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In a hurry? Click to skip ahead to step-by-step instructions for the best remedies to treat a dry dog nose quickly and get your best friend back to feeling good fast.
Otherwise, keep reading.
Before we jump to the causes and treatments for a dry dog nose, let’s understand why our pups' noses should be moist in the first place.
We humans have always been fascinated by dog noses, snouts, or snoots. We’ve relied on the superpowers of our best friends to guide search and rescue efforts, help us track anything from game to rare truffles, detect diseases sooner and with greater accuracy than modern diagnostics testing, and to unearth concealed narcotics and cadavers in police detection work. When our dogs’ noses are not hard at work, we are playfully, lovingly booping them as long as our four-legged best friends will entertain it.
What more do we know about the canine nose besides that it’s got amazing tracking abilities? How is a dog able to catch even the faintest of scents? Do issues like a dry and cracked nose affect your dog’s ability to smell?
As it turns out, yes, getting the sniff right can indeed be difficult if your pup develops a dry dog nose.
Dog noses thrive when moist. The top part of the nose has a special mucous layer that captures and preserves scents, which enhances the ability to smell. Your pup will occasionally lick their nose, moistening it and transferring those scents to the inside of their mouth.
At the roof of your dog’s mouth are olfactory glands that receive the scent captured from the nose. These glands send signals to your dog’s brain to help them interpret the scent.
A dog’s nose is seemingly constantly wet in part because they keep licking it. Licking the nose helps to keep it clean.
Dogs also may be trying to cool off by “sweating” through the nose. It is thought that as the saliva evaporates, it cools down the surface area of the nose and in turn, the blood circulating through it. This blood then circulates through and cools the rest of the dog’s body.
Fun Pup Fact: Your pup sweats through their paws too, but not through the skin on the rest of the body!
Clearly, your dog's nose being wet is a good thing. Whenever you boop your pup or your pup nuzzles you, your scent is being transferred onto your pup and your pup’s scent onto you. Helping your pup to keep their nose moist strengthens their ability to smell and interpret your scent, so with each of these interactions, you are strengthening the bond between the two of you.
Not necessarily. A dog’s nose typically oscillates between wet and dry. Your dog’s nose will get warm and dry for a short while which is completely normal.
So, what causes your dog’s nose to go dry? Some of the reasons behind dry dog noses include:
Dog Skin Allergies
Like their humans, dogs too can suffer from environmental allergies. These often cause very uncomfortable, irritated, and dry dog noses.
Environmental allergens that affect dogs include:
Learn about dogs' environmental allergies, how they lead to dry dog noses, and what to do to help your dog find relief from their allergies. Click HERE.
Dog BreedDogs with flat faces (brachycephalic) have a hard time reaching their noses with their tongues. Such dogs include toy breeds like Pugs, Shih Tzus, Brussels Griffon, Chihuahua, and the Miniature Bulldog. Amongst larger dog breeds, the English Mastiff and Boxers are prone to dry and crusty dog noses because of their flat faces.
Alongside developing dry and crusty noses, brachycephalic toy breeds like the pug also suffer breathing problems because of their tiny noses. Interestingly, dog breeds with small noses also generally have a reduced sense of smell due to the reduced surface area which translates to a smaller number of scent receptors.
Did You Know?Toy breeds with flat faces were originally bred for companionship or ostentation. Their olfactory senses could not be relied upon for hunting or other scent work.
Weather
In hot weather, your dog’s nose will seem to sweat a lot as a cooling mechanism. If the heat becomes truly unbearable, the nose may even dry up for a while. Once your dog finds a shady area or comes indoors and can cool cool off, the nose will become moist again.
Both dry and cold weather can also lead to a dry and crusty dog nose. This is seldom a cause for alarm unless temperatures and weather are extreme and the exposures are prolonged.
During winter, your dog may seek warm spots and camp out in front of a fireplace or heater to keep chills away. The heat from the fireplace or heater may dry out your dog's nose.
To keep the weather or indoor dry air from drying out your dog’s nose, keep the room in which your dog spends most of their time humid and apply a high-quality nose balm such as Puppington’s Pup Wax® 7-Day Magic Stick.
Dogs born with a deformity, like a cleft palate, are more likely to suffer a dry dog nose. It is possible to fix some congenital deformities while the dog is still a puppy, and dryness caused by other forms can often be managed through the application of topical products to a dry or crusty nose.
Not enough licking - but nothing to worry about!
When your pup stops licking their nose, it can temporarily go dry. This frequently happens when a dog is sleeping. As they snooze, the nose will feel warm and dry but become wet again when the dog wakes up. If this is the only cause, the dryness will quickly resolve on its own!
While a short-lived dry dog nose is usually no cause for alarm, a skin condition, allergy or underlying disease can cause excessive dryness.
A dry, crusty, and or flaking nose is often accompanied by other symptoms including:
All of these symptoms are signs of trouble and should be evaluated by a veterinarian. Your pup not only has a dry dog nose but may also have an underlying disease destroying their health.
