17
Jan
Can Dogs Licking Wound Heal. The goal of stitches is to keep a wound closed long enough for it to heal properly. Licking and chewing can also slow healing by reopening wounds. Nor are dogs the only creatures to do so. This is especially true if your dog had surgery or stitches.
However house dogs tend to lick their wounds in excess and in turn prevent the healing process from continuing as it should. Is Wound Licking Beneficial or Harmful. There is a common folk belief that animal saliva especially that of dogs has healing properties for human wounds. Licking can break down sutures and reopen the site necessitating a trip back to the veterinarian. Also the rough tongues of pooches can remove debris and even damaged tissue. Unfortunately licking can reopen the wound and lead to infection.
It is said that their saliva may have antimicrobial and healing properties.
Dog saliva has some healing properties because it contains enzymes that can. Surgery sites are especially dangerous for dogs to lick. Licking and chewing can also slow healing by reopening wounds. Unfortunately although dog saliva does have some healing properties the risks carried by allowing dogs to lick wounds are simply too high to warrant licking as a healing tool. As a result the licking behavior can speed up the healing process. Such a behavior is simply in dogs nature.