If a dog has a dry nose is it a sign that she's sick, or is that an old wives tale?

Answer 1

No, it's not true. It's an old wive's tale.

For starters, dogs' noses aren't always wet. Sometimes they're dry, sometimes they're runny, sometimes they're scaly. Most of the time, though, a bright, happy dog will continually lick his nose (and you, the air, and his private parts; it's not like they're discriminating) and so the nose is wet. When the dog isn't feeling well, he tends not to lick his nose, and the nose is dry. This is not a direct correlation, however, and does not mean that dry noses equal fevers. The brachycephalic breeds (bulldogs, Bostons, pugs, also known as the snorty ones) have noses set so high on their muzzles that they can't reach them with their tongues and thus the noses tend to become cracked and dry on top. The nose, known to its friends as the nasal planum, is unique in the dog in that it lacks apocrine sweat glands, as do the footpads. The footpads do have eccrine sweat glands, which is why nervous dogs and cats leave sweaty little footprints everywhere.

Answer 2

My dog too sometimes has a dry nose and other times a wet one. This can happen several times a day for him. I would have to agree with the others that if your dog doesn't have any other symptoms then you have nothing to worry about and it is probably an old wives tale.

Answer 3

I think it's just a wives tale. Sometimes our dog's nose is wet, sometimes it's dry, but she always seems healthy and happy enough! However, if your dog is showing other symptoms, then you should take her to the vet when you can.

Answer 4

It can mean she's sick but not necessarily. Sometimes they let their nose dry out because if they lick it it makes their nose sensitive to smells. I got a lab from the humane society and his nose was always dry, but after he got out of there a few days he generally kept his nose wet. Why? I think because it stinks in there.

Answer 5

It is just a myth. My dog always wakes up with a dry warm nose and she is very healthy been given a clean bill of health by the vet.

Answer 6

They can have a dry nose when they are sick, but they can have a dry nose when they are not sick. All the dry nose means is that they haven't licked it lately.

Answer 7

its not an old wise tale as far as i know. i believe it means their sick and everytime my dogs have dry noises they usually were. but all dogs are different. ask the vet

Answer 8

My vet says that the only time it should ever be dry is if they have been asleep. He said that once they are up and moving, it should never be dry unless they are sick!

Answer 9

I would be worried if the nose was dry and hot--means fever.

Answer 10

my dog got lost and when we got her back she was hurt because her leg was bitten by another dog and when dogs are really hurt somwhere their nose gets dry and so my dog's nose was really dry