What this means
Clear, watery discharge after a walk in the cold or after sniffing is not a worrying sign. Attention is due when the discharge turns thick, yellow, greenish or bloody, when it lasts longer than a few days, or when it keeps coming back.
Note down whether it runs from one nostril or both. Discharge from one nostril more often points to a local cause, such as a lodged foreign object or a dental problem. Discharge from both nostrils more often goes with a wider inflammation or nasal disease.
If the discharge has been recurring since puppyhood, say so to your vet as well. Some inherited conditions show up as a constantly runny nose from a young age.
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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An airway infection
An infection causes thicker discharge from both nostrils, often with sneezing, coughing or a lower appetite.
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A foreign object in the nose
A grass seed or another fragment causes discharge from one nostril, sneezing and rubbing of the nose.
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Dental and jaw problems
Infection around the roots of an upper tooth can break through into the nasal passage, giving discharge from one nostril, sometimes with an unpleasant smell.
About the condition: Dental and gum disease -
Long-standing nasal disease
Lasting inflammation of the nasal lining or another change in the nose causes constant or recurring discharge.
About the condition: Nasal disease -
A problem clearing the airway lining
A rarer inherited condition in which the lining of the nose and airways does not clear properly, showing as constant discharge from a young age.
About the condition: Primary ciliary dyskinesia -
Allergy or irritants
Dust, pollen or smoke can cause clear discharge and sneezing tied to a particular place or season.
About the condition: Allergies (food, skin and environmental)
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- The colour and thickness of the discharge
- Whether it runs from one nostril or both
- Whether there is also sneezing, coughing or noisy breathing
- Whether the discharge has an unpleasant smell
- Whether it has been recurring since a young age
- Whether appetite and energy are normal
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if the discharge is thick, coloured, from one nostril, lasts more than a few days or keeps coming back.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Nasal disease Breathing This is an umbrella term for various problems of the nasal passages and sinuses: infections, inflammation, foreign bodies such as grass awns lodged in the nose, tooth root disease or tumours. A dog's nose matters not only for breathing but also for smell, the sense through which it gets to know the world. Lingering nose trouble can have very different causes, so it is worth showing to a vet.
- Primary ciliary dyskinesia Breathing This is an inherited disease in which the microscopic hairs, called cilia, that line the airways move abnormally or not at all. Normally they keep sweeping mucus, dust and germs out of the airways; when they fail, mucus builds up and airway infections keep coming back. Cilia are found in other organs as well, so the disease can affect other parts of the body too, such as fertility.
- Dental and gum disease Digestion and liver Dental and gum disease starts with plaque that hardens over time into tartar, and the bacteria multiplying beneath it cause inflammation of the gums. Left alone, the inflammation can damage the tissues and bone that hold the tooth in place, so teeth loosen and fall out. A sore mouth troubles a dog every day, and infection in the mouth can affect other organs too.
- Distemper Infections Distemper is a contagious viral disease that can damage the airways, the digestive system, the skin and the nervous system. Puppies and unvaccinated dogs are at greatest risk. What is making a dog ill and how far the disease has gone is for a vet to work out, and the first signs are easily mistaken for an ordinary cold.
- Kennel cough Infections Kennel cough is a contagious inflammation of the upper airways caused by one or more viruses and bacteria. Dogs catch it wherever many dogs meet: boarding kennels, training grounds, shows or popular walking spots. The dog has a loud, dry cough but may stay bright; what caused the cough is for a vet to establish.
Body systems: Breathing Digestion and liver Infections