Dog Cold Nose Not Eating? Causes And Solutions

Numerous people display their confusion over their dog cold nose not eating. They are scared it might get sick, which wreaks havoc on its indicator of health.

Is it the truth? What are the culprits behind this matter? In this case, what feasible measures should you apply?

These questions will be unveiled in the following sections, and I’m sure you will have more knowledge to care for your furry friend after this post.

Dog Cold Nose Not Eating – Does It Mean Your Dog Gets Sick?

dog cold nose not eating

When your dog has cold nose and loses its appetite, it doesn’t mean your canine is sick but gets dehydrated.

This is because a cooler nose indicates that its nose stays damp enough for evaporation to keep it cold.

The dehydration problem is commonly rooted in the intestinal upset that can stem from your puppy’s mood change or intestinal parasites, like coccidia or giardia.

Apart from that, you should watch out for its food intake.

Canines will likely swallow everything regardless of whether they are toxic or not. And they could be the main contributors to the dehydration issue.

It would be best to take your dog to a reliable clinic, and professional vets will undertake an overall check-up to determine anything abnormal with its health status.

Can Your Canine’s Nose Indicate Illness?

The answer is no. You cannot detect whether your dog catches up with ailments or not just via its nose.

Some puppies are good at acting ill, so they dampen their noses to lure you into the belief that they are sick.

On the other hand, numerous dogs are truly ill and exhausted, but their noses feel warm.

Most dogs will be in this situation at the early stage of diseases that their owners hardly realize.

People only notice that their furry friends get ill via worse signs, including lethargic eyes and high body temperatures.

Everything may be too late this time, or they require intensive treatment with high-cost medications.

So, to avert this health issue, you must always keep an eye on your pooch and frequently double-check its temperature with a thermometer designed for pets.

Please pay close attention to its daily behaviors and habits, like appetite, nose characteristics, bathing habits, or energy levels when playing.

You will easily notice that something goes wrong when staying close to your canine after a period.

What Are Some Normal Signs Of Your Dog’s Nose And What Aren’t?

Is a dog's nose warm or cold when sick

According to many experts, a normal condition for a puppy’s nose is damp with the proper wetness. A runny or dripping nose is the best symptom of a cold.

A too-warm nose is also a bad sign. It shows that your dog’s body temperature is too high and unstable, or it cannot release sweat to lower the temperature for some reason.

Or if a normally cold dog nose becomes warmer suddenly, there might be some problems.

As a rule of thumb, you’d better take your dog to a qualified doctor for a health examination before concluding.

Here are additional symptoms that you must notice closely.

  • Excessive nasal discharge stems from your pooch’s nasal passages, especially when these liquids are mucoid or thick and have yellow-green colors.
  • The cool nose gets bleeding, which does not stop within a few minutes.
  • Some weird changes to the nose characteristics happen, like discoloration, flaking, swelling, thickening or cracking, etc.
  • The surrounding skin of your puppy’s nose is flaked or falls off in groups.
  • Itchy noses, watery eyes, coughing, and sneezing denote respiratory and nasal diseases.
  • Your dog has trouble breathing or breathes heavily through the nose.
  • It seems lazier and does not want to do activities requiring much energy.
  • Vomiting, diarrhea, or hair loss are serious signs.

What Are Common Problems That Make Your Dog Not Want To Eat?

Below are five common reasons why your dog loses its appetite and no longer craves food.

Illness

Loss of appetite is one of many reliable signs when your puppy gets sick.

It is very tired during this time, and its energy seems to drain, so it no longer has enough motivation to consume food.

Suppose the time of your dog’s decreased appetite prolongs; it may get a more serious disease than you have imagined.

Cancer, respiratory infectious disease, or kidney failure are severe problems with a symptom of appetite loss.

Dental Diseases

Your canine cannot eat food normally if it runs into dental trouble.

For instance, given the toothache, the pain that a hurt tooth brings will prevent your puppy from enjoying the meal to the full.

Other issues, like an oral tumor or severe gingivitis, also affect its appetite. Your furry friend hardly only feels numb and painful instead of the delicious taste of a meal.

Recent Vaccination

Sometimes, you take your dog to a veterinary hospital for a vaccination and notice that it often skips a meal.

That can be a side effect of vaccination drugs that causes loss of appetite for a short time.

Under this circumstance, you don’t need to worry too much, as the drug effect will only last a few days.

Travel And Unfamiliar Surroundings

When going on a trip, your pup can get dizzy like humans, thereby losing its appetite along the way. But this case is pretty rare because most dogs are not carsick.

Yet, the main reason is that it is unfamiliar with the surrounding environment and food, so it doesn’t want to eat strange foods to avoid toxicity.

Pickiness Or Behavior Issues

Some dogs are picky eaters. That means they can only eat one or some type of food. So when you serve your puppy a meal portion it hates, it will immediately reject the food.

What To Do When Your Dog Won’t Eat?

What does a dog's nose feel like when they are sick

Following are various tips for alleviating your dog’s appetite loss and encouraging it to eat.

  • Build a regular eating schedule during a day, a week, and a month. Follow this timeline strictly to make your dog accustomed to it.
  • Cut back on treats before the meal.
  • Give it some rewards when finishing the meal nicely.
  • Change your dog’s feeding location. If you don’t want to have a meal in the kitchen, you can take it to a sofa, in front of the TV or in your bedroom.
  • Take it for a light stroll before mealtime.
  • You can try different meals to serve your canine and find its favorite foods.
  • Add a small cup of warm water to enhance the kibble’s flavor before giving it to your puppy.

Frequently Asked Questions

When To Get Veterinary Care For Your Dog?

If your canine shows minor symptoms of a cold, like sneezing, coughing, or runny moist nose, you should not worry too much, as the cold will soon weaken and go away.

However, suppose your dog is lethargic, has trouble breathing, or produces some whimpering sounds; it is strongly recommended to call a professional caregiver, and she will perform a comprehensive check-up.

What Does A Dog’s Nose Feel Like When They Are Sick?

Of course, your dog might get an itchy and runny nose when it gets ill. This makes it feel uncomfortable and affects its mood greatly.

It could even feel painful if its nose moist starts a bloody discharge.

Do Dogs Not Eat When They Have A Cold?

Your dog may still want to have a meal, like breakfast sausage, but only a small portion. Having a cold drains out its energy.

That’s why your canine likes to sleep more instead of consuming food with the purpose of recharging its battery after a long day.

 The Bottom Line

This post has comprehensively solved the mystery of whether your dog’s cold nose not eating denotes illness.

Remember that this isn’t necessarily an indicator of sickness, but you should watch out for other abnormal behaviors to properly care for your furry friend.

Thank you for your genuine support, and have a nice day!

Author

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Hi I am Mitchell. Dog Growth is a blog about dog caring and training where I share my experiences to my community. Hope you enjoy it!

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