24
May
Is It Good To Let A Dog Lick Their Wounds. As dog bites carry risk of infection so does licking. This video tells us about the natural response of why animals like to lick their wounds. Dogs cats rodents and primates all lick wounds. It isnt a good idea to let your dog lick your wounds and it really isnt a good idea to let him lick his own.
Licking is not a substitute for appropriate wound. Your best bet on a wound is to consult a veterinarian for your dog or physician for you. MRSA infection in humans which produce lesions like the unsightly one above can be caused by as little as one lick from your dog. In fact theres some evidence that cross-species licking is related to lower levels of infection than same-species licking presumably due to the lower levels of species-specific bacteria. But remember discourage licking after surgery especially if there are stitches involved dogs are likely to bite and pull them out. Not only animal human sometimes also have this kind of habit.
Wound licking does not have magical healing properties.
Studies in rats and mice showed that wound contraction and healing happen more quickly in rats with normal salivary glands compared to rats that can no longer produce saliva 9. Even if you have a strong immune system if a pet licks an open wound wash it with soap and water right away just to be safe and keep an eye out for any symptoms of infection. A good amount of licking can be helpful for small wounds. But excessive licking and biting at a wound is NOT a good thing. Licking is not a substitute for appropriate wound. The discovery years ago that dog saliva had limited antibacterial properties has transformed into a myth that licking is good for wounds.