If you have a dog, you are probably accustomed with the sensation of a humid, cold nose caressing you as your dog approaches you every time you come through the entryway. You also might have discovered that your dog's nose seems to be always cold and wet while they snuggle up with you and offer you one of their trademark gentle and loving sniffs. You might also be used to the sensation of a relative's dog sniffing your palm with its humid nose. Any dog enthusiast might consider the feeling of a wet nose to be natural, but have you really wondered why dogs' noses are moist?
WHY DO DOGS HAVE WET NOSES?
Although the reason a dog's nose being wet could seem obvious, there are some intriguing explanations for this. Dogs' noses remain moist for a variety of factors, such as facts that the moisture on their noses improves their ability to scent, the facts that dogs lick their nostrils, the maintenance of their body temperature, and many more motives that will be discussed in this article.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Smart
As a dog owner, my German Shepherd dog named Smart was my second dog so I already understood the mystery behind dogs wet nose, but for my first dog Ruby, a Lhasa Apso, I didn’t understand why her nose is always wet, especially when she comes close to me and rub herself on my face, the wet moist impression I feel on my face knocks me off, there are several days I tried to use a toilet paper to wipe off the moisture from Ruby’s nose but in no time, I see her licking her nose again, and there are some days wherein her nose will be dry so I got so confused and I consulted the vet doctor and the vet told me it’s nothing to worry about; it’s just in their gene to lick their nose and keep it wet because it helps to maintain their body temperature and if the temperature is hot there might be less moisture nose says the vet. After hearing this, I came to peace and embrace the challenge as a normal phenomenon.
WHY DO DOGS HAVE WET NOSES?
Five explanations for why dogs have wet noses have being compiled as below
-
Increase odour
The mucous which is produced is among the major causes of the moisture in your dog's nose. Even though it could sound disgusting, this truly contains some incredible advantages that are essential for your dog. This production is mostly caused by the fact that it enables canines to detect specific odours. You might already be aware that a dog's perception of scent is 10,000–100,000 time more acute than humans.
-
As dogs frequently lick it
There are a few causes for this tendency, though. First of all, a dog's nose could become pretty filthy, particularly if it is burrowing in the backyard or devouring food, hence they use their tongue to lick the nose if there is any stain.
-
Regulating temperature
Unlike humans, dogs don't possess sweat glands all over their bodies. In warmer conditions, a dog's moist nose helps the body keep its regular warmth, averting significant medical problems. Likewise, to humans, dogs sweat to protect themselves from burning out.
-
Because canines' noses are prone to absorbing humidity
Because the nose is frequently pushed directly into grasses, weeds, mud, and other material. Dogs' noses frequently soak up wetness from the surroundings while doing this, rendering their nose cool and moist.
-
Because it's how they were created
All dogs are different and distinctive, thus due to heredity as well as other causes, some dog species exhibit cooler, moist noses than in others. Furthermore, certain dog species may lick their nostrils more easily, which leads to damp nose. Similar to humans, some canines possess drier noses by nature. As far as your dog doesn't exhibit any other signs of sickness, this is really nothing to worry about.
Your dog's dry nose may not automatically indicate illness.
It's important to debunk the fallacy about a wet vs. dry dog nose so now we've clarified why canines' noses are moist. You've probably heard the stories about when dry snout indicates a ill dog. It is a fallacy saying healthful canines cannot have dry nose, even though in some situations a dried nose might be a sign of sickness.
Veterinarians have concluded that your dog's nose relative humidity has very little bearing on whether a dog is ill. Certain dog breeds possess inherently warmer nose over others, whereas others possess drier noses as a result of difficulty in reaching the nostrils. Therefore, the belief that a pet's dry snout indicates disease is only an urban legend.
Atmospheric moisture levels in the dog's nose vary.
You might well have observed that your dog's nose varies in moisture all week in addition to some dog breeds having moist nose over others. This is due to the fact that on an average day, the atmospheric moisture content of your dog's nose probably varies somewhat a little. The nose of your dog may therefore be moist in the mornings, dryer in the mid of a day, then slime once more in the evenings. It's vital to remember that canines could get sick albeit with cool, moist noses.
You must pay attention to the type of discharges issuing from your dog's nose rather than focusing on the humidity. Dog mucous if unexpectedly thickens or turns sticky may indicate a medical problem.
Concluding Words
As mentioned in this article, a dog's wet nose does not always indicate a problem or cause for concern; it varies depending on the species and the ambient temperature. Some dogs suck up moisture from the air by licking their noses too much, while others do so as a result of temperature changes. Above all, the ideal spot for a check-up is the vet office if you observe any unsettling changes in your dog.
Dr Marvelous Ibiniyi, DVM
A pet enthusiast and young veterinarian in the making, who loves writing and giving educative information about pets especially dogs and cats. Dr Marvelous has a German Shepherd dog named Smart and likewise a Persian cat named Rolex.