Crusty dog nose: dog crusty nose treatment, home remedy

What causes a crusty dog nose? Is there effective dog crusty nose treatment? It is fairly common to spot a dog with a dry crusty nose due to daily activities such as rubbing against walls, kennel’s fence or digging into the ground. It however should be a point of concern if your dog has a crusty and flaky nose looks that never seems to heal. It could be an outward sign of a serious underlying medical condition that requires urgent attention. Here is all the info you need to know on causes and how to cure dog’s crusty nose.

Video: Dog's Nose is Dry and Crusty

Crusty Dog Nose- Dog Crusty Nose, Causes

Video: Dr. Heather Loenser, DVM Discusses The Blissful Dog Nose Butter For Your Dog

What does a dry crusty dog nose mean? The dog’s face will usually tell a lot- the nose, eyes and ears give visible clues in regard to your dog’s health. A crusty dog nose, dryness and cracking may point to a number of untold problems. A dog’s nose is a very prominent feature that will show something is wrong with symptoms such as dryness, peeling of the skin, cracking, and crusty nose boogers.

Other signs may be difficulty in breathing especially if the scaly patches of skin on the inside part of his nose or bleeding. You may notice rough spot which may get worse and grow into crusty bumps or patches along the top of the ridge of your dog’s nose.

My dog’s nose is cracking on one side, should I be worried? A healthy dog nose should always be cold and wet. It should be of great concern if you find your dog nose getting crusty and dry. Dogs aren’t able to talk and tell when they are feeling unwell. It takes knowledge and observation to pick up these small things to pick out that small indication of an illness. It is very important to have the necessary knowledge on causes and when to take your pooch to a vet.

Dog crusty nose may present in different ways and sometimes it may be a little difficult telling the difference between a dog dry nose and a dog crusty nose which may appear for different reasons. Here are the common reasons why your dog’s nose may be dry:

Sunburns can Cause Dry Crusty Dog Nose

If your dog is exposed to the sun for long hours, it may get a sore dry nose. You may be surprised but just like humans, dogs get sunburned too. It is upon you to pick out whether your dog is prone to sunburns and know how to protect it from harmful rays of the sun which may cause burn lesions to turn cancerous when the dog is older. To prevent burns and sores due to solar dermatitis and sunburns, apply a dab of dog sunscreen on the bare skin of your dog’s nose.

Allergies and Runny Nose

Dog allergies can be the reason why your dog has a dry nose. It is common to find your dog reacting to chemicals and dyes that are used to make plastic bowls used to feed them. Try making a change to ceramics or stainless steel bowl to see whether the dry nose improves.

Nasal infections, Discharge and Sneezing

Bacterial, viral and fungal respiratory infections are common cause of a dry crusting nose in dogs especially if he is sneezing and has a nasal discharge. Buy over the counter meds for nasal infections or consult your vet about proper treatments. Remember to always moisturize your dog’s nose to prevent cracking and bleeding.

A crusty nose may a tell-tale sign of a more serious condition affecting your dog. Since there are a number of them and it may not be easy to tell the difference at home with a similar presenting symptom, it is always best to consult a vet if your dog’s nose looked unusually hard, rough and crusty. He will be able to examine and make a good diagnosis and recommend effective solutions.

Here are some of the most common causes of crusty dog nose:

Canine Distemper

Distemper disease sometimes referred to as hardpad disease in contagious canine viral disease that has no cure. It is a relative of the measles virus that affects dogs and certain species of wildlife. Young puppies and older non-immunized dogs tend to be more susceptible to this disease. This condition makes tissues hard, thick and crusty. It affects dog’s paws and the nose.  Since there’s no cure for this disease, it is important to make sure that your dog is up to date with all vaccinations. Gently wash your dog’s nose, provide moisture and apply antibiotics to prevent secondary infections.

Video: Snout Soother - No more Dry Crusty Dog Nose for Lola and Rumble!

Nasodigital Hyperkeratosis

According to dogs.lovetoknow.com, there is not much known about this condition but it causes overproduction of keratin on top of the nose and foot pads. Its symptoms mimic the lasting effects of distemper. Nasodigital hyperkeratosis can only be diagnosed by ruling out conditions with similar symptoms.

This condition is common in older dogs certain illnesses or as a side effect of some medications. Certain breeds of dogs seem to have a genetic predisposition to the condition. Flat faced, bully breeds and those with chunky body types (boxer dogs, bulldogs and Bernese Mountain) are more likely to get a dry crusty nose due to NS.

Zinc Responsive Dermatosis

This is a relatively uncommon disease in dogs- it is a skin disorder cause by zinc deficiency due to malabsorption or poor utilization of zinc. Zinc plays a very important role in protecting the body against illnesses, it regulates keratogenesis and wound healing. Dogs with zinc responsive dermatosis may have Drying around the mouth, chin, ears, with hard, crusty lesions around the nose and eyes. Treatment includes dietary changes and supplementation.

Pemphigus Foliaceous

This is an autoimmune disease characterized by loss of the upper parts of the skin which results in blistering. The skin develops characteristic crusty scaly lesions with an erythematous base that are first seen on the bridge of the nose. Diagnosis is made by taking a skin biopsy. Treatment goes on for the rest of the dog’s life with immunosuppressive drugs and special shampoo to clean and help remove the crusting.

