pics of them wearing the cone?

I agree - I feel they are not needed. It must stress them out having to wear them. One of my boys had an incision around 3 inches long - no cone used.

Healing vibes to your sweet babies !

Page 9 Clark in his cone - we didn't keep it on him. Peanut we had to keep the cone on after is eye removal because it became infected and she didn't want him rubbing it and getting poop in there. His pics are on a different thread somewhere.

http://www.ratshackforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29395