You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Burns are painful, produce scars and can be life-threatening

Many pets (eg long-coated cats and dogs) have a distinct advantage over humans and other pets (eg snakes, lizards) because they are covered with a thick layer of hair which can provide protection against direct contact with hot objects. Nevertheless, burns are quite commonly seen in pets, and of course hair does not protect against some sources of damage such as hot liquids which saturate the coat and reach the skin to cause scalds.

Pets should be protected from direct access to all sources of heat and other environmental situations that can cause burns including :

• Chemicals
• Electric currents
• Microwaves
• Sunlight
• Thermal heat

Pets most frequently get burned from contact with :

• Open fires - hot coals or logs falling out of fireplaces, running into camp fires, being trapped in a house fire.
• Boiling liquids being splashed on to them - kitchen accidents, hot coffee/tea spillages
• Direct contact with hot objects - wood burners, stoves, ovens, boilers, radiators, irons, electric light bulbs (eg in a vivarium)
• Electric heating pads - especially reptiles, and hospitalised recumbent animals
• Biting through electric wires
• Contact with electric rail lines
• Animal hot air driers 

The amount of damage caused to the skin depends upon :

• The temperature of the heat source - heating pads can reach 55^oC even on a  medium setting and prolonged direct contact with this can cause a burn. Open flames, boiling liquids and ovens can reach temperatures of well over 70^oC in which case a burn occurs instantly
• The duration of contact with the heat. Several hours contact with a relatively low temperature eg 45^oC may be needed to cause a burn, whereas at high temperatures (over 70^oC) a burn can occur immediately contact is made.

Burns are categorised by the depth that they affect the skin and they can be :

• Minor - partial-thickness burn - damage is caused to the superficial layers of the skin
• Major - full-thickness burn - complete destruction of the skin. This is a very serious burn, needs medical and sometimes surgical attention and leads to scarring

Burns on other exposed tissues - eg the surface of the eyes or inside the mouth cause much more damage and are more likely to be irreversible.

If a large surface area of the body (over 25%) is involved in a burn it can be life-threatening. In addition, if the source of the burn was accompanied by smoke or toxic fumes other problems may be present such as damage to the respiratory tract. See for information about smoke inhalation.

Complications of large burns include :

• Loss of fluids and other vital substances from the body (electrolytes)
• Secondary bacterial infection of the burn site
• Infection in the bloodstream (called septicaemia)
• Kidney failure
• Anaemia
• Shock
• Death

If you see an animal being burned :

• If the animals hair coat is on fire try to smother the flames with a heavy blanket or item of clothing
• Bathe the affected area of skin with copious amounts of cold water. Heat will continue to damage deep tissues long after the contact has been broken
• If the burn is due to a chemical splash be careful not to allow it to get into contact with your own skin, and prevent the animal from licking it - otherwise it may be spread to other sites
• Seek veterinary attention as soon as possible

Veterinary treatment for burns depends upon the severity of the burn and the size of the burn, but it may involve :

• Pain killers
• Intravenous fluid replacement
• Treatment for shock
• Medical treatment of the burn :
  • Bathing and cleaning with antiseptic solution
  • Hydrotherapy
  • Dressings
  • Antibiotics
• Surgical treatment - removal of all dead tissue, stitching the wound sometimes.

Healing can take many months, and for some large full-thickness wounds skin grafts may be necessary. Following large burns a white, hairless scar is likely to form and if this causes problems plastic surgery may be needed later.

Updated October 2013