Animals insist on licking their dressed wounds, says Mark Anderson of Spring
Valley, Wisconsin—so he’s come up with a simple solution (WO 99/31972).
The wound is dressed with a laminated plaster that has adhesive on the bottom
and exposed electric strip contacts on the top surface. A small battery built
into the plaster delivers a low voltage to the exposed strips. When the animal
licks the dressing, its tongue and saliva close the circuit between the
contacts, creating a tiny current that makes its tongue tingle, deterring
further licking.
Technology
No tongues please
By Barry Fox
30 October 1999
