What this means
Many people believe a dog's nose must be cold and wet, and that a dry one means illness. In fact the nose varies in dampness through the day, and after sleep, sun or wind it can be drier, which means nothing in itself. What matters more is whether the skin of the nose is changing: thickening, cracking, crusting, losing colour or developing sores.
Changes to the nose skin are sometimes linked to the environment: sun, wind, cold, contact with irritating substances. Sometimes they are linked to wider skin or immune-system problems, where other areas change too, such as the skin around the eyes, the lips and the paw pads. The nose alone cannot tell these apart.
Note when the nose changed, whether it is spreading, whether it bleeds, whether crusts are visible and whether other areas are changing at the same time. Photograph the nose every few days; it helps the vet see how things are progressing.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
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Dry air, wind, sun or cold
The environment can dry out the skin of the nose. The change is then generally small, and other parts of the body do not change.
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Thickened, hardened nose skin
In some dogs the nose skin starts to thicken and crack. Similar changes are sometimes visible on the paw pads too, so it is worth checking those as well.
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Skin changes caused by the immune system
In some cases the body attacks its own skin. The nose loses colour, and crusts, sores or a change in the surface of the nose appear.
About the condition: Autoimmune disorders -
Changes together with eye or coat changes
Loss of nose colour alongside eye inflammation or a paling coat is a rare but important combination worth showing to a vet.
About the condition: Uveodermatologic syndrome -
Injury or irritation
The nose can be rubbed raw by digging or pushing against hard surfaces, or irritated by cleaning products, plants or other substances.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether the nose skin has thickened, cracked or crusted
- Whether the nose bleeds or has open sores
- Whether the nose has lost colour or turned patchily paler
- Whether the paw pads, lips or skin around the eyes have changed too
- Whether there is discharge from the nose or noisy breathing
- Whether the change is spreading or staying the same
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if the nose has been dry or cracked for more than a few days, has lost colour, has crusts or sores, or if other areas are changing alongside it. Bring photographs of how the nose looked before and how it looks now.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Hereditary footpad hyperkeratosis Skin and coat Hereditary footpad hyperkeratosis is an inherited disorder in which the skin of the paw pads produces too much keratin and becomes very thick. The pads turn hard, horny growths form on them and cracks appear. The cracks can be painful and can become infected, which can make walking difficult.
- Autoimmune disorders Blood and immunity This is an umbrella term for conditions in which the immune system, instead of defending the body against germs, starts attacking the dog's own tissues. The skin, blood cells, joints or internal organs can be affected, so these diseases can look very different from one another. What the condition is and what caused it is for the vet to determine.
- Uveodermatologic syndrome Blood and immunity Uveodermatologic syndrome is an immune disease in which the body's immune system attacks the pigment-producing cells in the eyes, the skin and the coat. In the eyes it causes deep inflammation that can damage vision and lead to blindness, while the skin and coat lose their colour in places. The eye changes are urgent, so if an eye turns red or painful or vision drops, the dog needs a vet immediately.
Body systems: Skin and coat Blood and immunity