FieldDxLightning strike and electrocutionClinical signs, differential diagnosis, treatment and prevention in cattle, sheep and horses.
Overview
Sudden death or severe injury from a direct electrical current. Direct contact with a lightning strike or a faulty electrical source (fencing, wiring).
Clinical signs
- Deaths caused by lightning strike can be detected by an examination of the dead animal and its environment with additional information provided by lightning location data. Varying degrees of shock occur.
Predisposing factors
- The area is never high but heavy mortalities may occur on individual farms when a barn or a group of animals sheltering under a tree is struck. Approximately 90% of deaths occur in cattle in Belgium.
Treatment
Central nervous system stimulants and artificial respiration should be provided for unconscious animals, but in most instances the animals are dead or recovered before treatment can be instituted.
Prevention
Precautions taken to avoid lightning strike in animals are largely ineffective, but proper installation of all electric equipment in barns and milking parlors is essential to prevent losses.
Source
A Textbook of the Diseases of Cattle, Horses, Sheep, Pigs and Goat by ELSEVIER — Lightning Strike And Electrocution
MSD Veterinary Manual — Electrical Injuries and Lightning Strike in Animals (accessed 2026-08-11)
Condensed and attributed, never reproduced whole. Open the full entry in the app.