# Is it helpful for animals to lick their wounds?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-helpful-for-animals-to-lick-their-wounds/193853>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 8, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-helpful-for-animals-to-lick-their-wounds/193853 "2003-08-08T17:16:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jake4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@Jake4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake4)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-helpful-for-animals-to-lick-their-wounds/193853/1 "2003-08-08T17:16:43Z")

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This question arises from [this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&postid=3815665#post3815665)

See [this column from Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_412b.html) and [this previous GQ](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56078) for reference.

So, apparently some animals have been found to have helpful proteins or antibacterial agents in their saliva that could improve the healing of wounds.

Is the presence of these components in saliva the only benefit these animals get from licking their wounds? Does licking the wound feel good to the animal? Can licking a wound prove harmful to an animal? Is licking of wounds instinctual for animals (and humans)?

As Cecil states, anaerobic bacterica that live in humans’ mouths can cause infection. I assume these bacteria could also be found in animals, partially answering the harmful question. Cecil also “knows of” a woman dying from possible mouth-\>finger infection. Gimme the SD.

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**Author:** ![Jake4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@Jake4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake4)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-helpful-for-animals-to-lick-their-wounds/193853/2 "2003-08-08T17:22:28Z")

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I forgot to add:

Do all animals lick their wounds? Of those that do, how many have been found to have helpful saliva components wrt wound cleansing/infection suppression?

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**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-helpful-for-animals-to-lick-their-wounds/193853/3 "2003-08-08T17:29:16Z")

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I read a book entitled something like, “Mud, Honey, and Maggots,” which was all about medical remedies that were used in ancient times and how they actually worked, and I vividly remember that wound-licking was one of the remedies.

It was a while ago when I read the book, but I bet that there was a lot more information in it.