Why Do Dogs Lick Wounds?
Your dog has a sore spot on her paw. She is licking and licking and licking. It is driving you crazy. You tell her to stop and she does until you turn your back or show that you are no longer paying attention. She goes back to licking and you wonder why she is so obsessed. The answer is that the dog is doing what she instinctively knows to do. She is cleaning her wound. The tongue’s soft and moist surface makes it an effective wound cleaner. Saliva loosens any debris or scabs that may be lingering on the surface of the wound. The tongue serves the same capacity as the cotton swabs a veterinarian would use to clean a wound. There is an old myth that implies that dogs have sterile mouths. One of the reasons for this line of thinking is that dog’s wounds tend to heal faster than those of humans. This may be due to the fact that a dog’s saliva does have some antibacterial and antibiotic properties that help promote healing. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should allow your puppy
