Burn injury in dogs and cats (heat, hot liquid, or chemical)
Cool the burn under cool (not ice-cold) running water for 10–20 minutes, do not apply creams or butter, and contact the vet for any burn larger than a 2p coin or affecting the face, paws, or genitals.
Recognise the signs
- Red, raw, or weeping skin
- Singed fur
- Blistering
- White or charred patches in deeper burns
- Pain, licking, or chewing at the area
- Limping if paws are involved
- In severe burns: shock, pale gums, distress
First aid steps
- Move the pet away from the heat source.
- Run cool (not ice-cold) tap water over the burn for 10–20 minutes — a paw can be held under the tap, a body burn cooled with a hand-shower or pouring jug.
- For chemical burns: flush with copious cool water for 20 minutes; identify the chemical for the vet.
- Cover the burn with a clean, damp cloth or non-stick dressing.
- Phone the vet for any burn larger than a 2p coin, on the face, paws, genitals, or in young/old/unwell pets.
- Keep the pet warm overall (a cooled burn does not mean the pet should get cold).
Do NOT
- Do not apply butter, oil, toothpaste, sudocrem, or any cream without vet advice — most are wrong, several worsen the injury.
- Do not use ice or ice-cold water — this damages tissue further.
- Do not break blisters.
- Do not pull off stuck material (clothing, melted plastic) — trim around it and leave the rest for the vet.
- Do not assume small burns are minor — paw and face burns commonly need vet care.
When to phone the vet immediately
- Burns larger than a 2p coin
- Burns on the face, paws, genitals, or over joints
- White or charred (deep) burns
- Chemical or electrical burns regardless of size
- Smoke inhalation alongside burns
- Pet showing shock — pale gums, weakness, fast breathing
Signs that can usually wait for a routine appointment
- A very small superficial burn (mild redness, no blistering, smaller than a 2p) on a bright pet, after thorough cooling and with the pet not licking, can usually be monitored at home for 24 hours.
Common causes
- Hot liquid spills — kettle, soup, tea, oil
- Cooker rings, oven shelves, hot pans
- Hair straighteners, curling tongs (small dogs and cats curling up beside warm devices)
- Open fires, log burners, BBQs
- Hot pavements in summer (paw burns)
- Sunburn — pink-skinned, white-coated, or thinly furred areas
- Chemical burns — bleach, oven cleaner, descaler, battery acid, antifreeze on skin
- Electric burns from cable chewing
What the vet will need to know
- Type of burn — heat, liquid, chemical, electrical, sun
- Time of injury and time of first cooling
- Size and location
- Chemical identity if applicable
- Any other injuries or smoke exposure
- Pet's age, weight, and overall condition
Aftercare
- Vet treatment may include pain relief, antibiotics, dressings, and in severe cases skin grafts.
- Burn dressings are typically changed every 1–3 days initially.
- Buster collar to prevent licking.
- Healing takes 1–4 weeks for partial-thickness burns; longer for deep burns.
- Watch for infection — redness, swelling, pus, foul smell.
Prevention
- Keep pets out of the kitchen at cooking time, or behind a stairgate.
- Cover hair straighteners and unplug — small dogs and cats burn themselves on them every year.
- Fire guards in front of log burners and open fires.
- 5-second pavement test in summer.
- Pet-safe sunscreen for white-coated, pink-skinned, or thin-furred pets — speak to the vet for the right product.
- Lock away cleaning chemicals, especially bleach, oven cleaner, and descaler.
Breed-specific notes
- Brachycephalic breeds particularly vulnerable to pavement burns and sunburn on flat pink noses.
- White-coated pets (Bull Terriers, Dalmatians, white cats) at higher sunburn risk.
Frequently asked questions
Why not put cream on a burn?
Most household creams (sudocrem, antiseptic creams, antibiotic ointments) are not designed for animal burns and can trap heat, attract licking, or be toxic if ingested. Veterinary burn dressings and prescribed creams are formulated for the job. The single best at-home action is prolonged cool-water cooling, not creams.
How long should I cool a burn for?
10–20 minutes of cool running water is the evidence-based recommendation, started as soon as possible after the injury. Even a delayed cooling (within 1 hour) provides some benefit. Use cool, not ice-cold.
Can dogs really get sunburn?
Yes — particularly on pink noses, ears, bellies (when sunbathing belly-up), and white-furred areas. Repeated sunburn raises the risk of skin cancers including squamous cell carcinoma. Pet-safe sunscreens exist; the vet can recommend a suitable product.