Nose blindness, Rescue, Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide, Disinfectant, Virox Animal Health

Has Your Dog Gone Nose Blind?

Rescue Expert Blog

Nose blindness is not a new concept. Febreze popularized the term through their strategy of educating homeowners on why and how humans can become blind to odors in their home. What if we told you, however, that nose blindness is not just a term that has been used to market air fresheners but is one that addresses a serious issue that many dogs can face when going to the vet?

A Dog’s Nose Knows

Dogs are incredible creatures that rely on their sense of smell to understand and navigate the world around them. Their sense of smell is so important to their overall health that it is one of the primary senses that develop just weeks after being born. While humans are considered to have an excellent sense of smell, as we are capable of remembering scents despite the renewal of our olfactory neutrons (which help us to analyze different scents), a dog’s sense of smell far surpasses our own. Where the average human has only 5 million olfactory receptors, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System reports that dogs have more than 220 million olfactory receptors! With these many receptors, it is no wonder that a dog relies on their sense of smell to interact with the world around them. So, what happens when that sense of smell is compromised or damaged?

What is Nose Blindness?

As you may have read about in our previous blogs, nose blindness in dogs is the event where a dog is no longer able to smell or process the scents around them. With their sense of smell being one of the main ways that they navigate their surroundings, this proves to be a damaging experience for dogs as they are no longer able to rely on one of their main senses. When a dog loses their sense of smell, it is as if they are losing their sense of sight! Without being able to detect or interpret scents, dogs can find themselves unable to function properly in their surroundings, causing them to become afraid and anxious.

So what exactly causes nose blindness?

Harsh Odors are to Blame

When we smell an unpleasant odor, what is our first instinct? To stop the flow of air going through our nostrils and to distance ourselves from the odor. While this strategy may work for us, a dog does not have the same luxury. Scents that seem overwhelming to us are overpowering for dogs causing their body to have a greater negative reaction to these harsh smells. Bleach is one such scent that can overpower a dog’s sense of smell, causing them to lose it completely. This leaves them unable to process other scents around them. Even though they have lost their sense of smell, their primary sense, they still attempt to rely on it. This increases their fear, anxiety and stress, leading to a negative veterinary visit.

How do Vets Prevent Nose Blindness?

At Virox Animal Health™, we are passionate about animal health and wellness. That is why we have created Rescue®, a disinfectant that removes harsh doors while destroying pathogens and bacteria. Rescue® Disinfectants use the power of Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide® (AHP®) to disinfectant every surface in a clinic, without the negative side effects that harsh chemicals, like bleach, can create! By removing the smell of chemicals through using a disinfectant that does not emit an odor of any kind, veterinary clinics can prevent nose blindness from becoming a reality for their canine patients!

Dogs are incredible animals who bring so much joy to families across the country. Prevent your canine friend from experiencing the adverse effects of harsh chemicals, while protecting your staff and equipment at the same time! With Rescue® Disinfectants, we can eliminate the problem of nose blindness from veterinary clinics once and for all!