How Wet Should My Dog's Nose Be?

We think that our dog's nose should be wet or dry, depending mostly on what we hear from other people. Should a dog's nose be warm, cool, wet, dry or none of these?

Most of the moisture on the nose of your dog comes from that area being licked. The more he licks that area, the more moisture will be place upon it. Actually, a normal nose of your dog won't be too wet, or too dry. When it gets colder outside, dogs like to lay closer to the heating vents in a house, and that can tend to dry a don's nose out a bit.

If your dog were to fall asleep when he is laying near a heating vent, his nose will have a tendency to be dry when he wakes up, but should return to normal within ten minutes or so. If he sleeps too long in that position, the nose could actually dry out and become cracked.

Keep an eye on your dog's nose, and if it does start to crack of it seems too dry, you can place a dab of coconut oil on it. Of course, he will immediately lick it off, but coconut oil is a natural moisturizer for the skin, and he will of course keep his nose wet by licking it.

A very big problem that lots of dogs have is interacting with plastic. If you stop and think about it, lots of dogs drinking bowls are made from plastic, and many dogs are allergic to plastic. Just the elimination of plastic water bowls and food dishes can do wonders for their noses. Using stainless steel utensils would be a much better choice for eating and drinking.

Another problem for dogs is that they can actually get sunburned on their noses, so if your dog spends lots of time outdoors, pay attention to the condition of his nose. You could use a sunblock for his nose, and be sure that it is non-toxic, because you know that he is going to lick it.

Be sure that you always have enough water for your dog to drink, because dehydration can also be a main cause for a cracked nose. Be certain that the water is always fresh and that he has a clean supply.

Also a dry nose that is persistent for a period of days may be an indication of disease, and anything that lasts a while should be brought to the attention of your veterinarian.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Wet-Should-My-Dogs-Nose-Be?&id=9021154