The skin, the largest organ of the body

consists of two layers-the epidermis and dermis

.The depth or degree of burn depends on which layers of skin are damaged or
destroyed.
The epidermis is the outer layer that forms the protective covering.
The thicker or inner layer of the dermis contains blood vessels, hair follicles,
nerve endings, sweat and sebaceous glands.
When the dermis is destroyed, so are the nerve endings that allow a person to
feel pain, temperature, and tactile sensation.
The most important functions of the skin
Act as a barrier against infection.
The skin prevents loss of body fluids, thus preventing
dehydration.
The skin also regulates the body temperature by controlling
the amount of evaporation of fluids from the sweat glands.
The skin serves a cosmetic effect by giving the body shape.

When the skin is burned, these functions are impaired or lost

completely.
 Burns occur when heat energy is applied at a faster rate
than tissue can absorb and dissipate it.
Fires, electric heating pads, hair dryers, scalding water,
steam, hot cooking oil, exhaust systems, and hot pipes
In man, temperatures above 113 F (45 C) can cause
coagulation necrosis and irreversible skin damage; a
temperature of 158 F (70 C) for only 1 second causes a
full-thickness burn
A transition zone separates completely devitalized tissue
from uninjured tissue
 The transition zone is characterized by reduced blood
flow, intravascular sludging, and potentially reversible
tissue damage
It can be difficult to determine the burn depth and area of
involvement because the depth of injury is not uniform,
and the skin surface often is leathery and covered by dry
coagulum
CLASSIFICATION OF BURN
Superficial (first-degree) burns
Affect only epidermis.
Area is painful, thickened, erythematous, and desquamated.
Healing occurs rapidly (within 3 to 6 days) by
epithelialization from stratum germinativum or adnexal
dermal structures.
Dogs show less erythema with superficial burns than people
do.
Superficial partial thickness
They usually heal within 3 weeks because of
epithelialization from deeper portions of the skin appendages.
Healing usually is complete and occurs without grafting.
Deep partial-thickness (second-degree)
Cause major destruction of the dermis and upper layers of
the subcutaneous fat
Subcutaneous edema and notable inflammation occur
burns frequently heal without grafting, healing takes
months, and scarring may be extensive
Healing occurs by re-epithelialization from deep adnexa
and wound margins.
Ineffective therapy may allow a second-degree burn to
progress to a third-degree burn
Full-thickness (third-degree) burns
All skin structures are destroyed, and hair epilates easily
form a dark brown, insensitive, leathery eschar
Third-degree burns are less painful than first- or second-
degree burns because nerves have been destroyed
Early eschar removal is important as a necrotic eschar
quickly becomes colonized on its deep surface and serves
as a nidus of infection.
 Burns that extend beyond the dermis are sometimes
classified as fourth-degree burns. They have the same
characteristics as third-degree burns but with additional
tissue damage extending into the muscle and bone.
Healing by secondary intention or reconstruction is usually
required.
 TREATMENT
first priority in treating burns is to minimize tissue loss by
administering first aid and preventing shock
adequate perfusion, hydration, and wound protection
from trauma and infection may prevent progression of
tissue damage
Prevention of septic complications by good wound
management is the next priority
Cooling affected areas immediately after thermal injury
(within 2 hours) may limit extension of tissue destruction
Analgesics should be given as necessary to alleviate pain
 Treatment cont
size of the burn area
a rough estimate can be gained using the rule of nine
each forelimb of the animal represents approximately 9%
of the total body surface area (TBSA); each rear limb is
18% (two nines); and the dorsal and ventral thorax and
abdomen are each 18%
Animals with partial-thickness burns involving less than
15% TBSA require minimal supportive therapy,
whereas those with burns involving more than 15% TBSA
require emergency supportive care
 Treatment cont
Euthanasia should be considered for those with burns
involving more than 50% TBSA
The amount of isotonic fluid required during the first 24
hours may be estimated using the formula 3 to 4
ml/kg/percentage TBSA burned
Administration of protein colloids (i.e., fresh frozen
plasma or albumin) to hypoproteinemic patients should be
delayed for 8 to 12 hours to allow the stabilization of
membrane permeability and increased lymph return that
reduces protein loss
Transfusions (i.e., whole blood and packed red blood cells)
may be necessary in anemic patients.
 Wound management
Removal of dead tissue is essential to the control of sepsis
and promotion of a viable vascular bed suitable for surgical
closure
Necrotic tissue may be dbrided from burn wounds with
dissection, autolytic, bandage