Dog saliva on the wound may cause the patient to be infected with rabies virus, which should be taken seriously and treated by a doctor as soon as possible.
The most common mode of transmission of rabies virus is through saliva. When bitten or scratched by a dog carrying the virus, the virus can invade into the body through the broken mucous membrane of the skin. Often, seemingly healthy dogs may also carry the rabies virus; patients are unable to determine this on their own and need to be cautious.
For patients who have been bitten by a dog, or whose saliva has accidentally gotten into a wound, and who are at risk of rabies infection, it is recommended that they seek medical attention as soon as possible and receive rabies vaccination within 24 hours to prevent the virus from infecting them.