17
Nov
Should A Dog Lick My Wound. When it comes to dogs licking their own wounds a heavy amount of licking is likely to break down stitches and suture and re-open any closed wounds leaving them vulnerable to infection and the accumulation of dirt and debris. No it is normal. Wound licking is an instinct of many mammals and doggies are not an exception. However despite the healing properties of saliva you must not encourage the licking behavior.
Some wounds can be loosely covered with gauze to protect them from a dogs mouth. It is important to prevent the skin from healing over the wound too quickly. This is especially helpful when it comes to a wound that your dog is tempted to lick but should not be licking because it causes more harm than good. If your cut is small you may feel comfortable with your dog licking and attending to your wound. Your dog should not be allowed to lick or chew the open wound. Despite the suggestion that there may be bactericidal benefits the trauma caused by the friction of licking is destructive to the healing process.
Yet it may be important to not let your dog go too crazy with licking away at your wounds.
Saliva does have some antibacterial properties but licking can do more harm than good. Try stopping it because it can lead to various complications that may be harmful to both your dogs. Wound licking is an instinct of many mammals and doggies are not an exception. 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. And of course their saliva contains enzymes etc. No matter what since you shouldnt let a dog lick his wound you should cover it with a bandage or gauze.