The dog's nose is peeling with what to smear. What does a dry nose mean in a dog? Bacterial infection. Treatment of bacterial infection

Any owner knows that if a dog has a dry nose, close attention must be paid to its well-being. Among the many different reasons, there are completely harmless ones. It is necessary to understand what may be associated with dry nose and what measures should be taken.

A dog’s sense of smell is so developed that it can sense not only odors that are elusive to humans, but also the slightest vibrations in the air. The glands located inside and outside the olfactory organ secrete a special secretion. If the pet's body is functioning normally, the skin of the nose is moist and cool. The opposite condition is not always an indicator of any pathology.

There are several completely harmless factors that explain why a dog has a dry nose. . These include:

• Dream. During this period, metabolic processes slow down, secretory function decreases, so for another 15–20 minutes after waking up, the animal’s nose remains dry and warm.
• Overwork. During physical exertion, during prolonged active play, the nose dries out.
• Reaction to windy weather. Animals are very sensitive to weather conditions.
• Change of teeth in a puppy.
• Period of hormonal changes (pregnancy, estrus).
• The first day after birth.
• Individual features of the structure of the organ and metabolic rate lead to the fact that the animal experiences a dry nose throughout its life.

As a result of the above reasons, the olfactory organ remains dry for a short period of time. When this symptom appears for several hours and additional ones are observed along with it, we can assume the onset of a disease.

When a dog's dry nose is a sign of illness

Other accompanying symptoms indicate a deterioration in the pet’s well-being:

• Lethargy. The dog strives to retire, hide in a dark place, loses interest in games and entertainment.
• Aggression. May appear as a result of increased irritability caused by illness.
• Scratching the muzzle.
• The fur takes on a tousled appearance.
• Breathing is difficult, wheezing is heard. Sneezing and coughing begins.
• Abnormal stool. Eating grass often causes your dog to vomit.
• Increased body temperature.
• No appetite. This indicator does not change without a good reason.

If, along with the fact that the dog has a warm and dry nose, any of the listed symptoms are present, it is necessary to show the pet to a doctor. Timely treatment of an existing disease significantly increases the chances of recovery. If the cause of dryness is any pathology, the veterinarian will tell you what to do. He will first establish a diagnosis by conducting the necessary examination. Excessive dryness may indicate various pathologies.

Allergy

This is one of the most common causes of a dry nose in dogs. Along with this symptom, many others arise. The animal rubs its face with its paws and itches incessantly. Dandruff forms, the skin begins to peel, and the coat becomes too dry. All actions are aimed at identifying the allergen. Its role may include food, pollen from flowering plants, and house dust. Often a bowl made of synthetic materials is an allergen, so it is recommended to replace it with a ceramic or metal one.

It is necessary to exclude the dog from contact with synthetics, woolen fabric, rubber, and polymers. You should not bathe your pet, especially with detergents. You will have to temporarily stop using household chemicals when cleaning your apartment. When walking your dog, you should avoid flowering plants and carefully monitor its condition. Be sure to write down everything that had to be excluded. As soon as an improvement in the dog’s well-being is noticed, the list is presented to the veterinarian. Tests sometimes help determine the allergen.

Pemphigus

A disease with this name is often found in dogs, accompanied not only by a dry nose, but also by the appearance of blisters on it - bubbles filled with liquid. When ripe, they burst, leaving behind dried crusts. The accumulation of bubbles prevents the dog from breathing normally. Factors that provoke the development of the disease are the use of certain medications, an infectious disease, and ultraviolet irradiation.

Pemphigus on a dog's nose

The type of pathogen can only be determined based on test results. Depending on this, treatment is prescribed.

Cold

A dog's dry nose can be caused by a cold. It is manifested by apathy, drowsiness, wheezing and sneezing. Possible increase in temperature. Even if you manage to alleviate your pet’s condition at home, it must be shown to a veterinarian to prevent the development of pneumonia. Otherwise, serious long-term treatment will be required using antibiotics, IVs and other procedures.

The disease in its advanced stage can lead to the death of the pet. Therefore, it is important to start treatment when the first symptoms appear, without ignoring the dog’s dry nose. Self-medication is unacceptable if pneumonia or bronchitis is suspected. First aid measures to help alleviate the condition:

• Create a calm environment. The dog needs to be offered tasty food and provided with drink.
• Maintaining optimal room temperature. It shouldn't be too hot or cold. It is important to ensure that there are no drafts.
• Reducing walking time to 15 minutes.
• If your pet has severe chills, you should cover it with a warm blanket or place a heating pad next to it.
• Combing wool with a brush. As a result of this massage, blood circulation improves and protective forces are activated.

