My long-haired Chihuahua has a dry, cracked nose. What to do?

Dry noses can be caused by a wide variety of conditions, including infectious conditions, immune mediated issues, allergies, or more systemic diseases. Since this seems to be a recurring annual issue, I would be inclined to think that allergies seem most likely. Max will lick anything off of his nose, so try to apply topical treatments as he is eating to at least allow for a brief period of contact time. You can try starting an oral omega 3 fatty acid supplement (such as Welactin). Topically, you can try applying vitamin E (buy OTC capsules and open them up to apply the contents to his nose) and moisturize with small amounts of lanolin. If the cracking continues or worsens, a trip to the vet is in order for further diagnostic testing. I hope that all goes well!

Foxy appears to have a condition known as hyperkeratosis; where the skin cells grow too much and irregularly. This condition can be caused by a previous infection with distemper virus, an autoimmune (self-attacking) disease, a metabolic disease or some other cause of irritation to the nose. One possibility is too much sun exposure. If this is a possibility, then you can apply sunscreen (SPF 50) to his nose twice a day and see if it helps. Otherwise, you need cream to help keep the skin from drying out. You can use vaseline. Just make sure to rub it in as much as you can, because he will be licking. If the treatment is not working well, then it's best if you can take Harley to get examined by the vet. They can look for other signs of a problem and help identify the cause.

I see a small superficial abrasion on the right side of her nostril. This can be caused by the dry nose situation that you described earlier or from a traumatic event. You can try applying either Vasoline or Bag balm on her nostrils to keep them moisturized. However, typically most dogs don’t require this unless they are older senior dogs or have a skin condition (ie Lupus). Best wishes and take care.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Murphy. A common condition known as hyperkeratosis can cause a crusty nose. This is more of a cosmetic probelm and may be what his veterinarian was referring to at your last appointment. If the nose cracks, bleeds or the pigment changes to white or pink though, this is concerning. It can indicate an autoimmune disease. This would need to be diagnosed with a biopsy. In the first scenario, I usually will treat with a topical ointment to dissolve the extra skin or keratin. You need to wear gloves when applying it though as it can dissolve the skin on your finger tips. His veterinarian will be able to prescribe this ointment. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ariel. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. She may need to have biopsies taken from the affected skin on her nose. I am concerned that she has developed an autoimmune skin disease where the body attacks it's own skin cells. In this case, an accurate diagnosis is necessary to prescribe medications to manage the disease. I recommend having her seems soon as the cracking skin on the nose can result in terrible bleeding if it gets deep enough. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Summer. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. She may have a common condition known as hyperkeratosis of the nasal planum. If this is not the case, a more serious condition such as an autoimmune disease should be considered. Discoid lupus usually appears as a cracked, bleeding and ulcerated nose. This is diagnosed by a skin biopsy. I hope this information helps!

I am so sorry to hear about Drako! It is definitely quite possible given the appearance and his breed that he could be suffering from an autoimmune disease such as lupus. Other possibilities would include bacterial and fungal infections, solar dermatosis (sensitivity to sun) and zinc responsive dermatosis, and less commonly cancer. It looks like if your dog didn't respond to the antibiotics and steroids then some additional testing needs to be done. A biopsy is the fastest way to determine what the problem here could be. I would recommend discussing this with your vet and if they don't feel comfortable asking for a referral to a specialist.