You might remember this meme from 2015:

Well, we now have the answer:

Jokes aside, that's actually a medical recovery aid, not a pet owner attempting to humiliate their pooch. The Lick Sleeve, designed by veterinary surgeon Dr. David Allman, "shields your dog's injured hind leg from destructive licking and scratching, and debris such as dirt and mud. It's a form-fitting cover for your dog's rear leg, with a comfortable design for stress-free recovery."

"[Dr. Allman's] frustration with the "cone of shame" and other protective solutions led to the Lick Sleeve. Dr. Allman designed the sleeve to help raise compliance rates during recovery — in fact, pet owners tend to keep it on three times longer than the cone."

Customer reviews (complete with cute photos, above) are effusive, with purchasers reporting the sleeve effectively prevents their dogs from pulling out stitches and licking at incisions, where cones and neck donuts did not. You can read through them here.