Is It Harmful for Dogs to Lick Their Wounds?

When a dog sustains an injury, it instinctively licks its wound—a behavior that serves to clean the area and offers some level of disinfection. The saliva contains antibacterial properties that can help prevent infection to a certain extent. However, excessive and prolonged licking can have some adverse effects:1. Increased Risk of Infection: Although saliva has some antibacterial properties, if the wound is deep or large, constant licking can make it overly moist, creating a breeding ground for bacteria and potentially increasing the risk of infection.2. Impaired Healing: Overlicking can cause continuous physical irritation to the wound site, which may hinder the healing process and even lead to further damage to the wound tissue.3. Autoimmune Response: Some dogs' saliva contains enzymes that, when accumulated in excess on the wound, may trigger an autoimmune response, making the wound more difficult to heal.4. SelfMutilation: Certain dogs may become excessively rough in their licking due to anxiety or pain, which not only fails to aid healing but can worsen the wound condition, potentially leading to skin breakdown, hair loss, or even the development of lick granulomas.Therefore, if you notice your dog frequently licking its wound, it's important to promptly fit them with an Elizabethan collar to prevent them from interfering with the healing process.How to Treat a Dog's Injury?For minor skin abrasions or cuts, follow these steps for treatment:1. Hair Removal: Gently trim the hair around the wound to expose it fully for easier application of medication and to prevent hair from irritating the wound and causing itching or discomfort.2. Cleaning: Rinse the wound and surrounding skin with physiological saline to remove any surface contaminants.3. Disinfection: Fresh wounds can be disinfected with iodine solution, while wounds with signs of pus should be treated with hydrogen peroxide. Since hydrogen peroxide can cause severe pain upon contact with the wound, be sure to control your dog's movements during the process to avoid them wriggling or escaping.4. Medication: Apply petspecific wound sprays, ointments, or powders to the wound to promote healing and prevent infection. If there is inflammation on the wound surface, consider administering petspecific antiinflammatory medications, such as Metacam or Cephalexin tablets.If the wound is large, deep, or already shows signs of infection, it's advisable to take your dog to a veterinary clinic for debridement and suturing, followed by daily disinfection and medication as instructed by the vet.Be aware that severe wound infections can lead to systemic symptoms such as fever, decreased appetite, and listlessness, and may even trigger sepsis and widespread infection. Therefore, if you notice signs of inflammation, pus, or increased redness and swelling, it's crucial to take your dog to a veterinary hospital immediately.