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Veterinarians would like to see reductions to a certain category of injuries: dogs injured from owners using inappropriate collars when they tie out their dogs on chains or leads, or from underground electric fences. First of all, choke collars and pinch collars should only be used by people who have had the proper training on how to properly use them. Collars that can automatically tighten should NEVER be used for any dog that is tied or attached by the neck to something other than the leash in a pair of knowledgeable hands. Substantial injury and even death can occur with improper use of such collars. Injuries can include accidental “hanging” because the line gets caught or neck injuries from pulling too hard on the collar. These types of collars are for specific training purposes, not general restraint. It would be ideal to use a harness instead of a collar for both walking a dog as well as tying a dog out. Harnesses don’t have the same potential for hurting the dog. Collars put an immense amount of strain and stress on the upper part of the neck. At a seminar I attended recently a veterinary chiropractor stated in a lecture that many of the medically necessary adjustments on dogs are in the cervical region; the cervical area is the neck region that collars put pressure on when a dog lunges and pulls. There are also specific training collars used to train dogs against pulling and pose less risk to dogs than choke and pinch collars.
Invisible fence collars also pose risk of injury to dogs. The invisible fences work by shocking the dog with electricity when the dog gets near the buried wire. The collar is equipped with 2 prongs that must have direct contact with the skin in order to work. The strength of the electrical shock is set at the lowest setting necessary to accomplish keeping the dog inside the fenced area. Long haired and thick haired dogs should have their necks clipped or shaved in the area where the prongs have contact with the skin. If the hair gets too thick and/or too long and the dog’s owner is not careful, the prongs won’t have good contact with the skin. Then one of several things will happen. One outcome is the shock will be so low the dog can leave the yard and run away, and the owner will turn up the collar to increase the shock. This can cause the dog’s hair and skin to get burned from the increased electrical power that really was preventable. These types of injuries usually go undetected until serious injuries have occurred. It is very important those owners who use this type of collar check the pets often for signs of irritation and injury.
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