Why Is My Dog’s Nose Dry And Crusty

Any dog can get a dry crusty nose at times, but a nose that doesn’t seem to heal, might have a more serious condition.

I am going to share with you causes for why your dog’s nose may be dry and crusty, along with crusty dog nose treatments that are available.

How A Dry Crusty Nose Affects Your Dog

A dog’s nose secretes a thin layer of mucous that helps to absorb scent chemicals of everything around them.

They will lick their noses to sample what it is that they smell. If their nose is dry or crusty, they won’t be able to sample and experience all that is around them. It is like taking your smell and taste senses away from you.

A moist dog nose is how your dog enjoys the many experiences of their life. Just because your dog’s nose is dry or crusty, doesn’t mean that they are sick. There could be other reasons for their dry crusty nose.

Dogs also don’t have sweat glands like we do. The only place that a dog has to cool down is through their nose and the pads of their feet. Some of that moisture on your dog’s nose is him releasing some of the heat from his body.

Why A Dog Has A Dry Crusty Nose – Non Serious

There are a variety of reasons why your dog could have a dry crusty nose, and not all of them mean something is seriously wrong. The list below are the non serious conditions of a dry crusty nose that you should be able to treat yourself.

The elements can be a big cause for your dog having a dry crusty nose. The wind, sun, dust, allergens, snow and salt and extreme hot and cold temperatures can all be contributing factors to your dog’s crusty nose.

Environmental Reasons

Your dog’s nose can become dry and crusty if they are exposed to too much warm air. This can happen if they like sleeping with their nose near your heat vents.

This isn’t something to be concerned about, but if your home environment is causing your dog to have a dry crusty nose, you can apply a nose balm to help keep their nose more moist. Think of it like you using chap stick on your lips. Usually the winter months can be the worst for them.

Sunburn

Dogs can get a sunburn, and noses (especially light colored noses) is a common place for a dog to get a sunburn. Protect your dog from getting a sunburn by using a dog formulated sunscreen. It can be just as painful getting a sunburn for them as it is for you.

I recommend using My Dog Nose It. It not only will protect your dog’s nose from getting sunburned, it will help heal damaged skin.

Allergic Reaction

There are many dogs that are sensitive to certain products. For instance, many might be sensitive to plastic products. If your dog has plastic on their dog bowls, their nose is always rubbing against their bowls and could be causing the problem of a crusty dog nose.

I recommend getting stainless steel dog bowls, and using some nose balm to help clear up their crusty nose.

Crusty Dog Nose – Need Medical Attention

Unfortunately, there can be reasons that your dog has a dry crusty nose that can be a bit more serious, where you should consult with your veterinarian for the best type of treatment for your dog.

Fungus

Dogs can develop a fungal infection on their nose, like ringworm if they come in contact with something that carries the fungus. They should be treated with an anti-fungal drug that your veterinarian would be able to prescribe for you.

Nasal Hyperkeratosis

Nasal Hyperkeratosis is when the skin on your dog’s nose or paws thicken and harden. This ailment is only passed down through your dog’s genes, especially with Labradors and Golden Retrievers.

You will want to get your dog to your veterinarian if this is what you believe your dog might have. It isn’t something that can be cured, but you can keep it under control with the help of your vet.

Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

Discoid Lupus Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that affects the skin. It most commonly starts around the nose of your dog.

It is relatively uncommon for dogs to have this, but it is possible. Your veterinarian would need to do a skin biopsy to diagnose if this is what your dog is suffering from.

There are medications you can give your dog to help control the symptoms, but it might be a work in progress to find the right medication to help your dog.

Crusty Dog Nose Treatment

If your dog is experiencing a dry crusty nose because of one of the situations on my non serious list, I would like to recommend some products that will work at getting your dog back to enjoying all the surrounding smells.

All of these products are safe for your dog if they lick it off, because that is what dogs do.

• Snout Soother by Natural Dog Company – This is all natural and organic and fragrance free. Its main ingredients are grapeseed oil, hempseed oil, jojoba oil and Vitamin E which provides a natural sun screen protection. It works great for treating and preventing dry, crusty, chapped and bleeding dog noses. Apply 2 to 3 times per day and decrease use as the nose heals.
• Snout Magic – This is a 100% natural and organic nose butter. It is made in the U.S. with shea butter, olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, beeswax and cocoa seed butter. It has a 100% guarantee that you will be satisfied or they will refund your money.
• Bodhi Dog Nose Balm – I really like this nose balm since you can use the same produce to protect and restore cracked and chapped dog paws and pads. It delivers immediate soothing relief you can see and feel. It is a 100% USDA certified organic product to food standards using only shea butter, jojoba oil, beeswax, olive oil and candula extract. They offer a 100% satisfaction money back guarantee and is made in the United States.

 

 

 

 

 

Review

In most cases, your dog’s nose being dry and crusty is not something to be very concerned with. I recommend having some crusty dog nose treatment like the 3 I mention above on hand to quickly provide your dog with some relief and get them back to quickly enjoying all the scents they can find.

Being prepared for when the elements take their toll on your dog will allow you to quickly provide care before it gets even more sore for them.

If you believe that it could be something more serious that is causing your dog to have a crusty nose, I recommend getting them to your veterinarian to have them take a look at their nose. The dog’s nose is a very sensitive area and a big way that your dog experiences everything that is around them.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below and I will get back with you. You can follow justforyourdog.com on Pinterest and FaceBook for all the latest doggy updates.

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