Can a dog licking your feet heal you?

Question

I read a story about a Native American who was tortured by burning the soles of his feet till they blistered. He escaped and some wolves came up and started licking his feet. They kept coming back every night for several days and licked his feet. After a few days, his feet healed. Can a dog/wolf licking your feet heal them?

Answer 1

i dont think so but maybe. i would rather use soap and water personally

Answer 2

Sorry people, dogs saliva does not have stronger antiseptic qualities than human saliva does. As a matter of fact, chemically speaking, the enzymes are identical. In humans, dogs, and almost all mammals, the enzyme lysozyme is the only anit-bacterial agent. Canine saliva is LOADED with bacteria of all sorts. The lysozyme only kills a select few strains of bacteria. Human saliva contains the same thing. Canine saliva is in no way cleaner or healthier or more anti bacterial than what is in your mouth.

There are enzymes that encourage healing in mammalian saliva, in dogs, humans, and other species. A dog licking your feet might help you heal better, but so will you spreading your own saliva on it. If there is any open sores it is a BAD idea because new bacteria will be introduced. Dogs lick their own wounds to encourage healing, this is where that story comes from. The bacteria in the canine mouth is already being dealt with by its immune system. There are no antibodies in saliva, saliva containing the bacteria must enter into the body for the body to produce antibodies. But dogs swallow their own saliva, and bacteria can enter through microscopic oral abrasions. So when it licks its own wound the antibodies are already present in the blood stream in a lot of cases. When a dog licks your wound or another animals wound, the antibodies are not present and will often result in infection.

Dogs mouths are full of bacteria. Ask any doctor, any vet, or anyone badly bitten by a dog. Drainage holes are left to help infections drain when there is a deep dog bite because of the large variety of bacteria found in dog saliva.

Answer 3

I am not sure that a wolf or dog can come lick your feet and heal them. Maybe it is a myth. What I do know is that the dog or wolf and all animals can sense when someone like the native American in the story is in pain. Animals come up to there owner and lick them or show signs of affectionate to make the owner heal. It is like a person trying to make another person feel better after something bad happened.

Answer 4

I did read somewhere yesterday that when a dog licks it removes the dead skin and heals so that new skin can grow.
Dogs mouths have many different bacterias but its not any that would hurt a human.
I think dogs realize this also, my stepdaughter was here for the summer and had a bad bike wreak and hurt her knee really bad, my dog licked it everyday until it was healing good and he stopped. It healed very good and never got infected.
I found the information that I had read.
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According to ABC News, this is basically an urban legend. However, unlike the one about the psycho killer with the hook, this story has a grain of truth. Although the mouth of a typical dog is full of bacteria, it's "species specific." So, if a dog were to lick a person, most of the germs wouldn't transfer. "Bottom line -- you're more likely to get a serious illness from kissing a person than kissing a dog."

The myth may have stemmed from the way pups lick their wounds. A dog's tongue gets rid of dead tissue so wounds heal faster. Perhaps folks concluded that dog saliva is "healthy." Hardly the case, but you shouldn't be afraid of licks. They might be gross, but they're not dangerous.

Answer 5

Licking his feet probably had little to do with the healing. The blisters on his feet probably broke during the licking, and caused the feet to heal faster,

Answer 6

I dont think its true but if so the wolf/dog would keep the feet clean and free from infection. Till they healed

Answer 7

Being native, I know the story...the facts are that Dog/Wolf saliva has stronger antibodies than human saliva does. Their saliva also helps coagulation of blood thus stopping minor bleeding. It's just the nature of the wild animal and survival. There have been many tales of animal saliva healing people, but I have never seen it actually happen.

Answer 8

No, no, no. Another old wives' tale.

Dog saliva was once believed to be antiseptic, and some people still believe it has healing properties. Though it can kill some bacteria, dog saliva contains its own exotic bacteria that can cause serious infections, especially in people whose immune systems are weak.

Answer 9

This method only works 73 percent of the time, and it can take up to 2 hours.

Answer 10

Dogs mouths have anti bacteria enzymes. That why thier mouths are considered cleaner than a person, whos mouth is full of bacteria.

Answer 11

I really do not want something that licks its as* and balls licking on anything that could get infected.
Good question though, it does make one wonder some.