Content
Something proper and instinctive of puppies is to lick their wounds. The first thing we must take into account is why they do it. We have animals that do it because of physiological problems such as dermatitis, allergies or skin irritation from external agents, we also have those that do it because of boredom or stress. Finally, and as the title indicates, by the presence of a wound, accidental or surgical.
Physiologically we must say that there is a reason why they lick their wounds, no matter where they come from. it is about the Ascorbic acid from the saliva that reacts with the skin's nitrates resulting in hydrogen monoxide, this is known as sialotherapy, since it favors healing. Unfortunately, it also favors the proliferation of germs and increased wounds. But we must not forget that saliva has a certain amount of microbes that live and proliferate, peacefully, in our dog's mouth, when it finds itself in a new and labile terrain, starting with colonization.
Let's see in the Animal Expert article how prevent our dog from licking a wound, what consequences it may bring and how we can help.
dog language
To understand a little more our four-legged companions, we must say that dogs that live in nature, when they have a wound, the only way to clean themselves is through licking. There is no disinfection or healing ointment to help them. Therefore, we must say that the biggest contaminants are usually eliminated. But this should only be admitted in cases where they live in their natural habitat and cannot be disinfected with soap and water.
As we mentioned in the introduction, dogs can lick wounds for different reasons. It is often their way of communicating with others, ordering food and interacting with the world around them. But we often observe that our dog has injured himself. After an excessive lick, especially on the front paws and occasionally between the toes, we observed a lack of skin in the region, redness and often there is even bleeding. When we find this out we run to the vet, where we are told that, in most cases, these wounds are brought on by stress or boredom, that is, we come home more disappointed than at the beginning because they are telling us that our dog is suffering. Our furry friend gives us some signs that we don't want to notice and end up with these marks on his skin.
For these cases we can use the Homeopathy, looking for a medicine that will help you take these changes in your life with more tranquility and without so much stress. You can also use other natural therapies such as Reiki and Bach Flowers but don't forget to combine them with longer rides, intense games and lots of pampering, which general rule is what they are asking for.
Basically, it should be noted that an animal that licks itself also generates endorphins that soothe the burning or itching of the wound, thus generating some relief. The best we can do is to pay attention to our little friend so that we can help him if necessary.
Resources at hand
Ideally, try to find out correctly what the cause of frequent licking is. If it was due to a wound due to a surgical procedure. But in cases where you don't know why this happens and each member of the family has a different opinion, go to the veterinarian to hear an expert voice.
Along with the diagnosis, a treatment will be applied according to the evaluation made by the veterinarian and certainly some cream to be applied every 12 or 24 hours according to the professional's indication.
There are several aids to prevent you from continuing to lick the wounds. Some might be:
- Elizabethan or plastic necklace so that it does not reach the injured region. In our view, and from our experience, dogs suffer a lot from these collars. Some get depressed and don't want to eat, play or go out. It is very important that they have it for short periods, perhaps just being alone at home.
- homeopathic treatment or some natural treatment you like.
- More toys, games, tours and outdoor distractions. The entire family will be willing to help at this point.