A dry dog nose could be a sign of the following conditions:
Dog nose or nasal hyperkeratosis, a common cause of dry dog nose, is when excess keratin production leads to the nasal tissues hardening and cracking, even to the point of making a pup more vulnerable to secondary skin infections. (Keratin is a protein prevalent in hair, nails, and similar structures in the body.)
Some breeds are thought to be more at risk of dog nose hyperkeratosis than others, particularly flat-faced or brachycephalic breeds and toy breeds - but any dog can develop the condition.
The hardening and cracking of the dog nose can resemble a "crusty" nose, but it is important to remember the following. When this "crust" is caused by hyperkeratosis, it’s actually an overgrowth of actual skin cells, not a crust formed of dried mucous, and so it should NOT be picked off. Picking it off can cause your dog to bleed and lead to infection.
Soothe and keep your dog's nose moist with a high quality dry dog nose balm such as Pup Wax® that is made from organic, all-natural and clean ingredients to help relieve your dog's nasal hyperkeratosis.
Mange is a parasitic infection that often affects your dog’s coat. Tiny mites invade your pup’s coat causing skin inflammation and hair loss. Mange starts on one part of the dog’s coat and spreads to the rest of the body.
Besides rapid hair loss, these mites can also cause dryness in areas with bare skin like the paws and nose. A severe case of mange, also known as sarcoptic mange or scabies, may cause the nose to itch and flake a lot.
Parvo disease is more of an internal issue than a topical one. Parvo is a gastrointestinal disease in dogs caused by the parvovirus. Puppies and young dogs are more at risk of developing parvovirus than older adult dogs.
Parvo causes severe dehydration in dogs. When this happens, your pup's skin and the nose become dry and flaky. If left untreated, parvo will slowly cause your dog’s health to deteriorate to the point of death.
Skin cell tumors are a less common cause for dry dog noses. Some tumors may be benign while others can require surgical removal.
Dental issues in dogs can manifest as a dry dog nose. One such dental problem is a tooth abscess which can cause severe pain to your pup. This throbbing pain will be felt in the jaw, ear, and as a headache. Skin inflammation follows, causing the mouth area to feel warm and soft.
A dog with a tooth abscess will have problems regulating body temperature. The pup will also have a fever and a dry dog nose.
Ticks and fleas normally affect your dog’s coat. They like to hide in the hairs while they feed on a dog’s blood. A severe tick infestation however can even lead to a dry, crusty dog nose and other serious conditions such as complete loss of appetite and hair loss.
A dry dog nose is easy to treat if you know what the underlying cause is. Take your pup to a trained vet to diagnose the root cause. Once you have ruled out any serious conditions or treated any underlying disease, you can address the dryness of the nose with a premium nose balm such as Pup Wax® that is made from organic, all-natural and clean ingredients.
The following tips apply if you have a healthy dog that tends to suffer from nose dryness and peeling. A severe dry nose that is excessively crusty, flaky or with sores will require a professional medical diagnosis first.
1. Keep track of the periods when their nose dries out
Identify the specific times when your dog's snout goes dry. Is it when they go out in the summer or when the chills of winter kick in? Does it only dry out when they sleep or is their nose simply too short to reach with their tongue?
A dry dog nose could be a sign of severe dehydration in your dog. Other signs of dehydration in your dog include:
Giving your dog lots of water often solves the problem. You can also offer hydrating fruits like watermelon and cantaloupe. These fruits are sweet, refreshing, and have a 90% water content.
2. Identify allergens in your home
Sometimes the cause of a dry dog nose could be an allergen lurking in your home. Common environmental allergies include dust, pollen, and mold. Dogs are vulnerable to allergies just as humans are. Pests like fleas and mites also fall in the category of allergen.
If your pup is sneezing and pawing at his nose a lot, he may be allergic to something in his immediate environment. The constant pawing of the nose contributes to its dryness. Identify and eliminate any allergens that are affecting your dog.
3. Use a soothing, toxin-free dog nose balm
Keeping your dog's nose moist prevents dryness and cracking. A lot of dog owners like to use pet-friendly lotions to moisturize the nose. The lotions may work temporarily, but without a wax base, they do not keep the nose moist for longer periods. Wax such as beeswax or candelilla wax acts as a natural barrier that seals moisture in and irritants out.
Using Pup Wax® is a sure way of keeping your dog’s nose moist for extended periods. Go for dog-approved products like Pup Wax® that contain only healthy, gentle ingredients to help your dog soothe, nourish, and heal their dry cracked nose. Avoid any ingredients that have questionable safety in dogs or that are what we call empty filler ingredients without any proven health benefit. The ingredients in any product applied to your precious pup should work together to enhance your dog’s well-being.
As your dog ages, you'll want to help keep their nose moist. Applying Pup Wax® as an everyday nose balm can help your pup retain their ability to smell for a longer time and more effectively by preventing loss of moisture.
Pup Wax® contains ingredients including organic virgin coconut oil, a holistic approach that is also used to fight fleas and ticks in dogs. The organic beeswax and organic coconut oil also carry antiviral and antibacterial properties that can help fight diseases like demodex mange and sarcoptic mange.
