Just like humans, dogs can get injured in accidents. But while humans would cry because of the pain, dogs would nurse their injuries silently . Getting the pet to a vet is not the only responsibility of a dog owner. A dog owner has to notice anything unusual in the behavior or in the appearance of the pet as oftentimes, the change is caused by a health concern.
Dogs normally stay away from open fires thus heat burns are not common injuries of dogs. However, dogs are often injured because they are very active and curious animals. Burned skin can be the result of the dog's attempt to filch food from the cook top. Owners using hairdryer to groom the dog must be careful as a resistant dog can get burned by the hot nozzle of the dryer. Stepping on hot coals or walking on very hot pavement can result to burns in the dog's paws.
Because of the fur, the dog's injuries as well as the extent of the damage may not be easily apparent to a dog owner. Skin that was superficially burned will redden and swell. Reddening and swelling of the skin as well as the formation of blisters are the symptoms of partial thickness burns or second degree burn. The two classifications of heat burns would have the dog in pain. Full thickness burn is not unlike third degree burn in humans where the skin peels off and cause the tissues under the skin to swell. Unlike the other two types of burns where the dog will suffer pain, deep burn is characterized by the absence of pain due to the destruction of the nerves. Deeply burned skin will turn either white or black and because of destroyed hair follicles, the hair can be easily pulled out.
Superficial burns can be treated at home with first aid treatment but a seriously burned dog has to have professional medical care. A dog with deep heat burns would need to be hospitalized especially if more than 15% of the skin was burned. Nevertheless, first aid treatment would still be necessary to stabilize the condition before the pet is transported to the hospital.
Cooling the affected area is the first aid treatment for heat burn. To arrest the damage cause by the heat to the tissues, burned body part has to be immersed in cool water. Another first aid alternative is to use a wash cloth soaked in cool water on the burned area. Dry the burned area carefully taking care not to rub the skin. Butter, grease or any ointment must not be applied on the burned skin as it will trap the heat and cause further damage.
Dogs normally stay away from open fires thus heat burns are not common injuries of dogs. However, dogs are often injured because they are very active and curious animals. Burned skin can be the result of the dog's attempt to filch food from the cook top. Owners using hairdryer to groom the dog must be careful as a resistant dog can get burned by the hot nozzle of the dryer. Stepping on hot coals or walking on very hot pavement can result to burns in the dog's paws.
Because of the fur, the dog's injuries as well as the extent of the damage may not be easily apparent to a dog owner. Skin that was superficially burned will redden and swell. Reddening and swelling of the skin as well as the formation of blisters are the symptoms of partial thickness burns or second degree burn. The two classifications of heat burns would have the dog in pain. Full thickness burn is not unlike third degree burn in humans where the skin peels off and cause the tissues under the skin to swell. Unlike the other two types of burns where the dog will suffer pain, deep burn is characterized by the absence of pain due to the destruction of the nerves. Deeply burned skin will turn either white or black and because of destroyed hair follicles, the hair can be easily pulled out.
Superficial burns can be treated at home with first aid treatment but a seriously burned dog has to have professional medical care. A dog with deep heat burns would need to be hospitalized especially if more than 15% of the skin was burned. Nevertheless, first aid treatment would still be necessary to stabilize the condition before the pet is transported to the hospital.
Cooling the affected area is the first aid treatment for heat burn. To arrest the damage cause by the heat to the tissues, burned body part has to be immersed in cool water. Another first aid alternative is to use a wash cloth soaked in cool water on the burned area. Dry the burned area carefully taking care not to rub the skin. Butter, grease or any ointment must not be applied on the burned skin as it will trap the heat and cause further damage.
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