Does Your Dog Lick Your Wounds?

[BigDog2191]

It's weird.

Today, I picked a scab I had and it started bleeding. Well I cleaned most of it up but there was still like a small stain of blood.

Well, Rocky was sitting next to me and he just starts licking it. This is the second time this has happened.

Does anyone know why? I don't mind it at all, it's just I was wondering if anybody else's dog did this.

 

[Saje]

I think it's normal. I'm a little weird though. I don't like it when my dogs lick me a lot. Especially if they've been eating cat poop! But, yeah, dogs lick wounds.

 

[bubbatd]

they're just kissing your boo-boos ! Trying to help you.... but the smell of blood is good too!

 

[smkie]

Dr Bronki let me know when anyone had a cut..and when Mary and onyx fought..i did a body sweep thinking she was uninjured, until i saw Victor was licking her ear over and over..sure enough i found two punctures there. It is a necessary action to be taken by animals..to care for their wounds..and to care for each other. When i had my jaw surgery..they had to open my head up quite a bit on both sides. I took about 50 stitches both sides included...and Bronki was insistant that he should "take care of me"..i had a terrible time getting him to leave the bandages alone. Now they have found that dogs can sniff out cancers too. I have read many stories where a person will have their dog bump them, lick them, in a certain area repeatedly.finding out later that it was a sight of a cancerous tumor....only one more proof that they are angels trying to take care of us..instead of us taking care of them.

 

[paisleyjade]

When I was growing up I was told if a dog licks your wound, it helps heal it. I know it may sound gross but a I think it is true. However, you would never want a cat to lick your wound because they have poison in their saliva.

 

[smkie]

the licking increases the circulation which speeds the process of healing..and helps dislodge any debris that might increase the risk of infection..cleansing a wound and keeping it clean by covering it does the same thing..for the wild ones..they have only themselves to take care of their wounds so this method is there only resource....when a puncture drives bacteria down deep...a wild animal could lick to kingdom come..and they would still get an abcess. The saliva does not cure the wound,,it is the licking action that helps.

 

[Renee750il]

Smkie's right about cleaning the wounds, but their saliva does have some anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. There is quite a bit of anecdotal evidence that points this out. I really got a charge out of the guy who couldn't get his athlete's foot to clear up no matter what he used or took. He started sitting around in the evening with his shoes and socks off and his Terrier started licking his feet where the infection was. It cleared up.

If you think about it, it makes perfect sense; dogs are scavengers and they eat rancid stuff that's rife with all sorts of bacterial and fungal growth all the time. It doesn't hurt them like it would us. It's apparent that there has to be something in a dog's system that functions as anti-bacterials and anti-fungals.

 

[mrose_s]

its normal, all ours do it, apparently, dog spit is good for the healing process

 

[smkie]

guess that is why their mouths are cleaner than ours

 

[nedim]

guess that is why their mouths are cleaner than ours

Yeah, I heard that even after drinking from the toilet, a dogs mouth will be cleaner than a humans. Go figure.

 

[Love4Pits]

Oh yes they do I don't know how many times i have hurt myself sledding or doing work around the farm and one dog or anouther (mainly Zeus) was there trying to lick my wounds. I think its sweet

 

[BigDog2191]

Yeah, it feels good on the wound too.

Better than any Neosporin...

 

[siemens716]

Somone should bottle dog saliva and sell it!

 

[Renee750il]

guess that is why their mouths are cleaner than ours

Pre-zactly!

Dogs really are neat critters.

 

[paisleyjade]

I love dogs but after smelling some dogs' breaths and knowing what some dogs eat, I tend to doubt their mouths are cleaner than a human that brushes and flosses his teeth 2-3 times a day. However, despite not having the sweetest smelling breath, I agree with the person that wrote they must have some antibacterial properties in their saliva. It is possible considering cats and some insects and other animals carry hazardous stuff in their salavia.

P.S. I love cats too so this is not cat bashing. It is just a fact.

 

[Ash47]

Yea, I have seen this happen so many times. If we have a small bump or scratch, we get one of the babies to lick it. Within a couple days the infection is gone. I have always thought this was interesting. And Bigdog, it does have a healing feeling when they lick the infected site.

 

[oc_spirit]

It's true that a dog licking your wounds can help heal it HOWEVER it can also be a carrier of bad stuff so should never be used as an alternative to proper cleaning. None the less if you're out in the woods and get hurt and don't have a first aid kit it is a good idea to let your dog lick the wound.

When I came home from getting my wisdom teeth out OC kept trying to lick inside my mouth and around my lips. Of course I didn't let him but he was sure persistant!!!

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

Um...not really, maybe once or twice. If I get hurt though they always run over and start licking my face.

 

[bubbatd]

A little addition ..... if your dog keep wanting to lick a spot that isn't bleeding..check it out ! My Bushwhacker was the first to find a carcinoma on the back of my knee.

 

[Denaluvscorgis]

Yes....my dogs also try to do it all of the time. I've also been dog sitting my neighbors Poodle and I had a hang nail yesterday and he would not stop trying to lick it. YUCK!!! He was just trying to make it better.