Elizabethan collar

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The collars are named from the ruffs worn in Elizabethan times

For the article of human clothing, see Ruff (clothing).

An Elizabethan collar or space collar is a protective medical device worn by an animal, usually a cat or dog. Shaped like a truncated cone, its purpose is to prevent the animal from biting or licking at its body or scratching at its head or neck while wounds or injuries heal.

The device is generally attached to the pet's usual collar with strings or tabs passed through holes punched in the sides of the plastic. The neck of the collar should be short enough to let the dog eat and drink. Although most pets adjust to them quite well, others won't eat or drink with the collar in place and the collar is temporarily removed for meals.^[1]

While purpose-made collars can be purchased from veterinarians or pet stores, they can also be made from plastic and cardboard or by using plastic flowerpots, wastebaskets, buckets or lampshades. Modern collars might involve soft fabric trim along the edges to increase comfort and velcro surfaces for ease of attachment removal.

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This Golden Retriever suffered a wound to his foot.	This dog received a wound on his neck from a foxtail.	A cat wearing an Elizabethan collar after surgery.	Reni so dislikes his collar he refuses to move with it in place.
Very small dogs may require custom modifications to make the collar fit.	An example of a cat wearing the collar after sterilization surgery.