French Bulldog Dry Nose Problems (FIX Cracks & Crust)

At one point or another, we’ve all seen a dog with a dry nose. More often than not, they are often bulldogs like French bulldogs!

But what causes those cute little noses to become so dry, and why do French Bulldogs seem to be more susceptible to it? 

Here we will discuss a few possible reasons for dry noses, what owners can do to prevent dry noses, and what they can do to help their dogs suffering from dry noses! 

Why Does My French Bulldog Have a Dry Nose?

There are a number of reasons why your Frenchie might be struggling with dry nose problems. Here are some of the most common causes:

Breed 

One of the main reasons why French Bulldogs get dry noses is simply their breed.

French Bulldogs are considered to be a brachycephalic breed meaning that they have a face that is especially squished in. Their short snout is also quite common in brachycephalic breeds. 

Their short snout and squished face can lead to many health problems in addition to dry noses. For example, difficulty breathing and respiratory distress are some of the most common health concerns of the breed.

And unfortunately, because of their facial structure, many French Bulldogs are not able to easily reach their tongue up to lick their noses! Without the occasional lick, these poor dogs’ noses get dry. 

Allergies 

Another thing that can cause a French Bulldog to have dry nose is allergies. While you may think of a runny nose when you think of allergies, an overly dry nose can also be a symptom of allergies.

Dogs can be allergic to all sorts of things, including food ingredients as well as various things in their environment.

For example, some dogs are allergic to various ingredients like chicken or soy. Others might have allergies to various allergens in their environment, like pollens, dust, or mold.

Other symptoms of allergies, besides dry noses, might include the following:

• Itching
• Reverse sneezing
• Irritated eyes
• Red or irritated skin
• Repeated ear infections
• Swelling around the ears, eyes, and face

Any time you observe any combination of these symptoms in your Frenchie, you should schedule an appointment with a veterinarian as soon as possible.

During an examination, they will be able to identify the potential causes, and possibly suggest medication or lifestyle changes to help ease your Frenchie’s discomfort.

Environment & weather 

A dog’s environment can also lead to the dog developing a dry nose.

Whether it be the outside weather being really dry or just the inside of the house being too dry, both factors can cause their noses to become especially dry and even a little bit cracked and painful. 

Moreover, other factors like exposure to the sun or exposure to strong winds can dry out their noses.

Just like with humans, it is important to keep our dogs out of the sun during its peak hours to reduce the risk of sun damage and to limit time in especially windy conditions. 

Speaking of weather, for those who live in cold climates, the freezing temperatures that come along with living in such a climate can cause their noses to become dry.

Have you ever noticed how your hands become dry and even cracked during the cold winter months? The same thing can happen to our pups! 

Old age 

One of the main reasons French bulldogs develop dry noses is simply because of old age.

In old age, French Bulldogs can become more easily dehydrated since they sleep longer at night, take more frequent naps, and lounging around throughout the day.

With all that lying around, it’s likely that these old pups are not getting up frequently and getting to their water bowl to drink enough water! 

Additionally, older dogs tend to sleep quite a bit more throughout the day than younger dogs.

Most dogs wake up from sleep with drier noses because they are not wetting their nose at all by licking it.

When they are fast asleep, most dogs aren’t actively licking their noses, which can lead to them getting dried out. 

Dehydration 

As mentioned above, dehydration can be a factor that causes dry noses, especially in older dogs. However, older dogs aren’t the only ones that can become dehydrated!

Any dog can easily become dehydrated if they aren’t drinking enough or if they have some sort of underlying medical condition, or even take medications that can cause dehydration. 

To avoid dehydration, it will be important to encourage your dog to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Some dogs, however, just aren’t very good at keeping themselves hydrated!

In these cases, it can be beneficial to add a bit of water to their food and let it soak into their kibble to help get a little bit more water into their system. They’ll likely really enjoy having their dinner switched up a bit, too! 

Underlying medical conditions

There are some medical conditions where a dry nose is a symptom. For example, pemphigus and DLE, or discoid lupus erythematosus, are both diseases that can result in dry noses.

Others include hyperkeratosis, hyperthyroidism, and mucocutaneous pyoderma, all of which can result in a dry, cracked nose. 

A veterinarian will be able to diagnose these health problems and will be able to provide you with a treatment plan for the health concern and for your pup’s dry nose.

It’s likely that once the health concern is taken care of properly, the dry nose will become more manageable!

And even if the dry nose remains despite treatment of the original health concern, there are various remedies and things to try that can help alleviate the dry nose. 

How to Fix Your Frenchie’s Dry Nose

The treatment will vary depending on the cause of your French Bulldog’s dry nose.

Water 

Thankfully, there are many solutions for us to turn to in order to help heal our French Bulldogs’ dry noses.

One of the first things you should do, of course, is to try to get your dog to drink more water. Take your dog over to his water dish a couple of times a day and encourage him to take a few laps of water.

Sometimes dogs just get so busy playing and napping that they forget they need to stop and get a drink! 

Another thing you can do is get more water dishes for your home. Instead of only having water by your dog’s food bowl, add a water dish to one to two other locations in your house.

Maybe you and your dog spend a lot of time in the basement, so consider adding a water dish there.

Or maybe add a water dish to your foyer where your dog likes to wait for you to get home. By making water more easily accessible, you can help encourage your dog to drink more. 

Humidifier

Another option to help our dog’s dry or cracked noses is to consider investing in a humidifier.

They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes depending on your needs, but the principle remains the same.

Humidifiers simply help add moisture and humidity back into the air. Many people find them to be especially helpful during cold weather spells when the air, both inside and outside, can get dry.  

Evaluate for allergies and treat 

Try to evaluate your dog’s dry nose and see if you can pinpoint a cause.

For example, maybe you’ve noticed that your dog’s nose has only started getting dry ever since you switched her food to a different brand with different ingredients.

Try gradually reintroducing your dog’s old food and see if the dry nose starts to resolve on its own.

Your veterinarian will also likely be able to help you pinpoint if any allergies are causing your pup’s dry nose. Your vet may be able to diagnose the allergy and provide a treatment for the allergy or for the dry nose. 

Check for underlying health concerns 

Similarly, check with your veterinarian to see if your dog might have any underlying health concerns that might be causing your dog to suffer from a dry nose.

Your vet will likely be able to determine what the cause might be and how best to treat it. 

Natural balms/moisturizers 

If a dry nose isn’t a symptom of an allergy or health concern, there are various at-home remedies and various products that can be applied safely to your dog’s nose to help add and retain moisture.

Of course, only use things that are dog friendly and will not be harmful if ingested.

For example, some folks find that coconut oil or olive oil dabbed on lightly to the nose can help add some moisture back into the nose. Most people find that doing so a couple of times per day is beneficial. 

Other over-the-counter products exist as well that can be quite beneficial for dogs suffering from a dry nose.

Many companies make various balms, salves, creams, or lotions made specifically for dogs suffering from dry noses and dry paw pads.

They can be made from a wide variety of ingredients but should all be pet-friendly. 

Wrap-Up: French Bulldog Dry Nose 

A dry nose on a French Bulldog is a common problem that can be caused by various factors like old age, the facial structure of the dog, allergies, dehydration, environmental factors, and factors relating to the weather.

Thankfully, there are many options to help alleviate dry noses in French Bulldogs, which can include investing in a humidifier, evaluating for underlying health conditions or allergies, and applying a nose balm to help moisturize their noses! 

FAQs About French Bulldog Dry Nose Problems