I have a 10-year old female American Eskimo dog. Suddenly, she started losing the black color on her nose and getting pink spots. Why is this happening? I heard it was the pigment changing due to the aging process. Is there anything I can do to slow down this process? Thanks for any advice.
Unfortunately, there may not be a lot you can do to restore your dog's nose to its more normal black color.
Some breeds of dogs can have a hereditary problem called vitiligo. In this condition, antibodies are formed against melanocytes, which are the pigment-containing cells that give the nose its color. The antibodies destroy these cells, resulting in the pale color you are presently seeing in your dog's nose. Your veterinarian can perform a biopsy of the affected area to confirm this diagnosis if needed.
There is another condition that also results in nasal depigmentation. Its cause is unknown. Dogs with this problem are normal at birth, but the color in their noses gradually fades to a brown color or even to white. Sometimes the color comes and goes with changes in the seasons. There is no known treatment for this problem or ways to slow its progression. Occasionally an affected dog will spontaneously regain the normal color permanently.
Yet another form of nasal depigmentation occurs in certain breeds of dog in which the nose gets lighter in the winter and returns to normal color the for the rest of the year. In these cases, pigment only seems to be incompletely reduced in quantity in the winter and is restored to normal levels in the spring.
If there is any evidence of trauma or scabbing on your dog's nose, please take your pet to see your veterinarian in order to rule out other possible causes.
06/17/05
