Name: Eric
Status: Student
Grade: 9-12
Location: IL
Date: N/A
Question:
Why are Dog's noses wet? Are all dogs noses always
wet? Is there a health concern in any case?
Replies:
Eric,
Dog's noses are wet because there is a specific duct which
drains fluid from the eyes ( tears) directly towards the nose.
You may know that a dog's sense of smell is far stronger than
that of a human, and their sense of smell serves them in both
locating food and deciding if a food is spoiled or not
(sometimes hunger overwhelms the safety issue, so it is not a
sure protection). A dog's wet nose is the norm and not
something to be concerned about.
Occasionally, the duct draining the fluid from the eyes towards
the nose becomes clogged; you may have seen especially white
dogs, e.g. poodles, which can develop a reddened area around
the eyes from inflammation related to this clogging. Generally,
the situation will correct itself, even though it is quite
unsightly.
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