Today we talk about Queen Elizabeth's circle of friends.
Queen: What do you talk about?
Ah, wrong, we're going to talk about elizabethan collars today, also called cone of shame or licking circles.
It is the dog Doug in The Adventures of the Flying House who is surrounded by this east and west around the neck
The origin of the Elizabethan Circle?
The Elizabethan circle is named after the collar ornament that was popular during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England (16th-17th centuries):
This layered collar design
Originally it was to prevent staining of clothes
Later, it gradually became the fashion trend of the time
In the end, it withdrew from the stage of history because it was too cumbersome
According to the website morethanacone.com, the first person to invent the Elizabethan circle was called Edward J. Schilling. In the 1930s, in addition, in order to prevent dogs from licking wounds after surgery, he invented a special inflatable neck ring, which he called "Elizabethan style".
In the 1950s, he invented the plastic tapered neck ring, which is the most common basic Elizabethan ring nowadays.
But in reality, the Elizabeth circle patent was acquired by inventor Frank L. Johnson in 1962.
Who invented the Elizabethan Circle is still an inexplicable public case.
What does the Elizabethan Circle do?
The main function: anti-licking
Prevent cats, dogs, birds and mice from licking and biting their own wounds, resulting in recovering wounds becoming infected, inflamed, and worsening the condition.
Can't see the picture clearly can be a little bigger
Other features include:
Prevention of accidental ingestion of drugs:
Many kinds of topical drugs contain ingredients that stimulate the gastrointestinal tract (such as organic solvents such as alcohol), and if you eat it by mistake or consume too much, it will cause your pet to vomit, diarrhea and other reactions, and wearing a circle can prevent this from happening.
Prevent excessive cleaning:
Some cats and dogs (especially in the case of wounds) will have an over-grooming tendency, and will be obsessive-compulsive to clean and comb their bodies and hair, causing skin damage or worsening of the wound condition, and wearing a ring can help improve this condition.
Reduced Aggression:
Some pets can show strong aggression in stressful conditions, and wearing an Elizabethan ring keeps their mouths from touching the lower part of the neck and facilitating nursing operations.
Decoration features:
Mainly to meet the needs of the host to take pictures.
Is there anything bad about elizabethan circles?
Yes.
The Elizabethan circle will limit the pet's field of vision to a certain extent, and limit its movement, diet, and living:
Pets wearing Elizabethan rings are generally not in a good mood, which will also indirectly affect the owner's mood:
Is there only one type of anti-licking device, elizabethan circles?
More than that!
If you don't count the types and homemade types derived from the decorative function, there are 8 types of common styles that are now on the market.
(1) Basic Elizabeth circle
Pros: Cheap, easy to use, full number
Disadvantages: The material is brittle and hard, not comfortable enough, easy to damage, limiting normal action
(2) Do not bite ("bitenot") anti-licking rings
Advantages: Softer than the basic model, does not cover the front view, suitable for pets with injuries or diseases on the upper body and head and face
Cons: Not suitable for pets with lower body and tail injuries or diseases
(3) Inflatable anti-lick ring
Advantages: Comfortable, flexible, similar to an inflatable neck pillow, suitable for pets with head and face injuries
Disadvantages: May be due to collision and other reasons and leak, lose function; have a certain degree of mobility, protection is not as good as the basic anti-lick ring, not suitable for pets with lower body injuries or diseases
(4) Drawstring soft circle
Advantages: Soft, comfortable, more restrictive to movement than the basic model, since it is controlled by a drawstring, because there is no need to accurately measure the neck circumference
Disadvantages: It is easy to slip off if it is not fixed well; like the basic model, it has restrictions on the surrounding view
(5) Easy circle ("comfy collar")
Advantages: Very comfortable, can be shaped according to the pet's posture, suitable for pets with high comfort requirements
Disadvantages: limit the pet's field of vision, due to the strong plasticity, so the protection is relatively weak, too lively pets can come out
(6) Lifebuoy (←_←)
Advantages: very light, comfortable, flexible, easy to pick up, less pressure on the neck of the pet, because it can make the neck flexible, suitable for small pet dogs with high visual requirements
Disadvantages: Due to the relatively small restrictions on activities, the protection for medium and large dogs and cats is not enough; it is easy to be punctured by sharp objects, and the nails of pets should be trimmed before use; in addition, it cannot be fully filled when inflating, otherwise it is easy to cause breathing or even suffocation
(7) "optivizor" patented protective gear
Suitable for pets with high visual and hearing requirements, as well as mobility, wounds or diseases on the face and blindness; a wide range of pets suitable for different types and situations.
(8) Body protective gear
The anti-licking ring mentioned above is to prevent licking, scratching wounds, and diseased parts from restricting the activity of the pet's head and mouth, while the design thinking of the body type of protective gear is "soldiers will block, water will cover the soil"
Advantages: Can be more targeted to protect the body parts
Disadvantages: high cost, wear and take-off operation is more difficult
Urgent use, there is no ready-made circle on hand, what to do?
Try your own and use your imagination... Of course, if your hands-on ability is not very strong, and the substitutes you make do not play a very good role, it is better to measure the neck circumference of your pet and buy a circle for backup!
Tidbits
Cover image: Alloy Elizabeth collar
Author: Megan McGaffigan, Artist, Metalworker, Animal Lover
Photo/Typography: Wu Wu