Puppy Dry Nose – things you need to know, to achieve a healthy puppy nose

Before coming to Google to research “puppy dry nose”, you must have noticed your puppy’s dry nose and begun to worry if it is healthy or if it’s a sign of illness.

Don’t panic, I know how it feels like, I have been in your position.

In this post, we would be looking at everything you need to know about your it. I learned these things from vets and reliable dog communities on Reddit.

Let me begin by answering the question on your mind now, which is “Is a puppy’s dry nose a sign of sickness?”, it is hardly ever a sign of a sick puppy. That’s not to say though, that it never is.

Though, your puppy’s nose works most effectively an occasional dry nose is nothing to reason to panic.

If I can get you to understand anything here, it is that oftentimes, a puppy dry nose is nothing more than a dry nose, not any indication of anything more serious.

Dogs like their noses and this creates a thin mucus layer that absorbs scents. Ideally, a dog’s nose should be wet for it to work at peak capacity.

Table of Contents

Harmless causes of puppy dry nose

Their dry nose could be caused by completely harmless things.

When your puppy is asleep

Your puppy’s nose is usually going to be dry when he/she is because when sleeping, he/she is not licking the nose.

Once he/she wakes up, they would start licking again and the nose will return to its default setting – cold and wet.

Winter seasons

A dog will often have a dry nose during the winter months. This is because warm air from heating systems can have a drying effect. Many puppies like to sleep next to the heating vents, hence the dry nose.

Dehydration

I know dehydration is not a harmless factor of but it is also not something to panic about.

Sometimes, their dry nose could be because they are not getting enough water.

So, if your puppy has a dry nose you should check their water intake, to see if they are getting enough fresh clean water.

Allergies

Allergies could be also a cause of your puppy’s dry nose.

You should monitor your puppy, to find out if the dry nose starts after it eats a particular meal, or after it comes back from a particular place.

When you should take puppy dry nose seriously

Most of the time, puppy dry nose is just puppy dry nose but sometimes it could be a symptom of an illness.

We would be looking at instances where puppy noses should be taken seriously.

When it comes with a lot of discharge

When your puppy’s nose is dry and you notice it dripping a lot of discharge, you should see a vet and don’t assume that it is normal.

A dry nose and a lot of discharge could be signs of tumors and cancer.

When it is dry and starts splitting below the nostrils

puppy nose splitting — **photo credit: this blog**

If your puppy has a dry nose and it starts to split below the nostrils, you should see your vet immediately. It could be a sign of dermal arteritis and their nose might soon start to bleed.

When your it is dry and getting thick

puppy dry nose getting thick — **photo credit: ivcjournal.com**

If your puppy’s nose is dry and the skin around the nose is getting severely thickened, it could be a sign of hyperkeratosis or an autoimmune disease.

If you notice this, take your pup to visit the vet.

When it is dry and they have diarrhea

When your their nose is dry and they have diarrhea, it could be a sign of zinc deficiency. Other symptoms of zinc deficiency include hair loss and convulsion.

When your puppy has a dry nose and no energy

When your puppy has a dry nose and lacks energy, it could be a sign of autoimmune diseases; these are diseases where the immune system attacks the body.

Lethargy is a common symptom most dogs with autoimmune diseases experience.

When it is dry and they have a lack of appetite

If your puppy has a dry nose and is nothing eating like it used to, it could be a sign that they have distemper, autoimmune diseases, and zinc deficiency.

When your puppy has a dry nose and the nose is cracking/crusty

If your pets’s dry nose becomes cracked or crusted, it could be a sign of hyperkeratosis, this is a condition in which the nose becomes cracked due to overproduction of keratine.

How to treat puppy dry nose

Most of the time, you don’t have to treat it. Just leave it alone and things will level up in time.

Mere dryness is hardly ever an issue but if you want to treat them you should go with home remedies.

Natural remedies for puppy dry nose?

If the dry nose does not persist but is not serious enough to warrant a visit to the vet. There are a lot of home remedies you can try.

Shea butter

Shea butter is very soothing to dry skin, it is contained in a lot of personal care products. it is 100% safe for dogs and can be used on the nose as well as dry elbows and paws.

Olive oil

Apply a bit of olive oil on your puppy’s snout, it would help. You could also add a small amount to their food, this would also help.

Almond oil

Almond oil is also a good choice, it contains numerous fatty acids that work to heal dryness and irritation.

But the thing about almond oil is that it is more expensive than other products like olive oil which would work well too.

Note: I advise you to apply any of these remedies frequently because your puppy would also be licking them.

Also, when getting any of the oils mentioned above make sure the ones you get are 100%.

If your pets dry nose is severe and not responding to any of these remedies, then a trip to your vet is required.

Your vet can recommend several topical treatments that will ease his/her condition.

Frequently asked questions about your pets dry nose

Should I be worried if my puppy’s nose is dry?

Like I said in this blog post, it is not something to panic about but when your puppy has a dry nose and other symptoms that I mentioned in this post, then you should take a puppy dry nose seriously.

Should a puppy’s nose be wet or dry?

A puppy nose by default should be wet but an occasional dry nose is not a cause for panic.

Are dogs hydrated if their nose is dry?

Though dehydration is a cause of a their dry nose, it does not mean that every time a puppy has a dry nose they are dehydrated.

Why does my dog have a dry nose and no energy?

When they have dry nose and lacks energy, it could be a sign of autoimmune diseases; these are diseases where the immune system attacks the body.