| ELECTROCUTION, ELECTRICAL INJURY, LIGHTNING STRIKE | |
| Description | Electrical injury is most common in young dogs and cats that chew on electric cords but can occur in any animal exposed to dangerous levels of electricity such as cows in barns with faulty wiring or animals touching downed power lines. Prominent features of electrocution include pulmonary edema, oral burns, and acute dyspnea and/or musculoskeletal injury. Death or injury due to lightning is difficult to diagnose but singe marks and other signs are sometimes present. Non-fatal lightning strikes have caused fractures and hemorrhages. |
| Species | Bovine, Canine, Equine, Feline, Caprine, Ovine, Porcine |
| Signs | Abnormal lung or pleural sounds, Anorexia, Ataxia, Back or thoracic crepitation, Blindness, Corneal edema, opacity, Deafness, Dullness, Dysmetria, Dysphagia, Dyspnea, Forelimb crepitation, Forelimb lameness, Forelimb weakness, Head or neck crepitation, crepitus, Head tilt, Head, face, ears, jaw weakness, droop, Hemiparesis, Hindlimb lameness, Hindlimb or pelvic crepitation, Hyperesthesia, Inability to stand, Increased respiratory rate, Mouth, oral mucosal or tongue pain, Nystagmus, Oral mucosal ulcers, vesicles, Paraparesis, Scarred skin, Skin edema, Skin erythema, Skin laceration, Skin necrosis, Skin pain, Skin ulcer, Skin vesicles, Subcutaneous crepitation, Sudden death, Tongue ulcers, vesicles, Warm skin, Weakness of one hindlimb |
| References | Nemi JR. Retrospective evaluation of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema in dogs and cats (2000–2021): 31 cases. J Vet Emerg Crit Care 2023 [https://doi.org/10.1111/vec.13290] Unger K. Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema in small animals. J Vet Emerg Crit Care 2023 [https://doi.org/10.1111/vec.13278] Lagutchik M. Trauma Management of Military Working Dogs. Military Med 2018 [https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usy119] Schulze C. Electrical Injuries in Animals: Causes, Pathogenesis, and Morphological Findings. Vet Pathol 2016 [https://doi.org/10.1177/0300985816643371] Vanneste E. Lightning related fatalities in livestock: Veterinary expertise and the added value of lightning location data. Vet J 2015 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.10.024] |