09/05/2020
About two years ago our beloved dog Buck tore his ACL and needed TPLO surgery. We were sent home with the "cone of shame" from the surgeon's office so that he wouldn't mess with the stitches or try to lick at the incision area. We were also sent home with sedatives and told to crate him for the eight week recovery.
The "cone of shame" became an immediate problem because he kept knocking things over, and his other brothers thought it was some kind of toy and tried to pull it off of his neck. The next challenge was giving him medication (which would help calm him down in the crate, which he had never been in, and help with the whole cone thing.) But the trouble was, Buck hates medicine and won't take it. When we put him in the crate and had to leave - upon our return found him outside of the crate - he had broken out - just what a dog with recent knee surgery needs.
We tried everything to keep him away from the incision but in the end - he got at it and it got infected. That increased his recovery time by two more weeks. The whole recovery process was a nightmare.
One year later, Buck tore his other ACL. I could not imagine going through that whole thing again! I decided I would find some way to cover the incision to keep him from having to wear that stupid cone. No luck. So, I decided to make one.
And so was born the Buckwheat Recovery suit! After Buck's second surgery, we brought him home, put a waterproof bandage over the incision, and put on the suit. It was our decision to cover the incision with a waterproof bandage, not our doctor's. The bandage was there so that even if he licked the suit the incision would be fine. He recovered perfectly. No crate, no collar of shame, no infection, no sedatives.
Two weeks after he was cleared for all activity his younger brother, Cash, limped into the house. After his TPLO surgery, we put on Buck's recovery suit he healed beautifully.
When I visited my vet to have Cash's staples taken out she said "You should sell those suits" - and so here we are.
I am sure others are finding themselves in the same boat we were in and I am hoping our little invention will help them the way it helped us, for those with dogs with leg or knee injuries, incisions or hot spots that need to be protected.
All of our suits are proudly handmade in Ohio, from comfortable cotton/poly fabric. The neck and torso are adjustments making it easy to make sure that the suit fits properly to keep your pet from getting out of the suit or getting to the trouble spot.
We make them in five sizes. We include sleeves for both hind legs so that the suit can be used in the future - just in case there is a need for the other leg!
