When dogs lick their wounds does it help in healing injuries?

Whenever an animal is seen licking its wounds most people react by saying that it is something natural for them to do so and that it helps heal the injury. All sorts of creatures, including dogs, mice, ants and cats do it. Why do they do it and does it truly help questions a report in livescience.com?

Creatures indulge in this action since licking brings a sense of self-soothing and the spit has attributes that assuage. Dr. Benjamin Hart, who is a retired veterinarian and University of California, Davis professor emeritus stated that licking is an instinctual response which has come across through evolution and it gives relief from pain and irritation, while also accelerating the healing process.

Yet in the case of pets including dogs this can be ineffectual as modern medical science enables better treatment of wounds.

University of Minnesota’s animal behaviour expert and vet, Dr. Kristi Flynn observed that for animals "without thumbs or medication”, licking is "the best they probably have”. It helps remove stray skin bits, dirt from the injury and also ease soreness, Flynn added.

Talking to Live Science Flynn said: "When [animals] feel pain, it's a natural inclination to try to soothe an area.” Speaking in the same vein, Hart remarked: "Licking wounds is an instinct in dogs that goes way back to the wolf ancestor. They've got a wound; they've got an instinct to lick it: keep it clean and wash off the dirt and the grime."

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