prong collar.. dangerous?

[chowNcharge]

I have been reading that a prong collar can damage nerves to the eyes. possibly causing Horner's Syndrome.

Has anyone else heard about this?

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

Eh... lol I use prongs here and there and have very healthy dogs.

 

[Maxy24]

Never heard that...I'm sure when it's abused it could cause some issues, not sure about when used properly though (Just let the dog hit the end himself). I'm sure there are folks out there who give hard corrections and even hang their dog with them and I can imagine that could damage the dog.

 

[chowNcharge]

basically my border collie mix Skyler is at the vet with what i think is Horner's Syndrom. i figured that it was because of his chronic ear infections, however now i am reading and hearing it might be due to his prong collar.
i walk him on a prong collar because he is such a puller.
i know better... a prong collar is no substitute for training my dog..

 

[Greenmagick]

Honestly, any collar (even a flat one) can cause issues, especially if they are pulling on it. The neck is sensitive. Besides the emotional issues like reactivity, there are more and more suggestions (that make sense to me) of other issues, like thyroid for one, coming up.

I am switching to harnesses for my guys for back up personally, with collars just for looks or tags.

 

[skittledoo]

I use a prong collar for cricket with no problems. Mind you, it's properly fitted correctly on her and I don't yank her around on it and instead let her self correct when she decides to pull. It's not something she will be on forever as I want to wean her down to just a simple flat collar. I think prongs (like any other training tool) can be dangerous though if used incorrectly and I personally don't think prongs are the right choice for every dog. I would never put one on Bamm for example. Does Skylar still try to pull even through the prong collar? If the prong isn't working to help encourage him not to pull then maybe try an alternative? A harness might be worth trying out.

 

[~WelshStump~]

I've never heard of this. And based on the research I've read and been told, you have a far greater chance of damage caused by a traditional flat collar when a dog pulls or lunges, and even more so a traditional choke chain, than anything else.

I too have been using a harness more that the Prong lately, I will still use it in certain situations, but the AKC and other similar venues has a ban on them, so I use a front clip harness for walking my lunging girl. She wears a hex-chain in the show ring, it is the only other thing that controls her as well as the prong, and the front clip harness. On a regular collar, she hits the end, stops and chokes, and continues to cough for a min or two.

 

[chowNcharge]

thank you all so so very much!
no Skyler never pulls on his prong collar.

 

[Barb04]

I saw this in this article: http://www.eyevet.ca/horner.html

Horner's syndrome may be associated with (strictly in anatomical sequence - not probability) brain tumours, spinal cord injury in the neck, thoracic tumours such as lymphosarcoma, injuries to the neck from fighting, choke collar injury or difficult venipuncture, middle ear infections, and viral, immune mediated or idiopathic neuropathies

 

[Aleron]

If he has chronic ear infections, I'd guess that is most likely what contributed to it since ear infections are also listed as a possible cause. It also can be idiopathic, meaning arising without any known cause. Considering it is seen mostly in just one or two breeds, there is likely also a genetic component.

At any rate, I hope Skyler makes a full recovery!