Why do Spaniels have Wet Noses?

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Today, at spanieldogs.com it is time for yet another interesting topic. So, get ready with your reading glasses as this journey is going to be highly informative and super engrossing.

What is the reason behind a Spaniel’s wet nose?

A canine’s nose is typically packed with numerous glands. These glands work together to form a thin, watery structure on the exterior part of the nose that aids in trapping essential moisture and hence keep them soft and supple. Additionally, a wet nose also helps the canines to regulate their body temperature and thus stay cool.

Apart from that, scientific studies on the canines and their unique body composition also shows that wet noses are more receptive to smell than a dry, warm nose. Using their Jacobson’s organ, which is located within their nasal cavity, the pooches identify various smells, and as a damp nose associates better smelling capacity, the smell detection ability of canines ranges between 1,000 to 10,000 times better than their human companions.

Are there additional reasons behind a wet nose?

While the reasons stated above are the most commonly followed explanations behind a Spaniel’s wet nose, there are two additional factors that may be contributing to the same. These include:

Constant Nose Licking

A habit that all dogs perform, licking their nose is not only a method of keeping their noses wet but also maintaining cleanliness. As they grovel through dirt or when they are eating the food, Spaniels tend to lick their nose constantly in a bid to lick off the extra substance from their nose, and hence keep it clean. Moreover, by doing so they are also using their sense of taste to better accentuate their findings and hence act according to the situation.

Their noses attract moisture

A woofer’s superpower is all about smells; with their nose being the intermediary. So, when a canine is sniffing, his/her nose takes all-in, including the scent, moisture, and other particles that can help them better understand their surroundings. This in return adds to the moisture in their noses, making it all wet and cold to touch.

Can wet noses be futile to Spaniels?

As the saying goes, “Extreme of anything is never good”, an overly wet nose or a weird nasal discharge usually means that there is something wrong with the innocent creature. Thus, the common belief of a wet nose being the indication of a healthy canine is not always true.

Depending upon the mucus colour, your pooch may be suffering from mild respiratory infections or foreign particle presence, as with yellowish or greenish discharges, or even higher threats with blood tinged nasal discharge. The latter happens when there is a severe tick-borne fever, tracheal inflammation or if the Spaniel’s body has fallen prey to cancerous growths.

Therefore, as a responsible pet parent, it is highly advised to regularly monitor your pupper’s nasal discharge and take immediate action when anything out of the ordinary takes place.

Why is my Spaniel’s nose dry and warm?

Even though a normally wet nose means your Spaniel is in it’s best health, a dry, warm nose every once in a while should never be termed as sickness. Just like us humans, dog noses have their own resting periods, and this is when their nose comparably dries with a warm feel to it.

So, if your pooch is napping or has had a good workout session, dry nose doesn’t necessarily mean trouble. But make sure to look out for other telltale signs or symptoms. In case the pup is restless, suffering from severe lethargy, loss of appetite, has developed a red nose, or has sores on it, it’s time to take the animal to a veterinarian.

They may be initial symptoms of something big and severe coming through and hence needs to be handled as soon as possible.

When does a dry nose require medical attention?

Similar to what stated earlier, a dry nose will require medical attention when:

Lethargy and loss of appetite

If your beloved canine is being overly lethargic and has no interest in doing his/her favourite things, they might have fever or dehydration. Although a dry nose can’t always be linked to be the main sign behind the issue, it does add to it. Similarly, based upon the symptoms it may also be canine flu that is making them all gloomy and with no appetite.

Sunburned nose

Given their delicate composition, a Spaniel’s nose may also be sunburned when the pooch is subjected to extreme periods of heat. The harmful UV rays act upon their glands causing them to get extremely chapped off, which further leads to severe reddening and even blood tinged nasal discharges.

Hence, to prevent such instances, pet parents are often advised to use a good quality dog-friendly sunscreen on their Spaniel’s nose before taking them outside under the sun.

Skin eruptions

Ultimately, if you see skin rashes, scraps or injuries alongside your pooch’s dry, chapped nose, it may be a symptom of the onset of skin cancer. These rashes grow out slowly, but once they reach their peak phase, they can multiply rapidly, growing all over their body, and triggering the evolution of the skin cancer into more advanced stages.

Thus, if you find any of these weird symptoms, never waste time thinking and looking for home remedies over the internet. Take the pooch to a professional veterinarian and have all the necessary tests done to find the underlying cause.

How to keep a Spaniel’s nose healthy?

Now that we know all about the whole ‘wet-dry nose’ concept in canines, here’s how to maintain a healthy Spaniel nose.

Although Spaniels, just like other dogs, do their own cleaning by licking their nose, you can always gently wipe their noses with a clean cotton towel, soaked with warm water. The warm fuzzy feeling will feel super good to them, and in return they might shower you with an endless package of wet slobbery kisses.

Similarly, if your dog has been diagnosed with something severe, your vet may also prescribe applying certain dog-friendly medical lotions. Or else you may follow the step as discussed above and proceed with applying a slick layer of petroleum jelly to keep the cracks from opening up.

However, be aware never do anything that is not certified by the vet. Not all petroleum jelly comes with the same canine-safe components, requiring them to be green-flagged before application.

Interesting facts on Dog’s nose

A canine’s sense of smell is almost 600 times stronger than that of a human’s. Some breeds, including the hunting and retrieving canines can locate their prey from as far as a few miles.
The olfactory bulb in dogs is four times larger than humans, aiding them to associate everything with a distinctive smell and keep the memory for years.
Apart from working together, both the nostrils can wiggle individually. This action helps the canines detect the exact direction of the smell’s origin.
The slit in their noses actually is for exhalation when the pooch is smelling something continuously. The exhaled air passes through it, thereby allowing enough space for the fresh air and smells to come in.
Dogs have a superpower of differentiating between 30,000 to 100,000 smells in an instant. That’s some tough target we got there, ain’t it????
They tend to breathe faster when smelling something. During this time their nostrils also flare a bit larger for maximum intake of the smell.

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