When there is no opportunity to show the dog to a doctor, and wheezing, coughing, and other symptoms intensify, it is necessary to use broad-spectrum antibiotics. Additionally, you will need medications that normalize the intestinal microflora.

Worms

Worm infestation is accompanied by constipation, temperature fluctuations, and signs of intoxication. The dog becomes lethargic and loses interest in life. Severe damage leads to bulging of the peritoneum. Therefore, if you find your pet has a dry, warm nose and any of the above symptoms, you should immediately seek help from a veterinarian. Once the test results are received, appropriate anthelmintic treatment will be prescribed. Typically, Espirantel, Febantel, and Pyrantel are used for this purpose. Carrying out regular deworming eliminates the possibility of infection with worms.

Plague

A warm nose may be a sign of a more serious disease - distemper. The dog has a depressed state, which worsens more and more if measures are not taken. The animal refuses to eat, becomes weaker, and the digestion process is disrupted. Pus accumulates in the eyes, near the nasal passages. The nose dries out, becoming not just warm, but even hot. When walking, the dog staggers, falling on its side. In advanced cases, convulsions and fainting are possible.

Rabies

A most dangerous disease that can be transmitted to people and other animals. It is classified as incurable. In addition to signs characteristic of many other diseases, rabies is distinguished by the symptom of photophobia. At the initial stage, the dog does not refuse water, but later begins to experience fear of it. A dry and hot nose is one of the first signs of illness. The infected animal must be euthanized.

Other causes of dry nose in dogs

Such a sign is not always a reason to immediately consult a doctor. You just need to know what it means if a dog has a dry nose, and study all the possible causes of this phenomenon. This may be due to injury. Therefore, the animal must be examined, given first aid and taken to a veterinarian. A dog's sense of smell is hundreds of times more sensitive than a human's. The slightest scratch caused by cat claws or branches causes pain in the pet. As a result, the tip of the nose dries out and becomes hot. It is unacceptable to treat the wound with iodine or brilliant green - this can aggravate the pain syndrome.

Prolonged exposure to the sun can cause skin burns that are not protected by fur. The nose is the first to suffer. The booth must be installed in such a way that the dog has the opportunity to hide from the sun.

In winter, one of the reasons why a dog’s nose is dry and cracked is severe frost and wind. Under the influence of these natural factors, painful cracks form on the nose.

If a dog has a cold and dry nose, this may be a sign of hypothermia, as well as a decrease in body temperature. A similar symptom, combined with pale gums and dull eyes, is a reason to seek veterinary help.

When dry nose is associated with physiological characteristics or climatic conditions, it is enough to lubricate it with Vaseline or vegetable oil. Careful monitoring of your pet will help to detect an incipient disease in time.

You can also ask questions to our site's in-house veterinarian, who will answer them as quickly as possible in the comment box below.

Some older dogs are characterized by a certain thickening of the black pigmented area of ​​the nose, which is also covered with a crust that has deep cracks where food particles often accumulate, thereby provoking an infection.

If there are no signs of obvious infection, it is recommended to soften this area of ​​the nose with lanolin or petroleum jelly. When an infection is present, the attending physician can apply the required dressing. Dogs suffering from distemper or who have recovered from this disease often have a hardened crust on their nose, and the pads on their paws become rougher. As a rule, this does not pose a huge danger, but you should consult with your veterinarian, as treatment for other signs may be required or medications will be needed to prevent the spread of neurological symptoms in the animal.

There is such a hereditary disease as collie nose - it mainly affects such breeds of dogs as collies and shepherds. In sick animals, inflammation appears on the surface of the nose, which becomes covered with an ulcer. You should seek help from a veterinarian immediately, as the disease can develop into a chronic form. Since even sunlight can cause such a condition, infected dogs should be kept in the middle of the room during sunny weather, and training should be carried out only in the evening. Sometimes the veterinarian may prescribe the use of sunscreen ointments.

When you have the opportunity to meet a dog breeding specialist, you should ask him whether the dog’s relatives had similar diseases and how it can affect the offspring. When considering the issue of subsequent breeding of this breed, one must take into account all the inconveniences caused to the owner and the discomfort for the pet from this disease.

A dog's nose, as a result of the numerous small glands present in it, is usually moist, cool and shiny. However, a warm, dry nose should not be considered only a sign of an increase in temperature. So drying of the nose, based on its keratinization and the appearance of cracks on its upper part, especially near the lateral corners, can be the result of external diseases, disturbances in normal metabolism, or a runny nose. Significant keratinization can be caused by poor function of the nasal excretory glands.

