My dog has a light brown spot on his nose. Should I be concerned?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Bentley. This can be normal, as a dog's nose can turn pink as they age. But without seeing him in person, I can't say for certain. I would have him checked out by a vet to be safe. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Dogs can have changes in the pigmentation of their nose. This is rarely due to any significant medical reason. I do not think that you need to worry about this thankfully. Good luck and have a wonderful day and new year!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It could be due to acne development or other local allergic or inflammatory reaction. As long as this area is not painful and is not bothering your dog, you can monitor her at home for the weekend. However, if the area is sore or is bothering your dog, you should take her to your local vets tomorrow.

There are breeds of dogs that are prone to a seasonal lightening of the nasal planum (the hard, tough, hairless end of their nose). Sometimes referred to as “Snow Nose” these dogs (Siberian Huskies, Labradors and Golden Retrievers) can have darker noses in the summer months and lighter noses in the winter. These same breeds plus German Shepherds, Samoyeds, Afghan Hounds and Dobermans (among others) can also experience a gradual or waxing and lightening or fading of their nose color over time. This condition is known as “Dudley Nose." Vitiligo is a progressive disease in which the melanocytes are gradually destroyed causing unpigmented areas on the skin. They develop pigment loss from their skin or hair on their heads, but it can occur in other locations too. In some cases, antibodies against melanocytes have been identified in the serum of infected dogs indicating an immune component to the disorder. And skin biopsies of the affected areas will typically reveal a total lack of any remaining melanocytes. What all three of these causes for depigmentation have is common is the fact that they are not a disease that can bother or hurt your dog at all. There is no reason to worry about them and there is nothing to be done to ‘correct’ them. The depigmentation is purely cosmetic. Some depigmentation is cause for concern. For instance, any contact dermatitis/irritation can cause depigmentation as can certain chemicals in rubber that can affect the production of melanin pigment where the rubber touches the skin. The administration of certain drugs like ketoconazole, procainamide, and vitamin E have been reported to cause generalized changes in coat color in dogs, and injections of other drugs (glucocorticoids, for instance) can cause localized loss of pigment. Additionally, hormonal disorders (imbalances of thyroid, adrenal or sex hormones) can alter pigmentation as can bacterial and fungal infections and even cancers (neoplasias). Immune-mediated diseases also occur in dogs where the dog’s own antibodies attack different parts of the skin resulting in depigmentation. I recommend getting your dog seen by your vet just to be safe. She is young for some of these conditions to occur, but nothing is impossible.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The little area of discoloration is not necessarily anything to worry about. I see this commonly with time with dark skinned animals. As long as the skin does not seem irritated and the discoloration does not happen on the nose itself, I am inclined to just continue to watch it. Apply a dab of children’s sunscreen lotion before she goes outside to protect that area from sunburn. Best wishes to you and Luna!

This does not appear to be a bite of any form. Could be scratches. I don't see anything here that I would be overly concerned with and I don't think your vet would do anything at this stage either. If you want to try something I would recommend you use this wound spray on the nose. It won't hurt her if he licks it off but I suggest you try to minimize that because if he licks it off, it can't work. So, I suggest soaking a cotton ball with the spray and then wiping it on the nose. Dogs don't typically like being sprayed in the face; you don't want to scare him. Put it on and then distract him for a few minutes with a Kong filled with treats or something similar to get his mind off of it. It should dry rather quickly and you don't need to use a lot - just a very thin layer twice a day. ( https://www.chewy.com/vetericyn-antimicrobial-hydrogel/dp/136104 ) If no improvement or it starts to look worse, then he should definitely see a vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

He may have scraped it, but the skin doesn't look damaged right now, so it may be in the process of healing. It's also possible that it's simply losing the black pigment, which can happen normally. It doesn't appear irritated to me, but I would want to evaluate it in-person to be sure. I think it's fine to just monitor this area for now. I do not see any need for treatment, but you may consider taking him to the vet for an exam if the area appears more read, or develops any further changes that are concerning. I hope that helps and all is well with Winston.