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Why Are Dogs’ Noses Wet?

Why Are Dogs’ Noses Wet?

By Sabih Ul HassanPublished about a year ago 3 min read
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there's a commonly held belief a wet cold nose indicates a healthy dog and a dry hot nose a sick one well this dichotomy is somewhat incorrect as a healthy dog can have a dry nose and a sick one to even have a wet nose.

we'll first look at the facts behind a wet versus dry nose and then the reasons why dogs noses are weteven though a much asked question over the years research is still ongoing as to why a dog's nose is wet for starters.

it's usually normal for a dog's nose to be cool and wet when up and about and warm and dry when sleeping still a dry dog nose can be an indicator of certain conditions other than illness.

dryness could also be a sign your dog is dehydrated so be sure he gets plenty of water as dogs age their noses typically become a bit drier when the dryness is chronic however it could be an indicator of a health issue if so be alert to more critical signs like lack of appetite lethargy and stool conditions.

if you don't already know a dog's sense of smell can be up to one hundred thousand times more acute than a human's depending on breed to illustrate a dog's nose can pick up a teaspoon of sugar in two olympic sized pools this is due in no small part to a dog's wet nose dog's noses secrete mucus which helps them absorb and tracks and particles in the air they then lick their nose to taste the fluid that's been secreted thereby dampening the nose in the process this then brings us to the next point.

as mentioned a dog's nose is also wet as a result of licking while dogs lick for a variety of other reasons it's also a means for them to keep track of special scents dogs lick their nose to gather scent particles and bring them inside the roof of the mouth where the jacobson's organ is located.

this organ serves as a secondary olfactory system designed to detect undetectable odors like pheromones you see the jacobson's organ communicates with the part of the brain.

that deals with mating this is important enough for them to not want to miss out by automatically licking their nose when it's dry in newborn puppies this organ enhances the sense of smell to help find their mother's milk source being covered in hair.

dogs don't have sweat glands throughout the body like humans they dissipate some heat through panting and sweating on their paw pads.

but did you know a dog's nose helps as a cooling mechanism too the special mucous glands inside their nostrils also produce clear watery fluid that aids the cooling process through evaporation this ability allows the body to maintain its normal temperature thereby preventing serious health issues during warm weather.

aside from tracking scents a moist nose helps a dog detect heat sources we know this thanks to researchers from Lund university in Sweden and Altay university in Hungary.

they carried out a series of experiments to see if dogs could pick up on clues about how hot different objects were their findings revealed that dogs noses can detect weak infrared radiation released by a warm body or object.

even when they can't smell that item as such the researchers believe that dogs could be using heat detection sense along with other senses when on the hunt to conclude dogs noses can be wet depending on the time of day and their needs they can be sick.

even if their nose is cold and wet so it's not a reliable gauge of health condition instead be alert to behavior changes in your dog like loss of appetite and persistent lethargy as genuine health warning signs

doghealth
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About the Creator

Sabih Ul Hassan

"If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never be fulfilled. If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself. Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are.

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