Smell is the most powerful sense of dogs, whose noses have more than 220 million olfactory receptors, compared to the estimated five million that humans have. And all this potential lies in its nose, that small spongy, black part that tops its snout and is often wet.
The dog's nose contains many curiosities and is something like its fingerprint, often being key to anticipating certain health problems in the animal. In addition to helping them breathe, it is their ally when it comes to detecting odors that help them better understand the world around them. To get to know your four-legged best friend a little more, there are a series of peculiarities about his truffle that you should know.
As a general rule, a dog's nose is black, but some dogs have it discolored. It may be due to a genetic abnormality known as a Dudley nose – which does not cause any health problems – and is also common in dogs with light coats whose noses lighten in winter.
However, this loss of color can also indicate autoimmune diseases, or an allergy due to contact with some material, such as the plastic of your feeder. Skin cancer or malnutrition are other factors that can hide behind the discoloration of a dog's nose. So, if you notice that his nose is turning pink, go to the vet to rule out any pathology.
The dog's nose is especially sensitive to sun exposure. Therefore, in summer and on especially sunny days, it is important that you apply specific sunscreen for dogs, in order to prevent them from burning their nose. Avoid putting cream intended for humans, as some of its components are toxic if the animal ingests them.
As we have already mentioned, the nose gives many clues about the dog's health, but it does not necessarily have to have a problem if its nose is not moist. This dryness may perhaps be due to high temperatures or because the animal is thirsty. Generally, they moisten their nose to retain the olfactory particles they perceive and thus transmit them to their sense of smell.
Precisely because of this practice of retaining olfactory particles with their nose, dogs use their nose as a way of perceiving time. Thanks to the scent particles that each living being has and that float in the air, the dog can deduce how much time until its human guardian returns home, when it is time for a walk or when it is time to eat, among other activities in its routine. . This temporal perception is reinforced by their acute ability to recognize actions and expressions and relate them to moments and consequences in their daily lives.
