Dogs Licking Wounds

[black_dog]

Did a quick search but couldn't find an answer, and I'm sure it's obvious, but...

On a couple of occasions our dog has had small cuts to the leg. Nothing to worry about, but being a dog he licks at it, and more often than not licks the scab off. The last time he did it when he ran under one of the kid's bicycles, the wound was smaller than half a little finger nail, but it stayed raw for a week because he wouldn't leave it alone.

We initially bandaged it with that wide super sticky surgical tape, but he's pretty adept at getting that off. Takes him a while, but he perseveres. We ended up digging his head cone (from desexing days) out of the shed, and he was stuck with that for a few days. Was that necessary? I sort of thought that evolution must know what it is doing, and we should let the dog lick its scabs off.

[chezzyr]

Going through a similar thing with my girl at the moment - we think she grazed her toe on concrete.

Bathed it in salty water and let the air get to it but then she decided she wanted to lick it.

We tried bandages and putting a dog boot on her, alternating them. She licked/chewed

both! Bought some "Stop Chew" which I tried and is revolting, really bitter. She didn't

like that to begin with but then decided she could cope with it. Back to licking.

The sore got infected (from the licking and getting dirt in it) and she is on anti biotics.

We also have a Buster collar (bucket) for her. So at the moment we are alternating

the bucket, boot and bandage. I am also keeping up the salt water baths and

vet said I was doing the right things with her.

[lucknow]

Excessive licking is definately not desirable, as chezzyr said it can cause infection and also fungal problems. Licking a wound while it is still open helps cleanse dirt and debris but once a scab has formed for most wound types it is best left in place to protect against recontamination.

Elizabethan collars (the cone) are great for a lot of dogs, as is the stopchew type products. I use woundgard which is similiar and designed for this specific purpose. Not every product or idea will work for every dog.

[Miranda]

Some dogs will lick a wound compulsively until it becomes infected and then you may need antibiotics to clear it up. It's best to discourage it and use an Elizabethan collar if necessary.

[chezzyr]

Lucknow, is woundgard a similar product to Stop Chew (denatonium benzoate)?

[lucknow]

Lucknow, is woundgard a similar product to Stop Chew (denatonium benzoate)?

Wound-Gard has 200mg/L Denatonium Benzoate, as well as , per litre, 10g Chlorhexidine Gluconate, 5g Menthol, 20ml Phenoxyethanol & 10g Eucalyptus Oil. I use it as a simple antiseptic spray as well to prevent mutilation. It is manufactured by Virbac.