Emergency and Critical Care of Thermal Burns in Bovines Chaudhary P.S., Veterinary Surgeon, Varshney J.P., Medicine Consultant, Deshmukh V.V., Veterinary Pathologist Shree Surat Panjarapole Prerit Nandini Veterinary Hospital, Ghod-Dod Road, Surat-395007 (Gujarat) Online published on 24 January, 2012. Abstract Thirty four cases of thermal burns in bovines owing to fire in thatched sheds, were attended for emergent and critical care during 2007–2010. Of these, 16 were admitted and treated as indoor patients in burn ward created specially by covering the whole area with net and spraying with benzylkonium chloride (0.5% w/v) and isopropyl alcohol (70% w/v) solution and 18 were treated at owner's places. The degree of burn varied from 1st (02 animals), 2nda (03 animals), 2ndb (25 animals) to 3rd degree (04 animals). Area of burns varied from 15 to 30% in most of the cases except in 2 cases having around 50% burns. The burn lesions were characterized by hyperaemia, desquamated area, denuding, exudation, hair loss, sub-cutaneous edema, leathery eschar and high temperature (104–1060F). Initial haemoglobin values (14–16 g/dl) were high owing to dehydration and became low (8–10 g/dl) on 4th day. Treatment protocol consisted of thorough wound cleaning with ice cold water, removal of debris, loose skin and stripping of necrotic epidermis, phenaramine maleate, dexamethasone, ceftriaxone with tazobactum, tetanus toxoid, meloxicam, fluid therapy and topical dressing. Protective covering to burn area was provided by banana leaves washed with chlorhexidine solution (2%) and finally smeared with povidone iodine. Seven animals (2 indoor + 5 outdoor) died within a week during treatment and rest recovered in 2 to 4 months depending on the area of burn. One of the cows under treatment completed pregnancy and parturated normally. The use of honey and protective covering with banana leaf was the innovative approaches used for the first time in burn management in animals in India. Top Keywords Banana leaf covering, burn ward, degree of burn, honey dressing, thermal burns. Top |