In my Toxicology class in Veterinary school, we were taught much about everyday toxins that animals can and do get in to (i.e., chocolate, raisins/grapes, NSAIDs, ethylene glycol, rat poison, etc) and the proper remedies for them. We were also taught that many pets are too curious for their own good and occasionally will chew on an odd electrical cord/extension cord. I don’t recall, however, learning about chemical burns from battery acid from a chewed up battery—but, as I found out—it happens.
I recently saw a young Black Labrador dog with a significantly irritated tongue that both the owner and I thought came from chewing too vigorously on a very thick rawhide. She had a history of “getting into things that she shouldn’t,” which is probably pretty common in these cases! Another thought that I had, after partially seeing the tongue only intermittently while the dog was excessively panting, was that she had developed a ruptured salivary gland (ranula) from some sort of blunt trauma to her mouth. She was very active in the exam room and required sedation to take a closer look in her mouth and figure out “what’s what.”
Upon sedation, it was clear that her tongue had undergone pretty extensive chemical burns to the right side and the top of the tongue had already begun to slough. She was very painful during handling of her mouth and was very reluctant to chew her food. Saliva was pouring out of her mouth from the localized pain and probably also from nausea. Abdominal x-rays revealed a thin, wispy, wire-like entity in her stomach that I now believe to be the thin lining of the battery wrapper (see below). This same material was found interwoven with her teeth and gums adjacent to where the tongue had been burned.
(Photo courtesy of Zionsville Animal Hospital)
Earlier that same day, she had been observed intently investigating an inflatable mattress repair kit. Concerns had arisen over a small tube of glue that accompanied this kit. Could these mouth lesions be from exposure to glue? I didn’t want to discount it, but it didn’t seem likely based on the generalized nature of the wounds. Plus, there was thought to be only one tube of glue in the kit and it was accounted for and determined to be intact.
It wasn’t until later that night that her owners discovered the partially destroyed battery back at their house—this made perfect sense!
When a battery is punctured, battery acid (in this case it was an alkaline battery, so the caustic material is actually Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)—a chemical base) is released and is extremely irritating to oral mucus membranes leading to ulcers within minutes. When severe, this caustic KOH can eat through (and destroy) bone, necessitating debridement of wounds (often necrotic tissue) and significant oral surgery. Once swallowed, the acid wreaks havoc on the esophagus and stomach lining. It is also important to examine animal’s paws for chemical burns, because most animals use their front paws to hold items as they chew them.
This dog was very lucky because she has owners that are very observant and that knew something was wrong—immediately. Had she been allowed to go untreated for several days, she may have sustained much more severe chemical burns possibly necessitating surgery or possibly may have died from stomach or intestinal perforation.
Pain control is paramount in the recovery of these animals. Without that, they are very unlikely to eat or drink, and healing will be further impaired. In this particular case, this dog was able to swallow Tramadol (a morphine-type drug) and began eating (albeit reluctantly) later that night. She continued to improve every day with medications to help her body heal the ulcers in her mouth, and most likely in her esophagus and stomach, as well. This dog received Sucralfate and Pepcid A/C, as well as a short course of antibiotic (Flagyl in this case) for 7 days. The reasoning for the antibiotic was to help prevent bacteria (specifically bad, anaerobic bacteria) from gaining access to ulcers (and subsequently the systemic circulation) that were most likely present in her esophagus and stomach. It is important to note that, in animals that simply refuse to swallow medication or eat/drink, pain control can be achieved with a Fentanyl Patch, and feedings can be administered through a Nasoesophageal, Esophageal, or Stomach tubes. She was also given one dose of injectable Cerenia (a canine-specific potent anti-nausea drug), administered under her skin.
Follow-up x-rays are scheduled for 7-10 days later, to make sure the [suspected] battery lining material shown below, has passed through her intestines, and out into her stool.
So please take proper precautions with toys or other items that have batteries in them, taking care to make sure they are out of reach when you are not home or when pets are unsupervised. This is ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT if you have a very curious dog or cat at home!
If you have any questions or would like to set up an appointment with one of the veterinarians at Zionsville Animal Hospital, visit us at www.zvah.com or call 317-873-1833.
Zionsville Animal Hospital Affiliations:
Michigan Road Animal Hospital at Crooked Creek: http://ccahvets.com/
Michigan Road Animal Hospital at 96th St.: http://indyvets.com/
References:
Veterinary Information Network (www.vin.com)
