BURNS
Over the last few weeks, the “PET CARE” columns have been dealing with BURNS. From the responses, mostly questions from caregivers, it has become clear and convincing that our texts needed even more explanations, not lastly because of the frequency and magnitude of these ailments.
So, we will expand some more on causes, lesions and treatments associated with burns.
I have always been convinced that Veterinary Practitioners could harvest immense knowledge from doctors in human medicines who also deal with a myriad of human health emergencies similar to those confronted by veterinarians with animals.
There is a Burns Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). I turned to the Head of this facility, Dr. Vickita Nandan. This physician, obviously a compassionate practitioner, a professional and immensely knowledgeable of the “Burns” subject matter, immediately agreed to accommodate my request for sharing her knowledge on the treatment of “Burns”. This type of collaboration is needed and should be compulsory not lastly because of zoonoses (diseases transmissible from animals to humans and vice versa) but because of the promoted concept of “ONE HEALTH”.
She reviewed and provided inputs for this week’s article on the disfiguring and even potentially and actually lethal traumas which companion animals often experience.
Dr. Nandan is herself a companion animal caregiver.
With great gratitude, we are today incorporating Dr. Nandan’s guidance on burns:
The majority of burn cases in veterinary medicine would be localized burns with injuries varying between 5-20% of the body surface being affected. However, the severity of these ailments will depend on the animal’s age, weight, body size, thickness of the coat and skin. Burns are classified based on the amount of skin layer affected, in other words, how deep the burns are.
First-degree burns (Superficial)
– The outermost layer of skin (epidermis) is affected.
– Area is red, dry and painful to the touch. (e.g. sunburns).
– Usually heals without scarring within one week.
Second-degree burns
– Blisters and vesicles emerge as a result of scalds, short exposure to flames.
– Healing can take place within 21 days, with scarring.
Third-degree burns
– All the layers of the skin are affected.
– The skin becomes leathery and charred – lacks sensation, not painful.
– Requires surgical intervention.
BURNS can be grouped based on the agent that causes them:
Thermal burns which include
Scald – heat from steam or hot liquid e.g. hot water
Contact burns from touching a hot object or from hot oil or a hot iron touching the skin for a prolonged period (e.g. animal branding is an example of a contact burn)
Flames burns from an open fire or a house fire in which the pet finds itself trapped.
Chemicals burns – Strong acids, drain cleaners, car battery acid paint thinner, gasoline
Electrical Burns – Most common in puppies chewing on electrical wires
Mechanical (Friction) burns – Due to a road accident, or during quick and incessant playing on carpets.
Next week, we will provide Dr. Nandan’s text on Radiation Burns, which will augment our discourse on this type of burn previously addressed in “Pet Care” article of September 1.
