Evaluation of Lick Sleeve as an Adjunctive Therapy to the Elizabethan Collar Following Canine Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy to Improve Owner Compliance During Convalescence

Objective: Evaluate owner compliance and patient experience with E-collar or Lick Sleeve following TPLO in dogs during 14-day convalescence.

Study Design: Prospective, single-center, discrete choice study in dogs undergoing unilateral or bilateral TPLO surgery.

Animals: Eighty-two client-owned dogs undergoing TPLO.

Methods: Owners were provided both an E-collar and Lick Sleeve post TPLO and given instructions to use both devices simultaneously. After 14 days, owners completed an 11-question compliance survey that was developed and validated with a previous pilot study. Among the survey items were the percentage of E-collar and Lick Sleeve usage and owner-perceived patient experience. Owner compliance was defined as >75% reported time spent utilizing the E-collar and/or Lick Sleeve.

Results:

• Owners reported full compliance in 13.41% of dogs (n=11) by wearing both the E-collar and Lick Sleeve simultaneously >75% of the 14-day period.
• Owner E-collar only compliance was reported in 19.51% of dogs (n=16).
• Owner Lick Sleeve only compliance was reported in 75.61% of dogs (n=62).
• The difference between E-collar and Lick Sleeve compliance was statistically significant (p<0.001).< /li>
• 87.8% (n=72, p<0.001) of owners reported that the Lick Sleeve provided their dog with a better experience than the E-collar.

Clinical Relevance: In this study, when offered an E-collar and Lick Sleeve, owner compliance and perceived patient experience are significantly better with the Lick Sleeve. Prospective studies are warranted to evaluate this relationship and its impact on postoperative complications.