The Complete Handbook of Pet Medical Collars

I'm a vet tech and I've been fitting these things for years on pure intuition. This book finally gave me the mechanical reasoning to explain why one collar works and another doesn't. The sections on measuring for deep-chested breeds and troubleshooting food refusal were worth the price alone. I've already recommended it to two new hires.

I found this book genuinely informative, particularly the chapters on sizing and the drawbacks of different materials. However, I felt the business opportunities chapter was somewhat optimistic about the rental model, which seems like a hard sell for most clinics. Also, a few more photos or diagrams of the collars on actual animals would have helped, as some of the dimensional talk got a bit abstract.

Our grooming shop had to manage a client's post-operative dog last week, and this handbook was the difference between a nightmare and a smooth week. The section on using a towel as a feeding ramp and the chart for inflatable collar fit were directly applicable. I'm not a medical professional, but the writing was clear enough for me to use right away. Excellent field guide.

The technical information about materials and sizing is solid, and I learned a few things about padding overlays. But I was a little underwhelmed by the troubleshooting chapter. It covered the basics (collar slipping, not eating), but I was hoping for more on what to do for dogs that are absolutely determined to reach hind end sutures. Felt like it needed one more section on extreme behavioral cases.

Good, practical book. I run a small dog boarding service and we frequently get dogs wearing these. The chapters on maintenance and cleaning protocols are exactly what I needed to write our internal procedures. I appreciate that it's not trying to sell me on a specific brand, just presenting the facts about plastic, fabric, and inflatable types. Minor gripe: the FAQ section is good, but I would have liked a few more specifics on the newest sensor collars.

As a breeder, I've used a lot of e-collars over the years, mostly the cheap plastic ones. This book convinced me to try a soft fabric collar for a sensitive golden retriever, and the difference was surprising. That said, I found the opening chapter a bit long-winded on the 'biomechanics of restraint' when I just wanted to know what to buy. The middle chapters are where the real value is.

This belongs on the shelf next to the vet's drug reference. I run a house-call service for post-op pets, and the fitting techniques described here have eliminated return visits for collar issues. The specifics on measuring neck circumference versus head width, and the discussion of how far the collar must extend beyond the muzzle, are precisely the kind of detail that generic websites get wrong. The business section also gave me a solid idea for a rental kit I'm now testing.

Very thorough reference. The maintenance chapter is excellent, especially the advice on cleaning inflatable collars and inspecting the valves. I docked one star because the book focuses almost exclusively on dogs and cats, which is fine, but I occasionally treat rabbits and birds that need similar devices, and a brief mention of exotics would have made it a true complete handbook for me. Otherwise, it's a well-written, concrete guide.