Many clients put collars around the neck of their pet dog or cat. A collar serves a useful purpose by providing a visible means of identification if it has an identification tag, municipal licence number, or rabies tag number attached to it. However, a poorly fitted collar can cause potentially serious problems. Veterinarians routinely see problems that are associated with improperly sized collars – problems occur when the collar is either too tight or too loose.
The problem with a collar being too tight is somewhat obvious – if the collar is too tight, it can cause irritation, pressure sores, or in the worst-case scenario, difficulty breathing. Most often, this problem occurs with rapidly growing puppies that outgrow their first collar within a few weeks. The fact that the collar has become too tight may be less noticeable if the puppy has a long haircoat.
A collar that is too loose may cause serious harm. The most obvious problem associated with a collar being too loose is that it can easily slip off during a walk, allowing the pet to run off unrestrained and get into an automobile accident. A less obvious but more serious problem occurs in pets that are allowed to go outdoors unsupervised. If the collar is only slightly loose, the pet can get a paw up between the collar and its neck, often in an attempt to remove the collar. The paw then gets stuck in the collar, and the pet continues its struggle to remove the offending collar. Depending on the type of collar, it may stretch enough to allow the animal to pass its whole leg through the collar, with the ultimate result being that the collar becomes lodged beneath the axilla or armpit. Although the average person may think that this is unlikely to happen, it occurs more often than you might think. Many veterinary practices have had to treat an injured pet, usually a cat, with skin wounds caused by a collar that has become trapped around a portion of its body. The severity of the wounds depends largely on the length of time that the collar has been stuck around the body part, but in many cases, surgical intervention is required as part of the treatment.
So, how should a collar fit your pet?
First, the collar should be put on tightly enough so that it won’t slip over the pet’s head. It should be tight enough to prevent the pet from getting his or her paw between the collar and neck. The actual degree of tightness will depend on the size of the pet, since a cat’s paw is obviously much smaller than a retriever’s paw. Second, when you first put a collar on your pet, recognize that it may react with fright or annoyance – many animals will attempt to immediately remove the collar. The prudent person will ensure that the first time a collar is put on their pet, he or she cannot run away, and most importantly, cannot escape outdoors. Thirdly, you should check the fit of your pet’s collar, as well as checking it for wear and tear, on at least a weekly basis for a puppy or kitten, or a monthly for an adult pet. Finally, because cats have a tendency to jump up onto high perches, and love to climb trees, your cat should only wear a collar that is designed to break-away if it gets caught.
