Technical Field

The present invention relates to an after-surgery garment for animals, particularly for four-legged animals. Background Art

It is known that animals such as dogs and cats, after undergoing surgery such as sterilization, mastectomies, operations on cross ligaments or the like, require a period of rest and rehabilitation due to the injuries produced and localised which having required, in most cases, the application of stitches, consequently need medication and/or drainage during the following days suitable for ensuring the full physical recovery of the animal.

It is further known that the animals, following such surgical operations, instinctively tend to lick and/or scratch the operated area with their paws. further injuring themselves and with the risk of causing undesired infections. To therefore prevent the animal from reaching the operated area and injuring itself, protection collars are normally used, called Elizabethan collars.

These collars are substantially shaped by a funnel and are fitted on the neck of the animal so the sides of the collar surround its head, so as to prevent it from licking itself or biting the wound. These protection collars do however have a number of drawbacks because their use is very troublesome for the animal, especially if worn for long periods.

The animal in fact is very much conditioned by the presence of the collar which, in particular, restricts its perception of the surrounding environment to such an extent as to modify its behaviour and even its eating habits. It has further been found that the use of the Elizabethan collar even results in the animal's immune defences being reduced.

What is more, this type of collar ordy offers partial protection inasmuch as it does not prevent the animal from using its limbs to scratch the wound or the operated area. As an alternative to these types of collars, protection garments can be used such as those described in FR 2 520 608.

More in particular, FR 2 520 608 describes a protection garment having a plurality of openings for inserting the animal's limbs and which is shaped so as to fully wrap around the animal's torso.

This garment is particularly suitable in the case of post-operatory situations, to prevent the animal from making direct contact with the operated area. These protection garments also have drawbacks however.

In fact, these protection garments do not adhere in a reliable way to the animal's torso and the latter, using its rear legs, can cause the garment to rotate with respect to its torso, thereby causing rubbing on the wound with consequent deterioration of same. Object of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to provide an after-surgery garment for animals that allows effectively and reliably protecting the operated areas and an animal ^"1 s wounds and which, at the same time, does not cause any suffering to the animal itself. Within this aim, one object of the present invention is to allow the complete protection of the operated area, such as to prevent the animal from contacting such area both with its teeth and with its paws and, at the same time, avoid any rubbing against the wound. Another object of the present invention is to provide an after-surgery garment for animals which allows overcoming the mentioned drawbacks of the state of the art within the ambit of a simple, rational, easy, effective to use and low cost solution.

The above objects are all achieved by the present after-surgery garment for animals comprising at least one protection element for protecting wounds that can be fitted on the torso of an animal and having at least four openings for the insertion of its limbs and characterized by the fact that it comprises one or more stitches arranged longitudinally on said protection element to prevent the rotation of the protection element itself with respect to the animal and by the fact that said protection element is made of a material comprising at least cotton and an elastomer.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the description of a preferred, but not sole, embodiment of an after-surgery garment for animals, illustrated purely as an example but not limited to the annexed drawings in which; figure 1 is a plan view from above of the garment according to the invention, with the protection element substantially open; figure 2 is a plan view from below of a first embodiment of the garment according to the invention, with the protection element substantially open; figure 3 is a plan view from above of a second embodiment of the garment according to the invention, with the protection element substantially open; figure 4 is a perspective view of the garment according to the invention fitted to an animal; figure 5 is a front view of the garment according to the invention with a collar applied; figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the garment according to the invention having an appendix for covering the limbs of the animal. Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to such figures, globally indicated by 1 is an after- surgery garment for animals, particularly for four-Jegged animals. The garment J comprises a protection element 2 for protecting wounds that can be fitted on the torso of an animal A and having at least four openings 3a and 3b for the insertion of its limbs.

More m particular, the front part 2a and the rear part 2b of the protection element 2 define an area for fitting the neck and an area for fitting the tail respectively of the animal A and the openings 3 a and 3b comprise two front openings 3a and two rear openings 3b.

Advantageously, as shown in the embodiment of figure 6, the garment 1 can also comprise one or more appendices 4 suitable for covering, at least in part, the limbs of tibe animal A- Suitably, the appendices 4 are associated integral with the protection element 2 in correspondence to the openings 3a and 3b. In the particular embodiment shown, the appendices 4 fully cover the limbs of the animal A. This turns out to be of considerable importance inasmuch as, as experts in the sector well know, animals have great sensitivity in the lower part of their legs and the presence of a layer of fabric that covers the legs themselves results therefore in a reduction in the sensitivity of the animal, which consequently instinctively reduces its movements, In the embodiment of figure

6, the appendices 4 are made all one piece with the protection element 2, and the garment 1 is therefore made up of a single piece suitable for covering the torso and the Hmbs of the animal A.

According to the invention, the protection element 2 is made of a material comprising at least cotton and an elastomer.

The presence of the elastomer makes the material slippery so that if the animal tries to scratch the operated area using its paws, these are unable to grip the material.

The cotton is present in a quantity varying between 85% and 97%, preferably

92%, and the elastomer is present in a quantity varying between 15% and 3%, preferably 8%. This material is of the washable type, non-toxic and does not contain colouring agents.

