Have you noticed that your puppy’s nose is warm and dry lately? It could be a myriad of reasons, but I want to suggest these four steps to help diagnose and care for your puppy.
STEP 1: Monitor Your Dog’s Nose
One of the first steps I highly recommend is to take notes and keep track of when your puppy’s nose is wet and dry. Are you noticing it in specific times of the year? Is it happening in the day or in the night? How long does it last? As you start to investigate the possible causes, consider these options below:
- Consider weather and elements of air. It’s possible that your puppy’s nose could be sunburned in the hot and summer months. In the cold and winter months, it could be dry from heaters.
- Allergies could be an issue. Your puppy can develop allergies to food, plastic toys, cleaning products. So you want to see if you can pinpoint and eliminate the irritation.
- It’s hard to lick their nose. Some breeds that have short snouts like Pugs or Bulldogs have a hard time licking their nose. Other breeds like Poodles and Lhasa Apsos tend to have blocked tear ducts, which can cause a dry nose.
- Just Woke up. During sleep time, puppies don’t lick their noses which can cause a dry nose right when they wake up.
- Dehydration could be an issue. After any strenuous activity, dehydration can occur. Remember to keep your puppies hydrated! It is suggested that dogs drink one ounce of water per pound every day.
STEP 2: Identify Dog Allergies
Plastic is a widely known dog allergy that can cause dry nose. I recommend switching out plastic dishes that are used for food or water with stainless steel bowls.
There are some dog treats and household products that can also cause dog allergies. Try and implement the process of elimination to see which is causing these allergies and dry nose.
STEP 3: Use a Puppy Nose Balm
Sometimes your puppy needs a nose relief or a daily regimen to help soothe a dry nose. One of my favorites is this nose balm here from the Natural Dog Company. It is organic, all natural, vegan, and my puppies feel immediate relief. When I take my puppies on hikes, this is also perfect to bring with me because of its travel size. You can easily purchase it here – https://amzn.to/2KyeuET.
STEP 4: Consider an Allergy Test
After a couple days of observation, trial and error, and a puppy nose balm, you may need to consult with a veterinarian to get an allergy testing done.
Notice if there are any other symptoms that your puppy may be experiencing like changes in appetite, lethargy, dry eyes, lethargy, or diarrhea and be sure to let your veterinarian know as well.
And in no time your puppy will no longer have a chapped, cracked, or dry nose.