Chemical Burns in Cats

About

Your cat’s skin is the largest organ of the body and is there to act as armour from the outside world. It consists of several layers, the outermost is the epidermis, beneath that the dermis and deepest of all the hypodermis. Burns can affect just the outermost epidermis or can go through all three layers of skin and beyond.

There are three types of burns:

• Thermal (from heat such as fire, sunburn, hot liquids)
• Electrical (chewing through cords is the most common electrical injury)
• Chemical. Also known as caustic burns, chemical burns can be external (on the skin) or internal (via ingestion).

This article will focus on chemical burns in cats.

Causes

Spillage of an acid or alkaline material on the coat can result in chemical burns. Petroleum, bleach, reed diffusers, chlorine, toilet cleaner, battery acid, caustic soda, ammonia, weed killers are all common household chemicals that can cause severe burns to cats. In rare cases, chemical burns can occur in cats who have had topical flea products applied to the back of their necks.

Damage can also occur internally as your cat may lick the chemical off his coat, causing internal injury.

Seek veterinary help immediately if your cat has received a chemical burn.

Symptoms

Chemical burns may not show symptoms immediately, some can take several hours or even days to cause damage. Once symptoms do become apparent they generally include:

• Areas of hair loss progress to bright red, raw, blistered areas of skin that are extremely painful.
• Skin contracting.
• Sores on the nose, face and inside the mouth, where he has licked the chemicals either directly (for example from the floor) or in an attempt to remove it from his fur.
• Shock. Signs of shock include pale gums, rapid and weak pulse, difficulty standing, panting, rapid but shallow breathing.

Treatment

Emergency care:

• Remove the cat’s collar.
• Immediately wash the affected area with cool to lukewarm water for 20 minutes. Wear rubber gloves and goggles to avoid coming into contact with the chemical. Be careful not to spread the chemical to other parts of your cat’s body as you are rinsing him. Do not apply any ointments or creams to the burn.
• If burns have occurred in the mouth, flush with water.
• Wrap him in a towel and get him to a veterinarian. Call ahead of time so he can be on standby.

Veterinary treatment:

• Debridement of severe wounds to remove dead or damaged tissue.
• Antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infection.
• Analgesics to relieve pain.
• Tube feeding: Initially, your cat may need to be tube fed if his mouth has been burned. Once he is sent home, feed soft/moist food.
• Supportive care which may include IV fluids may be necessary as large areas of damage can result in fluid loss.

Prevention

Keep household chemicals away from your cat, store them in a cupboard with a child lock.

Avoid letting your cat into the garage, where many chemicals are stored. Store chemicals in a safe place away from children and pets. 

Clean up any chemical spills immediately.

If the burn is a result of a topical flea product, report it to your veterinarian and don’t use this type of product again. NEVER use dog flea products on your cat.