Dogs often have runny noses and it is important to know when it is indicative of a more serious problem. A canine runny nose could be the result of a number of factors. For instance, several kinds of allergies, infections or even dental disorders could lead to a runny nose.
Infections are probably the most common cause of a runny nose in dogs. Bacterial or fungal infections raise the amount of dog nasal discharge, leading to a runny nose. Fungal and bacterial infections can be diagnosed easily by your veterinarian.
He/she may have to perform a culture test on a sample of your dog’s mucus to determine the nature of infection and treatment. A few fungal infections may disappear on their own while others may have to be treated with antifungal medication. In addition, allergies also lead to a runny nose, in addition to causing wheezing and coughing in dogs. Your dog may be sensitive to certain kinds of allergens and his/her immune system may overreact to the presence of these allergens. This kind of allergic sensitivity can affect dogs at any age and can lead to a runny nose. Sometimes, these allergic reactions are specific to the season. If so, they are resolved once the season passes. However, dogs are sometimes allergic to things in their everyday environment, like dust, cleaning agents and mold. In such cases, you should take great care in eliminating any possible irritants in the environment or you can help treat dog allergies with medication. In addition to infections and allergies, canine dental disease may also result in a runny nose. Bacterial infections of the teeth like periodontitis, abscessed teeth and gingivitis can spread to your dog’s nasal cavities. This results in the infection of the nasal cavity and causes a runny nose. Your veterinarian will be able to diagnose the possibility of dental infection with a physical examination. Infected teeth can be cleaned or may have to be removed to treat runny nose in canines effectively.
Another common cause of dog runny nose is nasal mites. Nasal mites attack the sinus passages of dogs and cause a runny nose. Nasal mites could lead to dog nose bleeds, sneezing and a constant nasal discharge. If your dog has been struggling with a runny nose for a long time, then he/she is probably infested with nasal mites and these can be removed immediately with the help of oral medication.
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