We get a lot of calls from worried pet parents about the condition of their dog’s nose and how that might translate into a larger problem or not. The interpretations are all across the board, but the most common thought is that a dry, warm nose means a sick dog. In reality, a dog’s nose rarely gives any indication if there is something major going on. That said, it is something we pay attention to very closely for both nasal and unrelated disease.
For starter’s there’s nothing on the surface of a dog’s nose the produces wetness. The tissue is actually very similar to the pads of the foot. There are three sources for a wet nose: saliva, tears, and mucus. Dogs lick their noses constantly, mostly to remove bits of debris that get on there when they sniff. This is the most common source. Secondly, dogs drain tears from their eyes into their sinuses just like us (why we sniffle when we cry…). So, on windy days or in situations where the eyes are irritated, more tears flow into the nose and get spread around the tip. Lastly, mucus also serves to flush the sinuses of debris and improve smell. Normal mucus only comes out in very small amounts. When thick, green, nasty stuff is pouring out, there is obviously a bigger problem and the vet should take a look.
For determining temperature, the nose is a pretty poor place to measure as it is one of the places that dogs use to expel heat from a number a sources. If a dog comes inside after playing on a hot day, their nose is likely to be very hot. But, after panting in some nice air conditioning for even a few minutes, the nose will cool right down. Because of this variation, most vets rarely use the nose to for any subjective determination of body temperature. Instead, we rely on experience and more consistent locations like the chest and neck.
After saying all of this, I obviously don’t want you ignoring your dog’s nose either. Like my mucus comment above, the condition of the nose can indicate some specific problems. If there is a lot of thin, clear discharge, be sure to check your dog’s eyes for redness, swelling, or cloudiness. These are indications for things like allergies, ocular foreign bodies, and conjunctivitis.
Overly dry noses are also red flags for certain issues. In some cases, it can just be an age or breed-related problems where the callused tissue overgrows before it can naturally slough off. We commonly call this cauliflower nose. While this can be benign, it can also lead to cracking and infection. A scarier condition is a form of lupus. This auto-immune disease starts with dry callusing and cracks, but can quickly progress to severe ulceration, loss of tissue, and further damage. Early intervention by your vet can stave off a lot of more major problems down the road.