Myra
Posted : 3/20/2010 6:51:50 AM
I have a dog with a chronically dry nose. My vet says it's similar to dry eye in people, that there's a gland that lubricates dogs' noses and that in some dogs it gets blocked or doesn't secrete the proper amount or ratio of lubricant.
I've found that if I'm diligent about keeping his nose moisturized that it stays in fairly good shape. Of course, the worst time is in the winter with the dry, cold air.
I've tried the following products: Vitamin E oil, Chapstick, Vaseline, Bag Balm, and Aquaphor lotion. IME the Aquaphor works by far the best. I usually apply it twice a day in the winter and once a day when the weather is warmer and more humid. I've found that if I slack off it only takes a day or so for his nose to start looking worse again. He does occasionally lick the Aquaphor just a bit, especially when he was first getting used to having gunk put on his nose, but I've not seen any side-effects. I'd prefer to use something I know is safe like Vitamin E oil, but unfortunately it was totally useless in helping his poor dry nose. I think that because it tasted good, he licked it all off, and the licking just made his nose that much drier.
Do keep in mind there are serious issues like Pemphigus that can affect a dog's nose. So if regular moisturizing doesn't seem to help, I'd get a second opinion, preferably from a veterinary dermatologist.