[Guest]

Well, here I am again. I guess we'll move on from what Sam is, to what he has. For the past six months, his nose has become dry {thought they were always to be cold and wet to be healthy) and then it really began to dry out and become
cracked. The vet gave it a name ______tosis? (You know doctors) and gave us a topical ointment to put on it, but also
added, "Good luck keeping it on." He's right. Sam is a compulsive nose-licker, even in normal times. I have tried a heavier salve - "Bag Balm" - remember that? But still, Sam won't stopping licking his nose making it impossible for any medication to be absorbed. Now he has gotten these dried cracks bleeding at times. He doesn't seem to be in pain or uncomfortable, just looks pathetic. Any suggestions? Sue

 

[biscuit]

Keep trying the bag balm.

This happened to Biscuit during the last few months of his life. He became critically ill at one point with a very high fever, which I'm guessing seriously dehydrated him. One consequence was a crusty nose.

I had to keep reapplying the bag balm over a period of four-five days, but it did work.

 

[aod]

Rather than start a new thread, I decided to bring this one back up. My poor Cletus has a really dry nose, but just on the top. I cracks all the time and has even bled a little sometimes. I try putting vaseline on it, but he just licks it off. If he doesn't lick it off, Rosco does. What is this "bag balm" previously talked about, or is there something else I can use that will clear it up. I feel really bad for him and want to help him clear it up. It seems as though he is fair skinned (red and white) and the sun may be playing a role.

 

[biscuit]

How funny. I read the title and was just coming onto this thread to suggest Bag Balm.

Bag Balm is an old remedy that became a popular hand "lotion" in the 1990's. The original formula has hydroquinolane (????? spelling) in a thick Vaseline (petrolatum) type base. Like Vaseline, but much thicker. And it really does work.

These days, though, I'd be careful what a can claiming to be Bag Balm really is. In other words, just because it's a green can called Bag Balm, read the ingredients! Given manufacturers' imperative to make as much profit as possible with little to no regulation, the brand has probably been purchased by someone and turned into something else entirely. :blink:

Can you tell my can of it is ten years old?

In any case, if you can't find it, try Vaseline maybe (unless its ingredients have been changed, too).

Wait, I just read Vaseline doesn't work. Try pure lanolin. It's very thick and unwieldy, but softens on contact with body heat and literally vanishes into the skin. And it's cheap. You have to find a good drugstore to buy it, but it's cheap and works.

 

[bcc11]

If you have trouble finding lanolin, look in the baby section. There is a medical grade lanolin that nursing mothers use to soothe drying and cracking. It does work well -- just warm it up in between your fingers before applying it to his nose.