Thursday, August 16, 2012

Emergency care for the dog's chemical burns

By Jerry Welsh


The lively and inquisitive behaviors of dogs are reasons why these furry animals make wonderful companions. Dogs though oftentimes get injured because of these inquisitive and energetic behaviors. Dog owners make sure to dog proof the house to lessen the risk of accidents. However, no matter how hard the dog owner tries, accidents cannot be totally prevented.

Chemical burns are one of the not so common injuries a dog can get. If curiosity kills the cat, curiosity can cause chemical burns in dogs as these animals would investigate anything interesting with their mouth or with their bodies. Unknowing of the harmful effects of acidic and corrosive chemicals, the curious dog would satisfy its curiosity by licking and rolling on chemicals so that the eyes, the mouth and other parts of the body can sustain burns.

Chemical burns can seriously injure the dog thus first aid treatment would be essential. Severe chemical burns can be fatal. Other symptoms of chemical burns are blue gums, rapid pulse and shallow breathing. In cases such as these, it would be best to take the pet to a veterinary facility for immediate professional medical treatment.

First aid treatment would be very necessary for dogs that have sustained less severe chemical burns. However, dogs have this inclination to hide from the human family to nurse the pain on their own . As such the life saving first aid cannot be administered by an owner that fails to see the pet's injuries right away. The first aid treatment for chemical burns is to remove all traces of the chemicals on the affected area and this can be achieved with thorough washing. The dog's body part that got in contact with the chemicals must be thoroughly washed in running water to remove the contaminants that can cause further damage to the other parts of the dog's body. Burns on the tongue and on the mouth must as well be washed in flowing water for about 10 to 15 minutes. The fur may still be contaminated with chemicals thus it would also be necessary wash the dog's entire body to fully remove the chemicals.

Chemical burns result when the chemical damages the proteins in the skin. One proven first aid treatment for chemical burns is to smear the affected area with milk or egg white. When these protein-rich foods are applied on the affected skin the chemical's effect of destroying protein in the skin will be arrested as the protein in the milk or egg are the ones that will be destroyed.




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