Licking might offer some protection against certain bacteria, but there are serious drawbacks to letting your dog lick wounds. Excessive licking can lead to irritation, paving the way for hot spots, infections, and potential self-mutilation. Licking and chewing can also slow healing by reopening wounds.
A dog's only real form of helping a wound heal or to provide some comfort to the area is to lick it. Compared to human saliva, which is full of bacteria, dog saliva is relatively clean and full of helpful enzymes that promote healing.
Give Your Dog Something to Chew On
To keep your dog's attention away from its wound, try distracting your pet by giving it rubber balls or other toys to nibble at. If your dog needs to remain confined, make sure they are not chasing or getting rough with these toys.
Why do dogs lick their wounds? For dogs, licking wounds is like you rubbing your head if you hit it. The nerves used to transmit the rubbing sensation block the feeling of pain or soreness. And canine saliva does have some mild antibacterial effect.
To apply betadine on your dog, gently wipe the wound with a washcloth saturated with the betadine solution. You can do this up to twice a day for minor sores or skin infections. One great thing about Betadine is that it is completely harmless if it's ingested.
Saliva creates a humid environment, thus improving the survival and functioning of inflammatory cells that are crucial for wound healing. In addition, saliva contains several proteins which play a role in the different stages of wound healing.
Do not allow your dog to lick or scratch at the incision, as he may pull the sutures out and could introduce an infection into the incision. If the incision is not bandaged, inspect it at least twice daily.
As sweet as it may seem that your four-legged family members want to help take care of you when you are hurt, it's possible that their help can cause much more damage than good, so you shouldn't allow them to lick your wounds.
Disinfect the wound using dilute chlorhexidine solution—a 2% solution will limit tissue irritation. Bandage the wound — Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and cover the wound to help prevent contamination. If you wrap your dog's limb, ensure the bandage isn't too tight and could restrict blood flow.
What should I clean the wound with? Warm tap water is recommended for cleaning most wounds. Warm saline (salt solution) may also be used. This may be made by adding approximately one level teaspoonful (5 mL) of salt (or Epsom salts) to two cups (500 mL) of water.
It is also imperative that wounds receive oxygen to heal. Change the bandage every 12 to 24 hours.
Your dog may not have as much energy as usual, but that is because they may be in pain. Be patient and allow the wound to heal. It can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months for a wound to fully heal-- so make sure not to rush the process.
Licking and chewing on the wound will also tear the sutures and require you to visit the vet again to close it properly. Take note that closing reopened surgical incisions is more complicated than suturing during an operation. Dogs that fixate on their wounds can worsen the condition of their injuries.
As long as you don't see the blackened or dying tissue and you do see new soft pink tissue forming, that means the wound is healing appropriately and soon the maturation stage of the wound will begin, As the wound enters the final stage of healing the wound will be much smaller and the flesh will be less of a pink ...
Recovery Times For Pets After Surgery
In most cases, soft tissue operations such as spaying, neutering or abdominal surgery recover more quickly than procedures involving the bones, joints and ligaments. Many soft tissue operations have healed about 80% after 2-3 weeks, and may be completely healed in about 6 weeks.
It may sound like a myth, but a dog's saliva actually does have some antiseptic properties. Research has found that it can kill at least two different strains of bacteria (Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli, and Streptococcus canis).
By licking wounds we introduce saliva, and it turns out that the chemicals present might potentially help to promote healing. The idea that human saliva has wound-healing properties stems from the fact that oral mucosa, the mucous membrane lining the inside of the mouth, heals much faster than the skin.
According to Floyd Dewhirst and his research colleagues, a dog's saliva has approximately 400 different kinds of bacteria. Of course, that's just what they have identified. Many of our readers may know of a study that showed that a dog's saliva has antibacterial properties.
Note: This should only be done in small applications as it is not meant for dogs. Ingesting large amounts of Savlon can be dangerous for dogs, so it's best to opt for a dog-specific antiseptic when possible. Apply carefully and sparingly if you decide to use it on your pet.
During the inflammation and proliferation stages, you can encourage faster healing by keeping the wound covered, create a proactive antimicrobial barrier to prevent infection, and keep the wound moist.
There are many deeper cuts that we see that we don't sew up—if the skin edges are close enough and there is not a lot of motion or skin tension, we may just clean it out and let it heal on its own. The key decision with these is whether it is deep enough to warrant an antibiotic or not.
Your dog's wound will go through 4 stages of healing Inflammation, Debridement, Repair, and Maturation. Inflammation is when the initial wound happens and the immune system activates and sends cells to fight infection and temporarily repair the damage.
If your pet has a small wound or graze, that is not bleeding heavily, gently run water over it for as long as your pet will tolerate to help to remove as much dirt and bacteria as possible. Use salt water or clean lukewarm tap water.
Check your dog's wound at least twice a day to ensure that infection does not develop and that normal healing is taking place. If the wound becomes inflamed or shows signs of infection, clean it twice a day with water or a pet-safe antiseptic solution and contact your veterinarian right away.