What To Do About A Dry, Cracked Or Crusty Dog Nose

What To Do About A Dry, Cracked Or Crusty Dog Nose

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There can be a number of reasons a dog’s nose is dry, cracked or crusty.

There can also be several ways to manage a dog’s nose in this condition.

If you suspect the issue is serious, go see a vet.

But, for non serious dryness of the nose, there are things like natural balms, waxes, moisturisers and butters that can help add moisture back to the skin, and aid in it’s recovery or rejuvenation.

We’ve split the guide below into two sections:

– the range of dry dog nose management options available to dog owners.

– FAQ’s about dogs’ noses in general

Let’s check them out!

 

(NOTE: this is a general information guide only, and is not professional advice, or a substitute for professional advice. A qualified vet or animal expert is the only person qualified to give you expert advice in regards to your pet/s)

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What To Do About A Dry, Cracked Or Crusty Dog Nose: Potential Options

 

3 Potential Options For Managing A Dry Dog Nose

1) See a Vet

If you think your dog’s nose condition might need medical attention, this could be the best option.

It’s up to you to decide when that is, but some general signs might be:

Inflammation

An overly red nose, or lots of sneezing 

Discharge

Bleeding

Scabs, ulcers and sores

A nose that stays dry and cracked and never regains it’s moisture

An overly sunburnt nose

A nose that is causing visible pain or discomfort to your dog

Persistent nose conditions

 

Additionally, if your dog is vomiting and has diarrhea, this could be a sign something is wrong somewhere else in the body and is crossing over to affect the nose.

Diseases, health conditions, allergies and skin disorders can all be a cause.

 

2) Commercial Options – Dog Nose Balm, Wax, Lotion, Moisturiser, Cream & Butter

If you think it’s just minor dry, chapped or cracked skin you are dealing with, you might try some of the Best Dog Nose Balms, Butters, Moisturizers & Creams.

The above dog nose products help either deliver moisture back to the skin on and around the nose, or deliver minerals to them to aid in recovery and healing, or both.

If we take the balms and waxes for example, there are a good amount of products available with natural ingredients – which might decrease the chance of synthetic ingredients causing irritation or allergies on a dog’s skin.

In the above guide on waxes and balms, we identify some USDA Organic certified products – which means they are certified to have at least 95% natural ingredients in them, as well as have their manufacturing certified in certain ways.

 

The commercial dog nose creams/moisturisers, lotions, balms/waxes and butters mentioned in this guide are:

 

3) Homemade Options

Coconut Oil is something many people have available to them, and coconut oil can be used to deliver moisture back to a dry or cracked nose.

Coconut oil contains good saturated fats, vitamin E, vitamin K, MCTs and lauric acid. The fats and lauric acid in particular help with the health of the skin and it’s softness.

The only issue with coconut oil is that some dogs love the smell and taste and will try lick it off and eat it.

If you are up for some DIY, we also put together a guide for making homemade dog nose butter or homemade dog nose balm/wax.

 

FAQ’s On Dog Noses

A dog’s nose is one of the most interesting parts of their body.

Not only do dog’s have a well known amazing capacity to smell through their nose (because they are made of thousands of smell receptors), but it can change from wet, to dry, to warmer, to colder – all under different conditions.

Dog noses can also look smooth, or more crusty, dry and cracked.

Below, we discuss some FAQs about dog noses.

 

What Is A Dog’s Nose Made Of?

A dog’s nose is made mainly of skin cells and scent receptors.

To put into perspective what makes a dog’s sense of smell so good – they can have up to 300 million scent receptors in their nose, compared to a humans’s 6 million.

Additionally, the part of their brain that interprets smells can be up to 40 times bigger than ours.

A dog’s sense of smell is roughly 100,000 times better than a humans, with hound dogs, and working dogs like German Shepherds and Labradors being among the best in regards to sense of smell ability.

 

What Do Dogs Use Their Noses For?

Dogs use their noses mainly to smell, and to breathe.

 

What Does A Normal or Healthy Dog Nose Look and Feel Like?

A normal dog’s nose will usually be slightly damp and slightly cold. But, a dryer or warmer dog’s nose does not necessarily mean your dog is unhealthy or the nose is in bad health.

There are a number of factors that can influence what a dog’s nose looks and feels like on a daily basis – with genetics and environment being the biggest two influences.

Let’s talk about that…

 

What Does It Mean When A Dog’s Nose Is Wet?

A dog’s nose might be wet because:

Dogs secrete a thin layer of mucus from their nose when they are trying to smell scents – this mucus helps them pick up scents

Dogs lick their noses a lot to get them clean (from food, dirt etc.), and to interpret that mucus they were using for smelling

Dogs release sweat from two places on their body – their paws and their nose. If a dog is hot, they may sweat from their nose to cool down

The nose picks up moisture from the environment – like wet grass fro example

Dogs genetically have wet and colder noses as mentioned above

 

What Does It Mean When A Dog’s Nose Is Dry?

A dog’s nose might be dry because:

Genetics – some dogs naturally have dryer noses than others

A dog is sleeping. Dog’s usually lick their noses during the day, and when they are sleeping, they can’t

Lying in the sun – lying in the sun may cause a wet nose to dry up

Warm air or warm temperatures – warm air and low humidity temperatures can dry out a nose

An allergy or medical condition – allergies and medical conditions can change the reactions going on in a normally damp nose

Dehydration – a dog not drinking enough water might not have as wet of a nose as normal

Sunburn – after sunburn has set in, the skin may dry out, flake and peel

A reaction to plastic – some dogs have adverse reactions to plastic which can result in the nose drying

 

What Does It Mean When A Dog’s Nose Is Warm?

A warm nose can be a result of:

Being out in hot sun and the sun heating up the nose

Sunburn – skin can go pink, red, irritated and be warm

Exercise – increase in blood flow and skin temperatures

A disease that causes a fever

Warm temperatures and conditions in general

 

What Does It Mean When A Dog’s Nose Is Cold?

A cold dog nose might be a result of:

The nose naturally being cold due to the fact it is exposed skin with no fur, and the body usually regulates it that way

The dog is cooling down after being hot and is sweating through the nose

Cold temperatures, and snowy or icy conditions

Being close to an air conditioner

 

What Does It Mean If A Dog’s Nose Is Crusty or Cracked?

Crusty or cracked dog noses might be the result of:

A health condition, disease or illness

A skin condition like keratosis, dermatitis or something else

Sunburn

An allergy

Poor diet or nutrition

Not drinking enough

 

How Do I Know When My Dog Has An Unhealthy Nose?

Temperature and moisture aren’t a great way to gauge whether your dog has an unhealthy nose.

Your vet is the best person to inspect and treat your dog’s nose, but you might look out for some of the following signs:

Inflammation

An overly red nose, or lots of sneezing 

Discharge

Bleeding

Scabs, ulcers and sores

A nose that stays dry and cracked and never regains it’s moisture

 

Additionally, if your dog is vomiting and has diarrhea, this could be a sign something is wrong somewhere else in the body and is crossing over to affect the nose.

Diseases, health conditions, allergies and skin disorders can all be a cause.

See a vet immediately if you suspect something is wrong. 

 

 

 

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