I couldn't let this misconception go without comment...I am both a veterinarian and a physician. Dogs carry several types of bacteria in their mouth than can and do cause wound infections in people...as do most mammals, and many nonmammals. Dog bites do get infected, and there has been at least one case report of a surgical wound infection from an owner's dog who did not bite the infected person, the owner. The only time it is likely beneficial to let a dog lick your wounds is perhaps if a person had an open and already infected wound when no other form of beneficial treatment is available.....in this situation a dog licking the wounds could result in a form of what we call debridement of the wound...removal of infected tissue and infectious drainage which interferes with normal healing and the formation of granulation tissue...the early tissues which cover an open wound by an ingrowth of cells which cover the open wound so that the wound can eventually contract to close itself and hopefully "heal". This works when dogs lick their own open, infected and otherwise neglected wounds...but certainly is not a sure thing, nor is it a first line preferred way of treating wounds in dogs or people. Maggots could also be of some benefit in such a situation...but neither "treatment" of such wounds is thought to be a good approach when other options are available. Perhaps on a deserted island it would be good, under the described circumstances. There are many great benefits to owning a dog...but having your fresh wounds licked is not one of them. Dog Magic works in other ways..... By the way..when I was a kid we sometimes did the blood brother maneuver...I would now prefer to have by wounds licked by my dog...than that. :) Michael Orchard Vancouver, Washington > > Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2002 22:03:41 -0800 > From: timbre_at_spiger.com > Subject: [Paddlewise] Cleaning Wounds With Urine--A More Pleasant Option > > in terms of wound cleaning, maybe people should do what my childhood best > friend did when we got owies: she made me (us) let her dog lick them and > swore it would heal them. they did heal, though i don't know if it was Dog > Magic (i suspect not); but i can think of lots worse places for a dog than > in my kayak. :-) > > kcd *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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