Medical and surgical management of a large thermal burn in a dog

Lima, Josefa Gomes deArias, Mônica Vicky Bahr

Background: Thermal wounds are relatively uncommon in veterinary practice and most of them are the result of accidental burns. Patients with severe burns are among the most challenging cases presented to veterinarians, because severe burn injury leads to significant hemodynamic instability, massive fluid shifts, and hypovolemia requiring prompt and aggressive therapy. Because severe burn injury in small animals has been poorly described in the veterinary literature, this case study describes the presentation, complications, medical and surgical treatment of a female dog with an accidental severe burn wound caused by a thermal mattress during an elective surgery. Case: A 6-month-old 9.6 kg female crossbred was referred with 20% total body surface area burned by a thermal mattress during an ovariohysterectomy procedure two days before. The dog presented a severe burn and systemic complications as anemia, leukocytosis, total protein at the lower limit and hyperlactatemia, which were managed with intensive medical care, including administration of crystalloid fluids, colloids, antibiotics, analgesics and enteral nutrition. The large wound was treated with debridement and the use of different kind of dressing to obtain a healthy granulation tissue. As a large portion of the trunk was lost, it was not possible to use axial pattern flaps, so skin-stretching devices and multiple surgic...(AU)

1. burns
2. skin reconstruction
3. dogs
4. wound management