Q: My dog’s nose is pinkish-red, dry and sore to the touch—could it be a dog nose sunburn?
A: Yes! A sunburn on your dog’s nose is not only possible but rather common.
Your dog’s nose is extremely susceptible to sunburn, all it takes is spending too much time out in the sun for UV rays to impact the sensitive moist skin covering your dog’s sniffer. The nose is one of the worst places for your dog to experience a sunburn, simply because they depend on it to smell and assess their environment. When your dog’s nose is sore, cracked or dry, they may not be able to smell with the same vigor they are used to.
Applying an all-natural and soothing balm, like Snout Soother, can help reduce discomfort and promote healing. Additionally, it adds moisture back into the skin, helping your dog smell better while they heal.
How Do I Know If My Dog’s Nose has a Sunburn?
A dog nose sunburn can be pink or red, just like a human sunburn. It may also appear dry, flaky or crusty. Your dog may be resistant to touch because their nose is sore. Additionally, your dog may continually lick at his or her nose when it is burnt, dry or irritated.
Other things besides the sun can burn your dog’s nose, such as cleaning chemicals, deicers, or sticking their nose on a hot stovetop. So, if your dog has not been out in the sun and their nose appears to be burnt, you should take them to the vet to ensure they are not having a serious reaction to something, especially if the burn seems to be getting worse instead of better.
How to Tell if Your Dog’s Nose Sunburn is Serious
There are three different levels of dog nose sunburns. The least severe is a Superficial Partial Thickness burn, which causes redness but no blisters. Next, a Deep Partial Thickness Burn goes beneath the first layer of skin covering your dog’s nose, impacting deeper layers. This is comparable to a third-degree burn in humans. With the right at-home care and sun protection, your dog should recover from mild to moderate burns without issue.
A Full Thickness Burn is the most severe type of sunburn, indicating all layers of your dog’s nose are burned, and possibly even tissues beneath the bottom layer. This level of burn causes a lot of pain and discomfort and requires veterinary attention.
How to Protect Your Dog’s Nose From the Sun
Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to help prevent your dog’s delicate nose from getting scorched by the sun.
Apply Snout Soother to your dog’s nose.
Not only can Snout Soother help relieve sore or sunburned dog noses, but also, it provides all natural sunscreen thanks to the fact it is packed with Kukui Nut Oil and Organic Shea Nut Butter. Your dog’s nose is incredibly sensitive, so you don’t want to apply just any old sunscreen to it—especially not human grade sunscreen. Snout Soother is specially formulated for dogs. It is made from carefully sourced ingredients that are safe enough for your dog to eat, not that we recommend making a meal of it, but you can rest assured if your dog licks their nose after you apply it.
Make sure your pup doesn’t spend too much time in the sun.
Avoid leaving your dog in direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time. Make sure your dog has access to shade when they are outside.
Don’t Put Your Dog Outside During the Hottest Parts of the Day
Some dogs just love napping in direct sunlight, in which case you’ll need to apply Snout Soother to your dog’s nose before they go outside. You can further reduce the risk of sunburn by not letting your dog out during the hottest parts of the day when the sun is most intense.
