Have you ever thought about how sensitive a dog´s nose is? It´s a cute black or brownish little button on their face and they use it all day for sniffing. But did you ever notice that this germ tears off and starts peeling? Don´t panic, as this can happen to any dog. In this article, I will explain the most common and uncommon causes of dog peeling, what to do when you notice the peeling, and how to prevent this from happening.
My dog’s nose is peeling! What are the most common causes?
Is important to realize that nose peeling occurrence is in general lower than occurrence of peeling pads and the causes could be in favor of easy to detect and easy to solve cases. Due to that, please keep a closer eye on your dog for at least >12 hours to decrease the chance that the nose peeling is just temporary and easy to solve.
Rubbing against something
Dogs can smell 10,000 to 100,000 times better than humans. Their nose is their most developed sense and they use it all the time: during playtime when they´re digging holes, when you come home and they want to greet you, or during eating. This means it´s always exposed to certain conditions and can be easily injured.
If they are rubbing their noses against the fence, gate, floor, bottom of their bowl, or digging into the ground, the nose can be hurt and a small peeling might occur. The constant and more aggressive rubbing against the sharp objects may end up as flaking of the nose skin.
Weather conditions, especially sunny days
During the hot sunny days, hoomans put the sunscreen on their face to prevent sunburnt. But did you know that dogs can get nose sunburnt as well? As a result of the sunburnt, their noses can start peeling.
? The more prone are dogs with lighter pigmentation of their noses (pink noses). For example German Shepherd.
Result of a dry nose
A dog’s nose should be wet all the time to prevent it from cracking. Outside of cracking, the dry nose can lead to unpleasant peeling.
? Senior dogs may experience the dryness of their noses more often as the regeneration of the skin isn’t at the same pace. What are the other reasons of dry noses in senior dogs?
The more serious causes of a dog´s nose peeling
As much as I hope your pup´s nose peeling issue is nothing serious and can be cured at home in a few days, it is always a good idea to visit your vet first and ask for their advice. They will properly examine your dog, and by asking you some additional questions you might find out that your pup has an allergy, infection, or a more serious disease.
Infections and allergies
When your dog plays and sticks its nose into many places, it´s not unusual that they can hurt and a small wound occurs. If this wound isn´t cleaned, microorganisms in this area can cause inflammation followed by bacterial or fungal infection.
The nose peeling can be also caused by allergies to a new food or even a new toy. These allergies can lead to Eczema which side-effect can be the nose peeling.
Autoimmune diseases or skin cancer
It´s unlikely this will be your scenario but it´s important to mention diseases in this article as well. The dog´s nose peeling can be a side-effect of a more serious illness. That´s why you should always consider a vet visit in case the conditions isn’t get better in a few days.
? You might have heard of dog nose hyperkeratosis. It´s a skin condition when due to a lack of protein Keratin the nose dries, cracks, and eventually, peels.
How to treat your dog’s nose peeling at home
You might wonder if you can try to treat a nose peeling at home or if you need to call the vet immediately and make an appointment. What is most important here, is understanding the cause of the nose peeling.
Did you go for a walk on a hot sunny day? Do you provide plenty of water to your dog? Have you changed the food brand? Did you buy a new toy or a new bowl for your pup? Did you change the environment where your dog plays? Are there also any other symptoms such as scratching, fewer, fatigue, or any other skin issues?
It can be possible that your dog got sunburnt, is dehydrated, or has an allergy to the new brand of dog food. You should always eliminate the possible causes, clean the nose area, and apply a high quality dog balm or vitamin E oil for dogs as first aid. If the issue persists after a couple of days, don´t hesitate to call your vet.
How to prevent peeling on canine nose?
As much as we try, and want to prevent our friends from getting hurt, sometimes it´s simply not possible. However, there are a few essential points you should keep in mind and your little friend will stay safe, healthy, happy, and thankful.
– Make sure your dog has plenty of water all the time. The water keeps its nose hydrated.
– During sunny days use a dog balm or pet-safe sunscreen on your dog´s nose to prevent sunburnt. Try to avoid the strong sun and go for walks early in the morning and later in the evening.
– In winter apply the dog balm on your pup´s nose to prevent it from drying. A dry nose is just one step from getting peeled.
– Eliminate the possible environmental causes. Are your dog´s toys or bedding damaged? Buy new ones. Is the environment where your pup spends most of the time dog-friendly?
– A proper quality and high-nutrition food overall helps to keep the skin and coat nice, strong, and healthy. Dogs just like humans should have a balanced diet full of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
ORDER NOWThe post Dog nose peeling: causes and treatment appeared first on Happiest Dog.