The nose of dogs should be cold and wet - not only dog ​​breeders, but also many ordinary people are well aware of this. But is that so?

What makes a dog’s nose moist while keeping it cold? Why is this device necessary for an animal, and only dogs have cold noses? All this is worth talking in more detail.

Anatomy of a dog’s nose and the secret of its moisture

Dog nose really must be constantly wet - and therefore cold. The secret of this feature of the animal’s body is that the skin on the dog’s nose is capable of secreting mucus - it has special glands on it, as well as on the mucosa inside the nasal cavity. Moisture of the nose is important for the dog, due to it it is possible to more efficiently distinguish and recognize odors, as well as the direction from which they come.

Interesting fact: to determine the direction of the wind, a person can hold a finger in his mouth to moisturize it, and then lift it up to feel the breath with his own skin.

Wet nose and smell

The wet surface of the body really becomes more sensitive in this regard. But this reason is not the only one explaining the moisture of a dog’s nose. It is also worth noting that the wet layer above the skin functions like a gas-liquid chromatograph, because the difference in the speed of the molecules of substances that emit a smell is recognized, and the dog can determine the directions,the proximity of objects is even better.

Not only the inner part of the nose works in dogs - the external integuments of the thin and sensitive organ of smell also have a lot of functions.

In addition to the serous glands that secrete mucus, there are tons of receptors on the dog’s nose. Once on a damp surface, odor particles are retained, and the receptors manage to process them.

Do dogs only have a wet nose?

This is not to say that only dogs have such a nasal device in nature, because almost all mammals have a similar system for determining odors. Only tarsiers, some monkeys and humans cannot boast of a nose, which also has an external part - probably, the device disappeared during the transition to a daytime lifestyle, when the eyes turned out to be more important, and the smells became not so informative. But it’s still important for the dog to smell even the faintest smell at a distance of 100 meters, and the device of the respiratory organ allows it to easily do this.

Interesting fact: dogs are actively used to search for explosives, drugs, people, game. A sharp sense of smell along with powerful intelligence and the ability to work together with a person provide the dog with effectiveness in hunting, in search and other activities.

It is believed that a dog’s wet and cold nose speaks of its health, while dryness and fever of the sense of smell can indicate illness. This is sometimes true, although the nose cannot be considered an ideal indicator of health.Sometimes the nose is dry simply because the dog is hot - after some time, his original condition will be restored.

But in other situations, in the presence of concomitant symptoms, a hot dry nose can talk about a cold, in this case there is also sneezing, coughing. As soon as the dog recovers, her nose will be the same. A dry nose can also occur in case of allergic reactions, with pemphigus nose or its injuries - in these cases it is advisable to consult a veterinarian.

If the dog is healthy, a dry nose indicates either dehydration or adverse weather conditions. Not only heat, but also frost lead to its drying out.

What to do if a dog has a dry nose?

If the dog has a dry nose, it is necessary to observe its behavior, general condition. It is worth checking whether she constantly has access to water, whether she has clean dishes. If the nose is not only dry, but also hot, you should measure the temperature of the pet, we can talk about heat. If the dog does not eat, drinks a lot, behaves inactive, looks untidy, it makes sense to contact the veterinarian as soon as possible.

Thus, a dog needs a wet nose for its powerful sense of smell. It becomes cold due to humidity. A dry and hot nose can indicate an animal’s health problems.