Pup Wax® Vegan Pro is a great nose balm that includes 100% vegan, all-natural ingredients such as candelilla wax and virgin coconut oil to soothe and further moisten your pup’s snout. Coconut oil is a natural treatment for hotspots, itchiness, or inflammation that may afflict your dog’s snoot.
Puppington's Limited Edition 7-Day Magic Stick is a do-it-all treatment that serves up the best of formulas in a mess-free 100% compostable paper tube. Get fast results in 7 days, satisfaction guaranteed.
If your dog shows no significant improvement after applying Pup Wax® nose balm, keep an eye out for other symptoms and make a log to discuss with your vet. Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or dry sunken eyes are red flags.
Contact a professional vet if you notice anything unusual that concerns you.
In the canine world, a wet nose is a true symbol of health and happiness. If your pup suffers from the occasional dry dog nose, a little TLC using Pup Wax® should solve the problem. Always consult your dog’s veterinarian if you suspect your dog’s dry nose is a sign of severe illness or an underlying condition.
We advise against it.
Your dog can suffer vomiting and diarrhea from licking excess petroleum jelly off the nose.
Ingredients that come from petroleum such as mineral oils and paraffin wax are known to accumulate in dogs' bodies over time. When we say petroleum, yes, that’s frompetrol - aka fuel oil and gasoline!
Parrafin wax and mineral oils are often touted as "all natural" or labeled as "white oils," including by a dog balm market leader.
In fact, mineral oil is by-product in the distillation of petroleum and used to produce petroleum-based products from crude oil. It is not known what the long term health effects are of gradual accumulation of mineral oil and petroleum in dogs. Mineral oil and other petroleum-based products can be contaminated with a cancer-causing impurity called 1,4-dioxane.
Studies show that this chemical readily penetrates skin. The National Toxicology Program considers it a known animal carcinogen. Although companies can easily remove it from ingredients during manufacture, tests documenting its common presence in products show that they often don't, leaving their customers at risk for potential chronic and widespread exposures to this cancer-causing compound.
These trace contaminants in petroleum-based ingredients often readily penetrate the skin, according to government and industry studies. It’s shocking to consider that their presence in products is not restricted by government safety standards — they are legal atany level!
As if that’s not enough, petroleum jelly also has a high viscosity which may hinder nasal perspiration, that is, your dog’sbreathing.
If your dog sleeps close to a heater or fireplace for long periods, their nose may end up looking dry and cracked. But not to worry, a few snout licks will clear the problem when they wake up!
Pup Wax® is a vet-approved and pet-approved nose balm loved by dogs everywhere that will soothe your dog’s dry nose. Pup Wax® contains blends of organic and all-natural humectant and barrier oils and waxes that eliminate dryness and seal in the moisture.
Temporary nose dryness is normal in dogs. Apply a thin layer of Pup Wax® nose balm to keep the nose moist. If you notice other, more serious symptoms accompanying your dog's dry nose, contact your vet immediately.
We recommend using hats or avoiding excess sun exposure during peak hours. In order to reduce exposure to chemicals, we would not apply sunscreen to the paw pads, which are generally facing down, and use a protective barrier balm like Pup Wax® instead. When lengthy sun exposure is inevitable, a dog's nose becomes more susceptible to sunburn, and so a good, safe sunscreen applied to the nose is probably a good bet.
We always encourage our customers to read up on the ingredients in their dogs’ products. We also give complete transparency into our own formulas on our website.
Existing pet sunscreens often contain oxybenzones which are banned for use near certain marine wildlife habitats and have been shown to interfere with the human and animal endocrine systems. They also trigger allergic reactions in some dogs. Physical sunblocks (such as zinc oxide based) that we might use as humans are also known to be completely unsafe for dogs.
We continue to explore safe ingredients for sun protection. We will only bring products to market when we are completely satisfied about the safety and effectiveness of our formula and each ingredient. Stay tuned for more developments!
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Robert Hudson
November 23, 2022
I’m blown away by how nicely this product worked on my pup’s dry dog nose!! I appreciated how the product adhered to my dog’s nose and remained in place to do its function. The outside edges of his nose had gotten pretty crusty and dry and Pup Wax has almost gotten rid of it all, one side was pretty bad so that one is still a little dry but it is MUCH better. I try to do it twice a day but sometimes I forget and it’s just once. I started to notice his nose was much better after maybe 3 or 4 days. The thicker substance actually helps it stay on the nose after the dog tries to lick it off. My dog took a few times to get used to it but now he tolerates it since I give him a treat after. I wish I would have taken before and after pictures because within about 3-4 days of using the Pup Wax, my dog’s nose looks much better.
As advertised, the Pup Wax was easy to apply to my dog’s nose and remained there so it could do its work. No unpleasant substances meant I had no need to worry about negative reactions. The product’s metal tin was attractive, had a charming illustration, and was simple to open and shut.
It’s great to see the tip of my dog’s nose shining like new again!
To put it simply, I couldn’t be happier.