Treatment usually does not give good results, mainly because the topical medications used are immediately licked off by the dog. That is why it is recommended to apply any ointments and solutions at the beginning of a walk, since at this time our four-legged friend is carried away by completely different impressions and forgets to lick his nose, and in addition, a layer of ointment protects the upper ball of the skin of the nose from drying out quickly in the open air. When lubricating the nose, use fish oil ointment, glycerin or boric ointment (vaseline). Chamomile ointment also has a satisfactory effect, as it resolves keratinization on the top of the nose and, in addition, the dog is able to lick it off without any harm to its own health. Treatment is accompanied by the use of vitamins A and E. Since they are located in an oil solution, they can be used both topically on the nose and in the middle.

Slightly bleeding cracks in the corners of a dog’s nose are most often difficult to treat. In such situations, you need to consult a veterinarian.

Any dermatologist will tell you that based on the condition of your skin, you can draw comprehensive conclusions about the health of the entire body. And this statement is quite true not only for humans, but also for their pets. For example, a dog’s skin is peeling: what could this indicate and how dangerous is this condition for the life and health of your pet?

Why does this happen?

Let us immediately make a reservation that in the vast majority of cases there is no talk of any dangerous infectious or invasive diseases. Most often, peeling begins if the animal eats something “inappropriate.” What products can cause such unpleasant consequences? Almost any, depending on the individual predisposition of your pet, whose body may not absorb one or another component. Simply put, we are talking about food allergies.

But if the dog’s skin peels and hair falls out, and at the same time there are signs of some pathological processes, then the situation is probably more serious. For clarity, we present a table that describes all the most common causes of this pathological phenomenon.

As you can see, there can be many reasons why the skin on a dog’s back is peeling. If you notice this symptom, try to immediately show your pet to an experienced veterinarian.

Has your pet started losing hair?

Well, if the coat has become thin and there are hairless areas on the body, this is indeed a cause for concern. But there is no need to panic. Hair loss and thinning hair in puppies occurs quite frequently as a result of several reasons. Let's look at the main causes of hair loss in dogs and how to deal with them...

There are two groups of reasons why dogs experience hair loss - hormonal and non-hormonal, that is, not related to dysfunction of the endocrine glands. First, you should pay attention to how your hair falls out. Hair loss caused by hormonal imbalances usually occurs symmetrically. If you observe asymmetrical alopecia in different parts of the dog’s body, then the reason lies elsewhere.

Hormonal diseases accompanied by hair loss in dogs

Cushing's syndrome (hyperadrenocorticism)– symmetrical hair loss throughout the body, caused by an excess of the hormone cortisol. Other symptoms include recurrent infections, excessive thirst and urination, and weight gain. The abdomen is slightly enlarged and saggy. In some cases, this condition develops when taking steroid drugs.

Impaired growth hormone production accompanied by bilateral symmetrical hair loss, mainly in males. Begins during puberty and is common in certain breeds, including Chow Chows, Airedales, Boxers, Pomeranians, Poodles, and Dutch Wolf Spitz.

Hyperestrogenism(excess estrogen) occurs in females and males. Against the background of an imbalance of sex hormones, bilateral symmetrical hair loss in the perineum and around the genitals is possible, as well as an enlargement of the vulva, and in males, swelling of the foreskin.

Hypoestrogenism(estrogen deficiency) is observed in adult spayed females and is characterized by a decrease in the rate of hair growth and thinning of the hair, initially around the vulva and then throughout the body. At the same time, the skin becomes smooth and soft (like a baby’s).

Hypothyroidism– a condition characterized by a lack of thyroid hormones. A dog suffering from hypothyroidism becomes lethargic, gains weight, is more susceptible to infections, has dry, brittle hair, and develops patches of hair loss. This is the most common cause of bilateral symmetrical hair loss without itching. Hair begins to fall out first in the neck, chest, sides of the body, back, hips and upper tail.

Other diseases and health conditions that lead to hair loss in dogs

Shedding

Most puppies shed between about 3 and 10 months of age, depending on size, breed and coat type. In some breeds, shedding is very profuse, extreme in comparison with other breeds. For example, Pomeranians are a prime example of this; during the molting period, they become "spotty" due to uneven hair loss.

In adult dogs, shedding occurs seasonally, usually twice a year. I don’t think it’s worth saying that regular cleaning and care during the molting period is of great importance.

