My dog has a runny nose but is otherwise fine. What can I do?

Poor Daisy. If the discharge is just clear and not yellow or green, then this is likely a sign of allergic rhinitis. Something in the environment is causing her to have an allergic inflammatory response in her nasal passages. However, as long as the discharge remains clear she may get over this on her own over the next few weeks. Monitor her daily for any changes and have her seen by your veterinarian if things get worse (sneezing, infection type discharge, decreased appetite, etc). But hopefully she won't need to be seen and she improves on her own.

If the discharge is clear then give it a few days to see if it resolves on its own, because it is possible this is just allergic rhinitis. If the clear draingae is severe, then you can also call your vet to see if they can recommend antihistamines for Panda to try. However if the discharge is any other color, then it's best to take Panda in to your vet for treatment because an infection is likely present, requiring the use of antibiotics to clear things up. I hope your puppy feels better soon!

The most likely causes are an infection or allergies. An object stuck in the nose is possible but typically tends to be one sided and will start to have greenish discharge. If she starts to get worse or doesn’t get better, have her examined by her veterinarian. Hope she continues improving. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

It sounds like Bailey may have a minor respiratory infection or allergies - both of these are common causes of a runny nose and sneezing in dogs. In most cases, this problem will resolve on its own so as long as he is eating and drinking fine, active, and not having any other symptoms, it should be okay to monitor him at home for the next few days. You can try bringing him into the bathroom with you with the door closed while you take a hot shower, if you like - the steam and humidity will often help to relieve nasal congestion and temporarily improve his symptoms. If the discharge becomes yellow or green in color, or if he begins acting lethargic or not wanting to eat, I would recommend having him examined by a vet as he may need prescription antibiotics to treat the infection.

You spelled it just right! The discharge does look like it's clear, so it could be allergy related like your vet suggested earlier. Seeing if your vet can prescribe a medication to treat allergies may help improve his symptoms. If they continue, or the coughing/discharge worsens, additional examination or an X-ray to check the lungs and chest may be beneficial in determining the problem. Hope max gets feeling better fast!

I am sorry to hear about Hyper. If she is still active/energetic, eating and drinking well, and has no coughing or sneezing I would continue to monitor her closely at home. The runny nose could be a result of a mild upper respiratory infection (most often viral, occasionally bacterial or fungal), an allergy to something in the environment like pollen, or an irritant in the nasal passages such as a piece of grass or dirt. You can try placing Hyper in a room with a humidifier or bringing her into the bathroom while you run a steamy shower for 10 minutes to give her a steam treatment as keeping the respiratory passages moist is helpful in these cases. If Hyper becomes lethargic, stops eating, has trouble breathing, is coughing, or the discharge turns green/yellow then a visit to the vet is recommended. Best of luck to you and Hyper!

Handsome boy! He may have allergies from spring pollen or a mild cold. You can give Benadryl to reduce the nasal discharge and itching. There is a section on this website with information and dosages of common over the counter medications that are safe for dogs. if he stops eating, the discharge gets green or he's very lethargic then I would recommend a veterinary exam. Usually this will get better in a week or so without treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bo.