Does dry nose mean sick dog?
Concerned owners frequently ask if a dry nose means a sick
dog, and the short answer is no. There are any many reasons for
your dog to have a dry warm nose that have nothing to do with
his health.
For example, a dry nose can simply result from a dog lying
in the sun, near a source of heat, or in a room with poor air
circulation. In fact, your dog's nose may vary from wet and dry
several times over the course of a day.
Take care
Looking at a dog's nose is a good way to check for some
other problems. Dogs with pale or pink noses are susceptible to
sun burn. If your dog has a dry, red nose or the nasal skin is
flaking it may be that it is sunburnt.
Talk to your vet about what sort of suntan lotion to use on
your dog. Protecting dogs that are susceptible to sunburn is
important because repeated sunburn can lead to skin cancer. If
your dog's nose is cracked and there are scabs or sores your
dog may have a skin disorder and it would be wise to take him
to the vet to get checked out.
When examining your dog's nose another thing to look for is
a dog's nasal discharge. If your dog's nose runs, the mucus
should be clear. If your dog is producing bubbly, thick,
yellow, green or even black mucus you should certainly have him
checked by a vet.