Advantageously, the appendices 4 are made of the same material of the protection element 2.

According to Hie invention, the protection element 2 comprises one or more stitches 5 arranged longitudinally on the protection element 2 to prevent the rotation of the protection element itself with respect to the animal A.

More in particular, the stitches 5 extend between at least a front opening 3 a and the corresponding rear opening 3b.

In the embodiment shown in figure 2, the protection element 2 comprises two stitches 5 each of which placed between a relative front opening 3 a and the corresponding rear opening 3b.

In an alternative embodiment, the garment 1 comprises at least a pair of stitches

5 placed between the same front opening 3 a and the corresponding rear opening

3b. Preferably, the reciprocal distance between this pair of stitches 5 increases proceeding from the relative front opening 3 a towards the corresponding rear opening 3b. In the embodiment shown in the figure 3, the garment 1 comprises two pairs of stitches 5 each of which interposed between a relative front opening 3a and the corresponding rear opening 3b.

Advantageously, the garment 1 comprises at least an additional strip 11 associated with the protection element 2 by means of at least one of the pairs of stitches 5. The width of the additional strip 11 then increases gradually proceeding from the relative front opening 3a towards the corresponding rear opening 3b.

Preferably, an additional strip 11 is interposed between each pair of stitches 5 shown in figure 3.

Suitably, the additional strip 11 is made of the same material of the protection element 2.

Preferably, the garment 1 comprises retention means of at least an absorbing element E, e.g., a gauze, associated with the protection element 2 in correspondence to its internal surface meant to come into contact with the animal A.

More in particular, the retention means comprise one or more elastic elements 6 and the absorbing element E is positioned between the elastic elements 6 and the internal surface of the protection element 2. Suitably, the extremities of the elastic elements 6 axe arranged in the proximity of the stitches 5.

Advantageously,, the garment 1 comprises at least a slot 7 for fitting a collar C defined in correspondence to the front part 2a of the protection element 2 which can. be fitted on the neck of the animal A. More in particular, as shown in the figure 4, the garment 1 comprises a plurality of slots 7 arranged in succession the one with the other in correspondence to the front part 2a, in such a way that the collar C can be fitted alternatively inside and outside the protection element 2.

Preferably, the garment 1 comprises opening/closing means 8 of the protection element 2.

More in particular, the opening /closing means 8 comprise at least a zip fastener

9 arranged longitudinally on the protection element 2. The zip fastener 9 is suitably arranged in correspondence to the symmetry plane of the protection element 2 and is substantially on the opposite side with respect to the elastic elements 6. The position of the elastic elements 6 and of the zip fastener 9 can vary in the different embodiments depending on the position of the operated area of the animaTs body. Consequently, in the case of the operated area being on the animal's belly, the elastic elements 6 are positioned on the protection element 2 so as to contact this precise area and the zip fastener 9 is arranged so as to be located in correspondence to the back of the animal A. Obviously, the positions of the elastic elements 6 and of the zip fastener 9 will be switched over in the case of the operated area being in correspondence to the back of the animal A. More in particular, the zip fastener 9 is positioned so as to close starting from the front part 2a of the protection element 2 towards the rear part 2b opposite the front part 2a. This solution proves advantageous in particular for long-haired animals inasmuch as it allows preventing the fur from becoming trapped in the zip fastener 9 when this is closed.

Furthermore, the opening/closing means 8 also comprise a strip 10 for protecting the fur of the animal A arranged below the zip fastener 9. The strip 1,0 is then arranged in correspondence to the internal surface of the protection element 2 and can be interposed between the zip fastener 9 and the animal A. Advantageously, the present invention also envisages an after-surgery kit for animals, comprising a garment 1 contained under vacuum inside a pack not shown in the illustrations. The present invention operates as follows. The protection element 2 is first of all opened by means of the zip fastener 9 _? so as to be able to insert an absorbing element E between the internal surface of the protection element 2 and the elastic elements 6.

The absorbing element E thus fitted is kept in position by the elastic elements 6 and its purpose is to absorb any blood escaping from the wound of the animal Aj that could also pass through any gauze placed on the wound itself.

Once the absorbing element E has thus been positioned, the protection element 2 is fitted, and, if necessary, also the appendices 4 in the case of the second embodiment shown in figure 6, on the animal A. More in particular, the limbs of the animal A are fitted inside the corresponding openings 3a and 3b, after which the zip fastener 9 is closed so as to make the protection element 2 adhere to the torso of the animal A. At this point, the collar C is fitted inside the slots 7, making it pass alternatively at the inside and at the outside of the protection element 2. This way, the animal A is prevented from inserting its nose underneath the protection element 2 to remove it. It has in fact been ascertained how the described invention achieves the set objects and in particular the fact is underlined that it allows performing an effective protective action of the wounds and of the operated areas of an animal, covering them completely, and at the same time leaves the animal free to move. The garment according to the invention in fact, does not restrict the animal's movements, but prevents it from reaching the operated area and also protects this from possible external agents.

The conformation of the garment according to the invention, and in particular of its stitches, results in the protection element fitted to the animal's torso always remaining in the same position, thereby preventing the fabric from rubbing on the wound.