Video: Snout Soother by Natural Dog Company for a Dry Chapped Dog Nose

Dry Crusty Nose Bumps on Dog

What are these dry crusty nose bumps on my dog? Dogs can develop bumps on their skin for different reasons. The term tumor is used to describe any abnormal growth or swelling which may often mean cancer. There are many reasons why your dog may have dry crusty nose bumps making it difficult to make a spot diagnosis. Here are some of them:

• Abscesses
• Allergic and contact dermatitis, Flea allergy
• Benign tumors
• Callus
• Canine acne
• Calcinosis cutis
• Skin cancer

A dog may have a crusty nose on one side, along the bridge of the nose where there is hair or the smooth part of the nose without any hair. According to healthy pets.mercola.com, the color of your dog’s nose can be black, pin, liver colored or the same color as his fur. This is determined by genetics. Nose bumps on dogs may be of different colors too: he may have brown crusty bumps from an injury and picked up some dirt while digging up the ground. Crusty yellow dog nose bumps may be from hardened nasal discharge or boogers.

A white crusty dog nose may be telling of something as simple as a respiratory infection or one that needs to be checked out such as an autoimmune disease. If your dog develops a crusty white nose with no other symptoms, take his temperature rectally. If he is running a fever higher that 104, have him checked for an infection. Autoimmune diseases are diagnosed by taking a biopsy and treatment given accordingly.

Dry Crusty Dog Nose and Eyes, Runny Nose

My dog has a crusty runny nose and scaly stuff around the eyes, what could be the problem? Sometimes you may have a dog with a dry crusty nose and scaling around the eyes or ears. This is a common feature in dogs with zinc responsive dermatosis or discoid lupus erythematosus. The genitals may sometimes be affected too. However, if your dog has a chapped runny nose, you may have nothing serious to worry about. Have him checked and treated for a possible respiratory infection. A runny nose if untreated may result in crusty discharge from the nose which may not allow proper breathing for your dog.

Crusty Dog Nose Treatment

Crusty dog nose treatment largely depends on what’s causing the problem. However, if you cannot identify any of the problems, it would be best to take him to the vet so that he can examine him and come up with a working diagnosis. It could be an autoimmune disease such as lupus requiring medical attention and daily care. A tissue biopsy may be needed to confirm a diagnosis. Here is how to cure dog’s crusty nose at home;

Treating Crusty Dog Nose Due to Allergies

As mentioned above, crusty dog nose can be caused by allergies to dyes and chemicals used to make plastics feeding bowls. Dyes can get into contact with the dog’s face causing dryness and flaking of skin. It is recommended to use stainless steel or ceramic bowls to avoid nose crusting due to contact allergies.

Dog Crusty Nose Treatment with Nose Butter

In many cases where there is not underlying medical condition or the crusty dog nose is idiopathic, using a cream, salve or nose butter may help restore your dog’s nose to its normal condition. Not that this is only recommended once all the other possible problems have been ruled out. Be sure to get scent free nose butter that is also safe for ingestion since dogs tend to lick their nose during the day.

Nose butter should be applied 3 to 4 times in a day with one application in the morning and the other at night. Other applications can be done during the day preferably after meals so that it is not wiped off while ingesting food.

Nose butter will help add a layer of protection to the bare sensitive skin of your dog’s nose. It softens the crust so that it falls off easily without bleeding allowing the skin to heal.

Once your dog is healed, you can make it a habit and apply nose butte at least once in the day to prevent nose dryness.

Treatment for Crusty Dog Nose with Snout Soother

Snout soother offered by Natural Dog Company is a nose balm made of 100% all natural nourishing, healing and moisturizing ingredients. This balm is applied to the nose to prevent dryness and cracking or to treat painful crusty dog nose that has already occurred. Apply this as many times as possible as you try to distract the dog to give time for the balm to work. You can also try Vaseline with aloe Vera or Vitamin E oil which according to many reviews works to relieve dog nose dryness.

How to Clean Crusty Nose Dog

Scaling and crusts may be tempting to pick but this may not be a good idea. Dry crusts that are still stuck on may detach and cause bleeding and discomfort to your dog. It is however good practice to try and clean off your dog’s nose before applying balm. This will help to remove any food debris that may be stuck on the crusts. Here is how to clean a crusty dog nose with warm water.

1. Wet a soft wash cloth with clean warm water
2. Carefully wipe the nose without dislodging pieces of crust that are not ready to shed
3. Do this twice daily- in the morning and evening
4. Remember to moisturize and apply balm after every wash

Note that it is best to allow the crust to fall off by itself. Rubbing too hard will leave the skin raw and exposed risking the development of secondary infections.

Crusty Dog Nose Home Remedy

You’ve heard of the old myth that a healthy dog should have a wet nose. While this may be true, it normal for your dog to have a dry nose from time to time from digging the ground, pushing doors, gates and fences. Dog also have their noses into food and water most of the times. Temperature changes and sleeping for long in front of the central heater or fire could cause a dry nose too.

Dog owners should observe their pets and check out for peeling, scabs and loss of pigmentation which may be telling of a more serious condition. Chronic dry nose should also be checked out by the vet. At home, try to gently clean your dog’s nose with warm water and apply balm to moisturize and keep your dog comfortable. You can use coconut oil or almond oil In place of nose butter. They are natural, effective and do not glob on like petroleum jelly which takes quite a while before being absorbed.

Dog with Crusty Nose, Cancer

Chronic nose dryness can also be a symptom of skin cancer. Dog just like human beings are very sensitive to ultra violet rays of the sun. The nose skin is very sensitive and not covered by any fur making it directly exposed to the sun. While a dry nose may be a symptom of another disease, it is best to have this checked out by a vet so that he can make a proper diagnosis. Apply canine sunscreen on your dog nose to prevent sunburn and skin cancer.

Reviews & Comments