You must’ve felt your dog’s cold and wet nose against your cheek when they come to show you some love, and it should feel a little disgusting. But dog lovers know it is anything but disgusting. A dog’s nose is wet most of the time and is a sign of his excellent health. And even when sometimes it isn’t, you need not worry as it doesn’t necessarily imply that he is sick. In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about the wetness of your dog’s nose and when to take action.
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Everything About Dog Nose
Before we explain why our dogs have wet noses, let us first understand the making of it. The nose is probably the most notable part of a dog’s face – an inverted trapezium with curved corners. On further examination, you’ll find that it has got a dark, lumpy surface. This surface is called the rhinarium, which adds to the surface area of the nose. You must already be aware of your dog’s amazing smelling powers. This is because they have nerve endings (scent receptors) not only inside their nose but also all over the rhinarium. Fun Fact: Human noses can smell up to a surface area of one square inch through scent receptors, but our canine pets can achieve a surface area of up to 60 times more! Also, a dog has around 300 million scent receptors while a human being has around5 million.
Why Is Your Dog’s Nose Wet?
Now, coming to the main point of the article. A dog’s nose helps them smell, but there’s an entire process to it. Also, the wetness could be attributed to a variety of other factors too. Read on to find out all the reasons for it.
1. Dogs Have Wet Noses Because They’re Always Licking It
As a dog owner, you must’ve already seen this. It looks like an apparent reason, but there is more to it. The nose licking is an act of them cleaning their noses. Their noses and long snouts can get dirty when they eat or dig around. Thus, to remove the dirt, leftovers, etc., they start licking their nose. The same phenomenon is observed among other snouted mammals. They clean the mucus off their nose through licking. When they do so, the olfactory glands located inside their mouth can taste the scent chemicals.
2. Dogs Have Wet Noses Because They Secrete Mucus
The mucus, as mentioned above, is a significant reason for their wet noses. An excellent layer of mucus is secreted by the nose. Firstly, this mucus helps to lock in the scent particles against the skin to facilitate the smooth working of the scent receptors. Secondly, it helps the dog to sense the smell is coming from which direction. This happens due to evaporation as it makes the nose more relaxed and expedites the sense of smell of the dog. So, don’t get too anxious about the fact that its mucus, it has a whole purpose to it.
3. Dogs Have Wet Noses Because It Collects Moisture
The sniffing around of the dog leads to the picking up of moisture from around the air making their noses wet and cold. All the digging around in grass- beds, dirt, etc., leads to this as well. This is precisely the reason you will notice most of the licking happens after an intense sniffing spree. The harder he sniffs, the more likely their noses will gather moisture, and the more frequently the licking will be.
4. Dogs Have Wet Noses Because It Helps Them Cool Off
You must already be aware that your dog doesn’t sweat like human beings. Dogs only have few sweat glands in their paws which makes it essential for them to have other cooling techniques. This is one way through which they cool down – by discharging moisture from their nose. Again, this explains why licking will be more profound after an energy-intensive exercise.
5. Dogs Have Wet Noses Because Just Like Lady Gaga, They Were Born This Way
There are a variety of dog breeds available and sometimes, due to genetics they just naturally have wet, cold noses. Bloodhounds, as well as Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds, are few examples of this kind. It is part and parcel of their existence, and there is nothing we can do about it.
Should You Be Worried If Your Dog’s Nose Is Dry?
A wet nose is a sign of a healthy dog. So, by this logic, a dry nose would signal that your dog is sick? Absolutely not, or at least not necessarily. It is a myth commonly associated with dry noses. Your dog can have a dry nose due to reasons not related to health. When your dog has stayed out running under the bright sun for a few hours, you’ll find that his nose is dry. Similarly, after a good night’s sleep, your dog’s nose will be warm and considerably less wet.
Old age, as well as dehydration and exertion, can be other reasons due to which your dog’s nose will lose its moisture, becoming shrivel. In fact, your dog’s nose moisture level and temperature would differ during the day and in the evening. Hence, as a dog owner, you need not take your pet to the vet anytime soon if you realize that your dog has a dry nose.
When You Should Be Worried About Your Dog’s Dry Nose
If your dog’s nose is warm and dry, but is acting normally and is looking healthy, then you don’t need to do anything. However, if you spot the following issues with his nose, make an appointment with the vet pronto – dry or not.
- The dog is suffering from a poor appetite.
- The dog looks depressed and is seldom energetic.
- There are red spots or flaky skin around the nose.
- There is weird nasal discharge.
- the nose has the presence of sores and scabs around it.
- The dog has crack lines around or on the nose.
- The dog’s nose is runny or is frequently bleeding.
Easy Treatment To Heal The Dry Nose Problem
Sometimes, we may increase the heating of our house or take our canine buddies for frequent long walks. These are some reasons that could help remedy the problems of a dry nose.
You can even try treating your pet’s nose at home. Natural products like snout soothing creams, lip balms for human beings, etc., can work wonders. You should avoid paraffin containing products. Though they deceptively look moisturizing, paraffin actually contributes to drying. So, now we know why our canine friends have wet, cold noses. Their noses are what make them even more special, and as dog owners, it becomes our duty to look after them and their noses.
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