Your nose isn't wet... you sick?

Does anyone else have a fussy, over protective Mum that keeps checking their nose to see if it's wet?

  



What is that about? When I'm having a lazy relaxed day and calmer quieter than usual, you can guarantee a finger will be on my nose quicker than you can bark at Jack Robinson. 

This morning I decided to be a caring sister and feel Mima, my piggy brother's nose with my paw. (Don't worry, I was gentle! I heard all your gasps from over here.) Mima was not appreciative of my concern for his health at all and told me that this was a myth! He went on to explain that this was another word for weird things Mums and Dads believe in.

So I did some research of my own and it appears that Mima could be right. Basically, don't trust my nose! It could mean anything. A cold, wet nose doesn’t necessarily indicate good health and vice versa. It's best to look for other signs as well or check with a vet if unsure.

During my arduous research I found another "myth". Dr. Stanley Coren, author of What Dogs Know, offers an interesting explanation for why our noses are usually cold and wet. Apparently a long, long time ago, someone called Noah asked the dogs to keep watch on his Ark and keep the other animals safe. One day, while sniffing around, the dogs discovered a coin-sized hole in the ark. One dog quickly plugged the leak with his nose while the other ran for help. Noah patched the hole in time and everyone was saved. God gave the dog a cold, wet nose as a reward for his quick thinking.

Hmm... whatever the reason, I hope this will keep Mum's finger off my nose. Oh and another piece of advice... don't swallow any chewing gum! It will take seven years to pass through your digestive system.