Accidental Pet Electrocutions

Let's talk about accidental pet electrocutions.

You might think that your pet is very safe in your home, however may pet owners forget about the dangers of all the electrical cords in their home. Pets love to chew on things, and unfortunately many pets and pet owners learn the hard way that pets should be kept away from cords.

If you have a puppy or kitten that just doesn't know any better yet, you will want to make sure you hide all cords or keep the pet confined to a room where there aren't any electrical cords that can be chewed on. If you have a pet that is prone to chewing anything or chewing specifically on cords, then you will also have to confine them or quickly train them.

It's easy to know if an pet is electrocuted if you see it happen, however, you're probably not with your pet every minute of every day. Electrocution is not always fatal so, how will you know if your pet was electrocuted? There are various symptoms that a pet will have. Most of these symptoms involve breathing such as coughing, fast breathing, difficulty breathing, only being able to breathe when upright, or crackling sounds from the lungs when breathing.

A pet is also likely to have pulmonary edema or pulmonary hypertension, but your veterinarian will have to diagnose those. A symptom of a electrocution from chewing on an electrical cord that you will physically be able to see if burns in your pet's mouth as well as burns on or around the fur near their mouth. They may also be missing whiskers and if their mouth is burned you may notice that they aren't eating.

You will need to take your injured pet to a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and treatment. When a pet is electrocuted not only will their burns need to be treated, but they will also have foamy fluid in their lungs. Veterinarians can properly treat injuries and complications, to help your pet lead a full recovery.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your veterinarian or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment.