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Let's Talk Shock Collar Safety - Pressure Necrosis/Sores
The purpose of this blog is to warn all shock collar users about the most common danger when using an electronic training system. When it comes to designing our E-collars, safety is one of our top priorities. A common overlooked problem with dog training collars is pressure sores. These bed sores occur from neglecting proper care, maintenance and monitoring by an owner. Electronic training collars aren't meant to be worn constantly, they're only meant to be worn for training purposes.
In every product manual we warn users what signs to look for and how to treat pressure necrosis if found after wearing a shock collar. We feel this information should be shared and available as much as possible on the web, as there's lots of misinformation or no information at all on this subject.
First off, when this injury appears a lot of people think the collar has burned their dog, but it's incorrect to refer to these sore as burns. Burns are caused by heat and the static shock doesn't generate heat.
Proper fit of the collar is important because a loose collar may cause inconsistent performance but a collar worn for too long of a period or made too tight on the dog's neck may cause skin irritation. This irritation can range from redness to pressure ulcers. When we say pressure ulcers, they can look like holes that bore down into the dog's neck in the worst case scenarios.
Don't worry, there are ways to avoid to this situation entirely and it starts with you, the owner.
Here are some steps to avoid or treat pressure necrosis:
Avoid leaving the collar on the dog for more than 12 hours per day.
When possible re-position the collar on the pet's neck every 1 to 2 hours.
Check the fit to prevent excessive pressure.
Never connect a lead to the electronic collar because it may cause extra pressure on the contacts.
Wash the dog's neck and the contact points weekly with a damp cloth.
Examine the dog's neck where the contact points meet and check for signs of a rash or a sore.
If a rash or sore is found, discontinue use of the collar until the skin is healed.
If the condition persists beyond 48 hours, see your local veterinarian.
Bed sores are a preventable injury but proper adjustment is absolutely necessary. Always practice and follow these precautions when using dog training collars or bark collars.
Train safe.
Brightrip