noses

With a recent cold spell in SF, it's been a while since I've updated ways to beat the heat. For all of you sweating it out back East or down South, I haven't forgotten about the need to keep furry friends safe from dangers like sunburn. Even if your pooch doesn't seem plagued by the warm weather, one place to protect is right smack in the center of his face.

The nose is especially susceptible with no hair to block the rays — and you may even notice it changing colors with the seasons — so add a tiny bit of baby sunscreen or one of the pet-safe spray ones below to keep him safe!

This problem comes to us from the Pet Peeves group from member flissflower:

Q: My six-year-old German Shepherd's nose has become very dry and is all cracked. He is in good health otherwise — does anyone know why it would be cracked?

A: I've heard of dogs having dry noses when they are dehydrated so make sure he gets (and chooses to drink!) plenty of water. Also, just like cold weather saps our skin, chilly temperatures could have a negative effect on a dog, too. If he has other visible dryness — like on paw pads — it could be the sign of an illness or allergies, so double check with the vet to get a clean bill of health.

In the meantime, keep it moisturized with a healing product like Natural Dog Snout Soother in the full size ($16) or a trial version ($4) instead.

There's a lot going on in our community — join it, check it out, share your questions or advice in the great groups, and maybe we'll feature it here on PetSugar!

I don't mean nosy noses investigating snow, I'm talking about a condition that affects some dogs called snow nose. Most commonly seen in light- and white-coated breeds, it refers to a color change in the Winter months as a dark nose fades light when temperatures drop but then reverts back to its normal shade as Summer approaches.

Don't worry, this isn't a disease or ailment, it just affects the pigment and the hue you see. For most involved pooches, it's a pink-to-light-brown stripe in the center of the nose while the edges remain black. While some people believe it's purely snow related, cases of this seasonal condition in warmer climates show that it is most likely also caused by shorter daylight months, not the cold, wet stuff itself.

Older pups often keep this lighter color year-round as they age— have you spotted anything like it with your furry friends?

Source: Flickr User Shmoomeema