Your dog is an important part of your life, whether you treat him like a child, a pet or a working partner. As he accompanies you through your daily activities, it is possible for him to sustain injuries, including burns. If you suspect your dog has suffered from a skin burn, it is essential to perform basic first aid and then take him to a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. There are steps you can follow to treat your dog's skin burns.
Things You'll Need
- Ice pack or cold compress
- Antibacterial soap
- Antibiotic treatment (such as Neosporin)
- Gauze wrap
- Baking soda
- Scissors
- Vinegar
- Water
Instructions
Determine how deep the skin burn is. Superficial burns will be reddish in color and may have slight swelling. Deeper burns will be more discolored, white or gray in color. The fur will come right out if you pull on it.
Determine the source of the burn if you can and remove it from the burned skin. Fire or heat products cause a thermal burn. If you dog's skin was burned by a thermal source, the fur around the burned area will be singed. Chemical burns are caused by the chemical reactions that some substances have with your dog's skin. Often, chemical reactions will be accompanied by an unusual odor from the substance that caused the skin burn. Thermal burn sources can simply be moved away from the dog's skin, but chemical burn sources must be washed from the dog's skin using lots of running water.
Apply a cold-water compress or ice pack for about twenty minutes to relieve swelling and pain. Gently cut away fur from the burned skin. Wash with an antibacterial soap, being careful not to apply pressure or irritate the skin further. If handy, apply an antibiotic ointment, like Neosporin, to the burned skin.
Loosely apply a gauze dressing to the skin burn to protect the area from rubbing or irritation. Air must get to the skin burn to promote the healing process.
Take your dog to the veterinarian for evaluation. He can tell how deep the burn is and determine if further treatment is necessary. For many superficial burns, the above steps may be all you need to do. However, more severe or extensive burns may require surgery. Also, if you feel your dog is still in pain, the veterinarian can prescribe pain medicine.