Crusty, Flaky, and Dry nostril

Question
My 2yearold beagle has developed a dry and crusty right nostril. It does not bother him as he does not scratch it or anything, but it looks as if his nose is drying out and will fall off! This started two weeks ago when he began digging in the grass to dirt level and was eating the soil! What should I do? Is it a fungus?

Answer
Hello Anne, Your beagle does indeed have a fungus on his nose. This happens to alot of cockers and other breeds as well that are rooters. Your best treatment is an antifungal cream. Or you can use anything with clorahexaderm in it    ( some shampoos have this in it). This is an antifungal killing agent. After you treat the spot then continue with  Vit. E it will help with the healing. You should pull the crust off initially, it's like pulling off a scab. Keep in mind you can pull it off prematurely and do more harm than good, determine if it is really cursty and looks as if it is going to come off soon anyway. Once you have the crust/scab removed then treat the area to kill the fungus. If it gets worse or you need further advice/treatment then you should consult your vet. In my experience the above treatment has been successful. Treat the area 3 times a day for a miniumum of 10 days. Good Luck, Cindy Lou :)