Females, among other things, can shed during the sexual cycle, as well as after childbirth.

Excessive hair loss in dogs can sometimes occur during periods of extreme stress, such as illness, surgery, or other anxiety-inducing circumstances.

Bathing your puppy too often with irritating products can also cause thinning hair and dry, flaky skin.

Allergies in dogs

Allergies are actually more common among dogs than most pet owners realize. Allergic reactions can develop to various ingredients (or groups of ingredients) in food or treats. It is not uncommon for an allergy to occur to a food that has been well tolerated for some time, but more often develops after the puppy or dog has been given something new or unusual.

Other common allergy triggers in dogs include fleas, seasonal allergens (e.g. pollen, weeds, dust, etc.), and some dogs have “contact allergies,” meaning they react to what they come into contact with. This could be shampoo, topical medications, cleaning products, various materials or fibers, and so on. Regardless of what causes the allergy, the reaction is usually considered a skin disease by the owner. Hair loss, bald spots, excessive licking or scratching (especially on the belly, legs, tail or face), or rash may be due to an allergic reaction.

Hair loss due to food allergy in a dog

Acanthosis nigricans mainly seen in dachshunds. Hair loss begins in the dog's armpits, folds and ears. These areas turn black, feel greasy, and have an unpleasant odor.

Hair loss. Acanthosis nigricans in a dachshund.

Yeast infections- a fairly common cause of hair loss in puppies. It mainly affects areas of the body with high skin moisture (armpits, behind the ears, in skin folds). Dogs with a lot of “wrinkles”, such as English bulldogs, sharpeis, etc., are most susceptible to the disease. In addition to hair loss, the skin becomes oily to the touch and has an unpleasant odor.

Color mutation alopecia(Blue Doberman syndrome) is characterized by hair loss all over the body (appears as if the fur is moth-eaten). Papules and pustules may form in the area of ​​hair loss. The disease is recorded not only in Dobermans, but also in other breeds.

Some breeds, such as Shar Pei and Bull Terrier, are more susceptible to demodicosis, especially if their immune system is weakened.

Hair loss begins around the eyelids, lips and corners of the mouth, sometimes on the legs or torso. The size of hairless areas ranges from a small spot to a circle with a diameter of 2.5 cm. Typically, many of these small lesions increase in size and merge into a large alopecia. A possible complication of pyoderma. The generalized form of demodicosis is usually a consequence of immunodeficiency.

Dogs with sarcoptic mange experience severe itching and discomfort. Hair loss can be quite extensive as a result of scratching.

Hair loss. Sarcoptic mange

Solar dermatitis(collie nose) causes hair loss at the border of the nose and muzzle and can lead to serious ulcers. Dogs with unpigmented or poorly pigmented nasal skin are affected. The disease may develop as a result of autoimmune problems.

Compressed callus– grey, hairless, thickened, wrinkled skin, usually around the elbow joints of the extremities, but similar areas may be located at other pressure points. The reason for such formations is that the dog lies on a hard surface for a long time. These skin lesions are most noticeable in large breeds.

Hair loss. Compressed callus

Ringworm– fungal infection. Scaly, crusty, rounded areas ranging from 12 to 50 mm in diameter. In the central part of such formations, complete hair loss is observed with a red ring on the periphery.

Hair loss due to ringworm

Ringworm on a dog's nose

Adenitis of the sebaceous glands It is observed mainly in poodles, but is sometimes recorded in other breeds. The disease is characterized by symmetrical hair loss on the face, head, neck and back. It is possible to develop an infection of the hair follicles.

Adenitis of the sebaceous glands in a dog

Adenitis of the sebaceous glands on the body of a dog

Seborrhea– dandruff of varying severity (dry type, wet, complicated). It may develop as a secondary disease.

Vitiligo: Hair loss due to loss of skin pigment. These areas are most noticeable on the face and head. It is most often observed in Rottweilers and Belgian Terriers.

Hair loss. Vitiligo in a dog

Zinc deficiency causes the skin to become hard, scaly, and hairless, especially on the face, nose, elbows and hocks. Possible cracking of the crumb on the paws. Arctic and northern dog breeds are most sensitive to zinc deficiency.

Zinc deficiency in dogs

So, if your pet's hair loss bothers you and you're sure it's not just shedding, it's best to consult a veterinarian. Any disease, even allergies, must be diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible. This is always better for the dog and cheaper for you than being guided by the principle of “wait and see, maybe it will go away on its own.”

Health to you and your pets!
Ph.D. A.G. Klyuchnikov