The bloody nose of your labrador retriever
It is alarming as well as messy in the home when you see blood dripping from the nostrils of your Labrador Retriever. Immediate attention should be given to address this problem but you should identify first the causes. Nose bleeding in Labrador Retriever is caused by various reasons, some are merely caused by your pet’s environment such as pollution from smoking, poor air quality or excessive exposure to too much heat. The most common cause is an infection or something is lodged in your dog’s nose. However, not all causes are as mild as stated earlier. Many cases of canine nose bleeding are signs of another disorder, most are very serious diseases. Breeds like Labrador Retriever and Basset Hounds are at increased risk of canine nose tumor.
Before you actually see blood dripping from your dog’s nostril, there are already signs associated with canine nose bleeding. Your dog will initially sneeze or you will discover discharge from the nose. Sometimes the discharge may contain blood. Your dog may also show difficulty breathing indicating that there is a foreign object lodged in the nasal passage. He will even try to rub his muzzle against a hard surface. If blood is coming from only one nostril or if there is discharge, the presence of diseases such as distemper, bacterial rhinitis, infected sinuses, kennel cough and canine nose tumor exist.
The inside of a dog’s nose is sensitive and is easily damaged. If you are sure that there is something lodged in your dog’s nostril, you should not try to remove it. The object may be too far back and must be sedated or anesthetized in order to remove it.
Keeping your pet calm as is important to control bleeding. Excitement or nervousness will increase blood pressure and will eventually increase the bleeding. You should keep yourself calm too. Dogs are often affected with their owner’s emotions. If you show you are nervous, he will get nervous too. Try to be calm and apply an ice pack into the bridge of your dog’s nose. Small blood vessels will constrict to cold thus reduce bleeding.
If the stated tips are ineffective in controlling the bleeding and difficulty breathing is present, visit your vet immediately for specific tests to diagnose the cause of the problem.
A Labrador Retriever is an ideal working dog. Though not scent dogs, they still use their sense of smell to detect drugs, bombs and the likes. They are used by police, rescue teams and other official bodies. This simply means that, every part of a Labrador Retriever is important in performing work expected of him.
