LOS ANGELES — The cone of shame. Radar dish. Elizabethan collar.
Whatever its name, pets seem to hate the stiff, lampshade-like piece of plastic that vets often put around their necks to keep them from biting or chewing wounds.
The first cones were handmade by pharmaceutical salesman Edward J. Schilling in the early 1960s, and they remain the best-selling wound protection on the market for pets. But KVP International, a cone manufacturer that offers 14 styles, including two inflatables and two soft collars, is running studies on whether the popular cones act like an amplifier, potentially hurting an animal’s ears, and whether the loss of vision it causes can create stress.
KVP and other firms are trying hard to come up with something better. One alternative comes from Tulane’s Closet, whose Cover Me by Tui is a one-piece, post-surgical garment for dogs. The onesie is made of Peruvian cotton.
