Burns in cats are skin injuries from heat, caustic chemicals or electrical current. Cats are curious, seek warm places and chew cords, so stove, heat-source, scald and cord injuries all appear in practice. The wound is only part of the problem: shock, airway injury and, after electrical injury, lung edema decide survival.
Key facts
Burns at a glance- Species and system: cat; integumentary, with possible airway, cardiovascular and metabolic involvement.
- Cause: thermal (flame, scald, hot surfaces, heating pads), chemical (acids, alkalis, solvents) or electrical (cord chewing).
- Classic presentation: a young cat with oral lesions, drooling and singed whiskers after chewing a cord, or a cat with painful burned skin after contact with a hot surface.
- Key pitfall: a burn is not fully declared at first examination; depth and necrosis become clear over several days.
- Zoonotic or reportable: no.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 2 tables, 3 self-test questions and 6 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.