# Baby vest for spay stitches?



## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

Poppy is being spayed on Tuesday. Discussing this with the vet she said some dogs don't need head collars as they don't bother with the stitches. She mentioned covering the stitches with a "tube", OH said "Like a baby vest?" and she said that would be fine. I bought a couple of 3-6 months size (Poppy is 9 month old Bichon weighing 11lbs) from the charity shop and have washed them ready for Tuesday.

Has anyone used them? Do they need altering in any way? I take it you do literally use them like a tube and not put their front paws through the arm holes? Looks a bit strange They're not long enough to fasten at the rear end so not quite sure what to do.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

When Ziggy was spayed, I made a costume for her out of one of my old T-shirts. Her front legs went through holes, and it fastened around her back legs with elastic to keep it over the wound. It was like a 1-piece swimmsuit!


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

Just bumping to see if anyone else has got any thoughts.


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## kat&molly (Mar 2, 2011)

Hi, I used a t-shirt for my bitch, Put 2 front legs through the holes. Then tie up at the back to keep it tight-I used a hair scruchie. Back legs left out. I posted a photo of it on a Spaying thread here this week. If you mooch about you may find it. Good luck with the op:smile:


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

kat&molly said:


> Hi, I used a t-shirt for my bitch, Put 2 front legs through the holes. Then tie up at the back to keep it tight-I used a hair scruchie. Back legs left out. I posted a photo of it on a Spaying thread here this week. If you mooch about you may find it. Good luck with the op:smile:


That looks good Kat, thanks. I like the idea of using the scrunchie, must go and rob one off my grandaughter . I think I might need to cut the popper ends off the baby vests, hope they're long enough to use your scrunchie idea, will check before I hack them to pieces!


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## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

Heidi is an 8K terrier x and I used one of my grand daughter's t shirts (age 2-3 I think). I threaded a bit of thin elastic through the hem to keep it snug but so that air could circulate around her stitches to help heal.

She didnt really need it. By day I used to say "no" if she went anywhere near the wound and she was happy to leave it alone. I put the T shirt on at night just in case.

Bless her, when the nurse went to take out her stitches she looked most disgusted as if to say "even I'm not allowed to touch there"


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## shirleystarr (Mar 22, 2009)

I put a baby vest on mine put the paws through the holes at the front poppers on the back so she could not get them undone
worked a treat for me


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

shirleystarr said:


> I put a baby vest on mine put the paws through the holes at the front poppers on the back so she could not get them undone
> worked a treat for me


I was going to do that but the vest isn't long enough for me to do the poppers up and the next size was too baggy in the body .


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

Mum2Heidi said:


> Heidi is an 8K terrier x and I used one of my grand daughter's t shirts (age 2-3 I think). I threaded a bit of thin elastic through the hem to keep it snug but so that air could circulate around her stitches to help heal.
> 
> She didnt really need it. By day I used to say "no" if she went anywhere near the wound and she was happy to leave it alone.  I put the T shirt on at night just in case.
> 
> Bless her, when the nurse went to take out her stitches she looked most disgusted as if to say "even I'm not allowed to touch there"


I might pop back to the charity shop tomorrow and see if they've got any toddler T-shirts, might do the job better than the baby vests I got.


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## sarybeagle (Nov 4, 2009)

I used a tshirt on Bella. Worked a charm even if she did feel daft lol!! :001_smile:


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

I found with Britches she didn't even try to get her stitches, so didn't use anything and with Kali I used a comfy collar for two days, after removing it she also didn't try to get her stitches, so I only put it on if I went out or at night. 

Much as I anticipated it with all of the dogs, none of them tried to get to their wound, even the boys but they all still kept themselves clean around their naughty bits - I think that would have distressed them more than the wound if they couldn't, lol. They all had Metacam for a few days post op and I feel this helped take away a lot of the feeling from the area too. 

Good luck, bet you're a bit worried but she'll be right as rain in no time. Amazing they are and a lot tougher than we think.


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

Malmum said:


> I found with Britches she didn't even try to get her stitches, so didn't use anything and with Kali I used a comfy collar for two days, after removing it she also didn't try to get her stitches, so I only put it on if I went out or at night.
> 
> Much as I anticipated it with all of the dogs, none of them tried to get to their wound, even the boys but they all still kept themselves clean around their naughty bits - I think that would have distressed them more than the wound if they couldn't, lol. They all had Metacam for a few days post op and I feel this helped take away a lot of the feeling from the area too.
> 
> Good luck, bet you're a bit worried but she'll be right as rain in no time. Amazing they are and a lot tougher than we think.


I was thinking more of at night, we are retired so around all the time during the day to keep an eye on her.

Must admit that I would prefer to have the procedure myself than put her through it. I know we all love our dogs but when your family has grown up and left home your dogs become your children .

I did a trial run with the baby vest, she didn't like it , was trying to pull it off! Not a dog you could dress up (but I wouldn't do that anyway, she already has a lovely fur coat of her own ). It's bad enough trying to get her to wear her lovely fleecy Perfect Fit harness. She's not a loose lead walker yet (unless she's on her way home tired) and is so nosy she will pull and make herself cough. We're working on it but it's taking a while. She wont budge with the harness on a walk, just lies down, but I've taken to walking to the beach, putting the harness on and then throwing her ball. She seems to forget it while chasing and playing. Trouble is on the walk home she remembers it's on and lies down again and refuses to move .


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