Pets and smoke inhalation: improving immediate and prehospital management

Around the world, pets and companion animals coexist with people to help them live their lives through work, social support and companionship. Commentary by Kahler (2018) and the Invisible Fence Brand (2022) report that significant numbers of these animals are estimated globally each year to die from smoke inhalation during residential fires. International efforts have improved the prehospital management of pets suffering from smoke inhalation, however, this trend has not been experienced in Australia. To support improvements in the prehospital management of pets suffering smoke inhalation, a narrative review of existing research and publicly available reports was undertaken. This review considered aspects of the unknown number of pets suffering smoke inhalation due to residential fire, the potential for under-reporting and the potential value of improved veterinary integration at the small-scale incident level. Several conclusions are drawn that can inform further research and contribute to existing practice by Australian fire service agencies in the prehospital treatment of pets suffering smoke inhalation.