27
Nov
Why Do Dogs Like To Lick Cuts. There is also an element of your dog liking the taste of the fluid coming from the wound. Nobody instructs a child to suck a burned finger and nobody teaches a dog to lick a cut paw. AKCs Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Dogs cats small rodents horses and primates all lick wounds.
According to the American Kennel Club dog saliva contains antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that may help wounds. If weve been perspiring we taste even better so you may notice that your dog loves to lick you even more in the summertime. A dog will instinctively lick at a wound but this can seriously delay healing. When wolves and sometimes dogs in the wild return to their pups after a meal they regurgitate meat from the hunt. Therefore you must prevent this. In short dogs lick their wounds because it can promote healing and relieve pain.
Licking wounds seems an instinctual reaction to the injury.
Saliva contains tissue factor which promotes the blood clotting mechanism. Thats all they can do. Canine saliva has enzymes that kill bacteria and in turn promote healing of cuts and scrapes. When a dog licks a wound–or a newborn puppy–it cleans it in much the same way you might clean a counter with a sponge. Which aid a dog in both cleaning their wounds and to promote healing. But instinct can be biologically based and often serves a purpose.