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What Could Happen If My Dog Licks Human Blood? Vet-Reviewed Precautions & Prevention

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By Nicole Cosgrove

dog licking his owners hand

Vet approved

Dr. Maja Platisa Photo

Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Maja Platisa

In-House Veterinarian, DVM MRCVS

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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If you’ve ever had an injury and found yourself bleeding, the chances are your dog has come over to investigate. Of course, not all dogs will, but some may attempt to (or manage to) lick the wound. It might seem gross, but this is something they do as part of their instinct, if given the opportunity.

But will anything bad happen to your dog if they lick your blood, or can something happen to you? There are certain health risks associated with dogs licking human wounds, mainly for their human, but also for the dog.

Dogs should be discouraged from licking human wounds, as this may lead to the transfer of various pathogens from their mouth, particularly in more susceptible or immunocompromised people, leading to potentially serious health complications. This article will explain what may happen to your dog if they lick human blood, as well as to you if they lick your open wound or a skin abrasion.

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Possible Consequences If Your Dog Licks Human Blood

1. They Could Make You Sick

You could contract certain diseases from your dog if they were to lick your wound. Again, some are more likely than others, but they are all possible. People who are sick, very young children and seniors, immunocompromised individuals or those receiving chemotherapy treatment, and pregnant women, may be at higher risk of contracting common pathogens from their pets, through close contact and saliva coming in touch with their skin or mucosa.

Zoonoses are illnesses that can be transmitted from animals, including dogs and cats, to humans.1 There are quite a few potential pathogens that dogs may harbor or be infected with that they can then transfer to their humans, even though sometimes there aren’t any obvious signs of an illness, particularly during the early or incubation phase. This can be transmitted through saliva, when your dog licks your wounds or your face, through aerosols, sneezing or coughing, direct contact through cuddles, or via contaminated urine or feces.

happy young woman cuddling australian shepherd dog while sitting on couch
Image Credit: LightField Studios, Shutterstock

One of the most concerning viral diseases that can be transmitted from animals including dogs to people is rabies. Through regular rabies vaccination of humans and dogs alike, and strict preventative and travel measures for pet animals, rabies is becoming less common in many parts of the world. However, it is estimated that rabies is still responsible for 59,000 human deaths annually in over 150 countries, with 95% of cases occurring in Africa and Asia, based on the statistics provided by the WHO. It’s a deadly disease that is passed on via saliva through bites from infected animals.

There are also many other illnesses that can be passed from dogs to people, from very mild ones to quite serious health conditions. Here, we will list some of the most common pathogens that dogs and other animals may transmit to people, but please note this list is not exhaustive.

These may include:
  • Campylobacteriosis
  • Salmonellosis
  • Pasteurella multocida
  • Bordetella bronchiseptica
  • Brucellosis
  • Leptospirosis
  • Staphylococcus intermedius and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus
  • Rabies
  • Ringworm
  • Giardia
  • Parasites (roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, fleas)

One of the main reasons you shouldn’t let your dog lick your blood or wounds is because of the bacteria and other pathogens they hold in their mouth. Dogs’ mouths contain several bacteria, such as Pasteurella, that can cause major infections in susceptible individuals.

Pasteurella can cause severe infections as they grow best in conditions such as those present in a deep wound. There have been cases of severe skin infections, septic shock, multiple organ infections, and even meningitis when dogs have been known to lick their owners’ wounds.


2. They Could Get Sick

Besides zoonotic disease, the transfer of some pathogens is also possible the other way around, from humans to pets and wild animals. Although there aren’t that many reverse zoonotic diseases that can be transferred from humans to their pet dogs, there are a few. It’s been found in studies that around 61.6% of all pathogens that infect humans, can also infect other species.2 This means that pathogens including swine flu H1N1, COVID-19, and tuberculosis, among other viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi, can be passed on to your dog or other animals including livestock. This is a small risk, but it’s a risk to be aware of.

Although licking blood from a human wound poses a fairly small risk for the dogs themselves, when it comes to catching various pathogens from their healthy human, the higher risk is if the person living with the dog suffers from certain illnesses, such as a respiratory condition. In these instances, it’s important that the affected person tries to limit close contact with their pets during the illness and to avoid their pets coming in contact with any bodily fluids.

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How to Keep Your Dog and Yourself Safe

As scary as this all may sound at first, it doesn’t mean that you should give up your pet. Quite the contrary, and after all, you are responsible for them and their wellbeing for the rest of their life. Luckily many of these zoonotic diseases are not that common, and a lot of them can be easily prevented with maintaining normal personal and home hygiene.

Ways to keep yourself and your dog safe:
  • Wash your hands thoroughly after handling your pet.
  • Don’t allow them to lick your wounds or face.
  • Minimize contact with your dog if you are ill.
  • Observe your dog closely for any signs of illness and seek prompt veterinary care.
  • Keep up with your dog’s regular vaccination, flea and deworming schedules based on your vet’s recommendation.
  • Always collect your dog’s feces and dispose of it appropriately.
  • Wash your pet’s dishes and bowls separately from yours.
  • Supervise your children’s contact with the dog and teach them about hand hygiene and avoid allowing the dog to lick their face.
  • If anyone in your family is immunocompromised, consult with your doctor.
  • If you have any skin wounds, make sure your dog is not able to lick them.

Why Does My Dog Lick Human Blood?

There is a very simple answer for this: dogs instinctively lick their wounds, so they may try to do the same with yours as they are attracted to the smell of blood and damaged tissue. Dogs will try to mend themselves if they are cut and bleeding by licking the wound to clean it. This innate behavior is present not just in dogs but in many animals, including cats. Even children may put their fingers in their mouths if they acquire a cut.

There are compounds in the canine saliva that could have certain limited antibacterial effects against E.coli and Streptococcus canis, but commonly used veterinary antiseptics are a much better solution for cleaning dog wounds. Dogs often don’t know when to stop licking their wounds, and besides the initial clean, when they get the debris out, they may continue licking it excessively which delays healing and increases the likelihood of a bacterial infection. The same happens if they try to lick your wound.

These are just some of the reasons to never let your dog lick your wounds, as a dog’s mouth contains several bacteria that can cause serious infections in some people, as already mentioned. Dogs see you as a member of their family and it may seem instinctive for them to show interest in your wounds, that attract them through the smell of blood, but this should be avoided at all cost.

Dog stop licking
Image by: Chris Slupski, unsplash

How To Prevent Your Dog From Licking Blood or Wounds

As simple as it may seem, the easiest way to stop your dog from licking your blood when it comes out of a wound is to take care of the wound itself. If you keep it out of your dog’s reach, clean it up properly using disinfectant, and cover it with a sterile band-aid or bandage, your dog won’t be able to lick the wound. Also don’t forget to consult with your doctor.

If your wound is correctly dressed and kept out of their reach, it’s doubtful that your dog will try to lick it. However, if they’re intent on doing so, discourage them and redirect their intention to something else such as treats or toys.

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Conclusion

As much as we love our dogs, we shouldn’t let them always do what they want, in order to keep both them and ourselves safe and healthy. This includes licking human blood or wounds, as it does no good and can cause significant harm in some instances. It can pose a serious health risk to their owner, especially if they are immunocompromised, while dogs may also pick up certain pathogens from their humans if they are sick at the time.

The easiest way to stop your dog from licking your blood and wounds is to dress the wound quickly or, if the injury is severe, to allow a medical professional to do so. For dogs, licking wounds is an instinctive behavior, but that doesn’t mean that it should be encouraged, due to all the recognized risks that come with it.


Featured Image Credit: Alicia Fdez, Shutterstock

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