What are Burn injuries?

Burn injuries in animals can result from exposure to heat, cold, chemicals, electricity, or radiation. Common causes include open flames, hot liquids, and inappropriate use of heat pads. Indications for managing thermal burns include immediate cell death (central portion of the burn wound), surrounding zones of ischemia, and vasodilation with increased blood supply and inflammation.

Procedure:

1. Initial Management:
   • Minimize thermal damage by cooling the area (if directly witnessed) and removing any chemical substances.
   • Ensure adequate analgesia.
   • Prevent contamination and infection.
   • Remove devitalized tissue.
   • Consider reconstruction options.
2. Wound Management:
   • Protect the wound from further trauma and infection.
   • Use a moist (semi-occlusive or occlusive) contact layer in the bandage to minimize pain, reduce fluid loss, and promote autolytic debridement and re-epithelialization.
3. Postoperative Recovery:
   • Intravenous fluid therapy provides benefits, including patent access for additional medications if needed.

Benefits:

• Effective management prevents complications, promotes wound healing, and improves patient outcomes.
• Proper wound care reduces pain, risk of infection, and tissue damage.
• Early intervention can preserve tissue viability and enhance recovery.

Remember that individual patient factors influence the surgical approach, and adjunctive therapies like negative pressure wound therapy may be considered.