Why are dogs noses wet

Among many signs of a healthy dog, one is a wet nose. A dog having a wet and cool nose need not necessarily be in perfect health, but it is definitely a sign that the bodily functions related are functioning properly. Now, a question may arise regarding why exactly is a dog’s nose wet and cold? The answer to that question lies in the fact that dogs do not sweat; therefore having a wet and cold nose is one of the substitutes for sweating, in case of a dog. The other way in which a dog cools down is by opening its mouth and panting while letting its tongue stick out.

If you find that a dog has a dry nose, especially during the summer months, read it as a sign of possible dehydration. A dog’s nose is supposed to be moist and cool in order to keep their body temperature cool enough for the body to be comfortable. Therefore a warm or hot nose may mean that the dog has a fever and you may want to consult a vet.

A dog also instinctively licks its nose often to keep it cool and moist during the hot seasons, but there might also be another reason for dogs licking their nose and that reason is simply cleaning of the muzzle. Dogs especially use their tongue to clean their muzzle after meals as it gets messy easily.

It is believed that a dog’s wet nose also makes it a better sniffer. In other words, research shows that the wet nose of a dog helps it to make better use of its sense of smell. Before domestication and even now in case of some species of wild dogs, the sense of smell plays a key role in their survival. Wild dogs use their keen sense of smell to detect prey, danger and the members of their own pack along with performing a host of other functions. Even after domestication, a dog’s wet, cool and extremely sensitive nose is put to work by us when we use them to detect pests, drugs, bombs, people and what not. This olfactory sense is believed to be largely dependent on the moistness of their muzzles.