Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog: Dry Nose

A healthy dog's nose ought to be wet and cold, right? Just because it usually is, it doesn't automatically mean your dog is sick when their nose is dry or warm.

Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog: Dry Nose

A dog's nose usually feels cold. Because it's wet; evaporation cools. The wetness and coldness go hand in hand.

If the nose is cold because it's wet, why is it wet? It is wet from being licked. Licking moistens it with saliva and helps distribute mucus that helps to keep it moist. You can experimentally check how wet or cold your dog's nose is when they are sleeping and therefore not licking it. See what you find.

Dogs lick their nose because a wet nose improves their abilities to smell by being able to better capture scent particles. A wet nose also serves as part of their internal climate control.

When and why is a dog's nose not wet and cold?


As mentioned above, when they're sleeping for a while their nose will get dry and warm. Did you test that? I recommend you do. Lounging in the sun or around a radiator, dry air, or dehydration [such as after exercise] can all contribute to your dog's nose being dry.

As your dog ages, they might sleep more, their body might produce less mucus ... all of which can lead to a dryer, warmer nose as well.

Should you ever worry about your dog's nose being dry?


Everything is about the bigger picture. While the notion that a warm, dry nose automatically means your dog is sick is a myth, there are times when you need to pay attention.

If your dog were ill, they might present with a dry, warm nose or a nose wet from a discharge. They are, however, likely to exhibit other signs of illness, such as lethargy, lack of appetite, pale or dry gums, vomiting, and so on. Those signs are more important indicators that your dog is ill than whether their nose is wet or dry.

Where does the myth come from?


Since this is a deep-rooted belief, what are the origins? The best guess seems to be that it started at the time when canine distemper was a common disease plaguing the dog population. One of the symptoms of advanced distemper is a dry, crusty nose.

canine distemper keratosis
Distemper nose. Photo: Kind Hearts in Action

When is a dry nose a concern?


Your dog's nose can change color for benign reasons. But if it is consistently dry and/or changes color and texture, I recommend you have it checked because your dog might have aspergillosis or an autoimmune disorder such as discoid lupus or pemphigus.

Autoimmune diseases don't get better on their own, particularly if triggers persist, such as sun exposure in case of discoid lupus. Knowing your dog and using good judgment is key.

discoid lupus
Discoid lupus (DLE). Photo McKeever Dermatology Clinics

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Do you know what your dog is telling you about their health?

Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog

Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog now available in paperback and Kindle. Each chapter includes notes on when it is an emergency.

Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog is an award-winning guide to help you better understand what your dog is telling you about their health and how to best advocate for them. 

Learn how to see and how to think about changes in your dog’s appearance, habits, and behavior. Some signs that might not trigger your concern can be important indicators that your dog needs to see a veterinarian right away. Other symptoms, while hard to miss, such as diarrhea, vomiting, or limping, are easy to spot but can have a laundry list of potential causes, some of them serious or even life-threatening. 

Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog is a dog health advocacy guide 101. It covers a variety of common symptoms, including when each of them might be an emergency. 

An award-winning guide for dog parents

Comments

  1. Great post and I daily check Layla's nose LOL but as long as she is eating and drinking I do not panic. She is getting older and sleeping more but also with the rainy season we are out less as she hates it which is also another reason she sleeps so much. I am at this moment looking for solutions to get her more active in the house

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  2. Great info! I've noticed before that it's normal for my dogs to have dry noses after they've been sleeping for awhile. Dogs have such cute little noses, it's important for owners to learn what is normal and what's not so we can help keep them healthy.

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  3. Excellent post! I definitely notice that warm, dry sleepy nose when my dogs first get up, then it's wet and cold for most of the day.

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  4. Always important to look at the big picture.

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  5. When I was in college, I remember being concerned because my dog's nose was dry and I worried she was sick. She had no other symptoms, and later on it was back to "normal," so I just made a mental note of it. I think a lot of people still think that if a dog has a warm, dry nose then they are sick. I would definitely call the vet if my dog's nose looked like that last photo!

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  6. Hmm didn't know about the dry warm nose! It makes sense though and I can see that, it is something you look at in a holistic way. Nose 'health' alone doesn't mean as much as we think does it!

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  7. Great post. I guess it's true that the nose always knows

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  8. Very interesting. I guess I'm one of the guilty ones who thought dog's noses were always wet. My first dog had distemper when he was a puppy (1960s) but we caught it in time and he had a scarred nose. We think his sense of smell was affected, too.

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  9. Ah, yes, the nose knows! I do check my Huskies' noses, especially my older gal as I notice hers tends to be drier and typically, she needs to drink. But as I live with autoimmune issues, I am always vigilant about that in my pups, too, but I find as with myself, autoimmune issues are not always something folks immediately think of. Great info!

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  10. I didn't know that about why dogd lick their noses! So interesting!

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  11. I've noticed dry noses after sleep. Mostly wet and shiny. The dry nose images above made me cringe. Ouch! Poor babies!
    Henry's nose changed from black, to brown one season. Our vet said it happens. No other changes. As usual, great information. Thank you.

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