The
Weekly Growl:
A
Canine Commentary
Tapeless
Non-Adhesive Dressings
By Stacy Mantle
   
There is something about being a pet owner that
makes you want to be able to care for your pets wounds. Call
it a mothering instinct, perhaps it's knowing that our pets are home
with us instead of at the sterile veterinarian clinic being cared
for by nameless people. Perhaps it is as simple as wanting to
save a few bucks, but I think if we had the ability to change our
pets bandages at home, we would do it. Particularly when our
pets pull them off as quickly as they do...
That's one of the many reasons I was so
happy to run across the Tapeless Non-Adhesive
Dressings which were developed by a talented veterinarian
who was also becoming as frustrated by animals ripping off standard
dressings as fast as he could put them on.
The
Tapeless System is truly an innovative system that is
designed with each species in mind. In fact, you have
to order them by size, species, and by body part that
needs to be wrapped. PetsWeekly began by reviewing their
two most popular products: The Ear/Head
Dressing Holder and the Hip
Dressing Holder.
The
Ear/Head Dressing Holder is an absolutely wonderful piece
of artistic work that allows you to securely wrap your
pets head and ears after surgery for tumors, or
any other type of injury, without causing further pain for your
pet. Under normal circumstances, using Vetrap, or
any other type of bandaging, I can estimate my time at caring for a
pet's head injuries at between 30 minutes to 1 hour, and
afterwards I not only have an incredibly stressed out
animal, but the beginnings of a migraine. Not so with
this product. After only one attempt, I was able to
place the wrapping on the head by securing two outside straps,
and secure it with Velcro for a final adjustment. It took
approximately 4 minutes, and I finalized the procedure without
a headache and with a calm dog.
The
Hip Dressing Holder works in much the same way, and I
curse myself for not having located this little gem when my youngest
pup first came home from hip surgery. With only
a series of small straps, it can be quickly secured to the
dog, and any final adjustments can be done by using the Velcro dots.
Brilliant? Yes. Ahead of it's time?
Probably, in my opinion, this product should been developed back
when around the time of the light bulb. This system makes other
bandaging systems look like a Volkswagen on a track against an
Porsche. Its fast, efficient and highly effective.
So - does it stay
on? Absolutely. My dogs became quickly bored with trying
to figure the system out, and that was when they were feeling
well. If they had not been feeling well, and were in need of
actual bandaging, I feel they would have become bored with it much
faster. Don't get me wrong, a determined dog or energetic pup
will eventually loosen the bandages. But, they will last much
longer than the average bandaging system. What is
even more impressive is that the bandages can be washed
and reused. They are made from a laminated polypropylene material
and are non-allergenic, and as they are designed to hold other
supplies in place, not to touch the actual wound, this makes them
easy to reuse after a thorough cleaning in warm, soapy water.
Allowed to dry naturally in a clean environment, they will not
shrink. This, in my opinion, makes them well worth the minimal
investment. But then, the ease alone justifies the expense for
me.
What's more, they
will work with all of your pets! They are designed for horses,
and they are also designed for dogs, cats and other small
animals, these bandages are for the animals in your life, no matter
the species, on all difficult-to-bandage anatomy. The prices
begin as low as $5.95 for the small animal materials, and I have
found that price to be a bargain.
In all, a highly
impressive product that is well worth the price! I would
recommend logging on and buying a set for each of your pets - you
never know when you'll need them!
From the Dogs:
Growls: Not our favorite - what
happened to the vetrap? At least we could chew that off!
Leaps of
Joy: None... We're all hoping we
never have to find a use for this product...
From the Humans:
Two opposable
thumbs up:
We love this product! It allows us to provide care
for our pets after they leave the hospital, without the
migraines!
Drawbacks? We haven't found any yet!
 
About
the Author
Stacy
Mantle
is a freelance writer who currently resides in the southwestern
deserts of Arizona with a number of cats, a coyote/wolf hybrid, and
a very understanding husband. Her writing has appeared in
publications such as The Arabian Horse Times, Today’s AZ
Woman, and Pets Illustrated and she currently writes two
pet product review columns for www.PetsWeekly.com. Many of her
stories and articles have been translated into several languages,
and now reach an international audience. Quickly becoming known as
"…the Erma Bombeck of animals", her writing has skyrocketed
to new heights as she records the stories of those she loves,
inspiring the reader to learn why we have all come to love the
animals we share our lives with. She is the author of
Conquering the Food Chain: Living Amongst Animals
(Without Becoming One), which is available in
Barnes & Noble bookstores nationwide, as well as online at
www.bn.com or www.amazon.com
Read about these other
great products:
PetSafe's
Wellness Bed,
Wubba
World's Dog Toys,
Ruffwear,
PupLight,
Drinkwell's Big Dog Pet Fountain,
and
the Tapeless Wound Care
System | 
