Why is my dog's nose discolored? Could it be demodectic mange?

This could be a skin condition like skin infection or allergies. I would take Milo into the vet to get this checked out. The vet can diagnose what is causing it, and how best to treat it. Best of luck.

From the photos it appears that the lesion is affecting both the mucosa of his nose and also his skin. This could be some sort of deep bacterial infection or perhaps something like ringworm (which humans can get). It is also very concerning however for an autoimmune condition. I recommend to have a Bosco visit his veterinarian with in the next day for an exam. The doctor may try treatment or testing for an infection. The doctor may also recommend a biopsy. A biopsy is needed to diagnose an autoimmune condition. Best of luck. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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.

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.

It would be easier for us give you advice if you could post some photos. I would not say this is "normal". Some rule-outs would be: 1. vitaligo 2. lupus (DLE) 3. Mucocutaneous pyoderma (MCP) 4. Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) 5. Cutaneous reactive histiocytosis (CRH) 6. Uveodermatologic syndrome 7. neoplasia As you can see the list of differentials is very long (and that is not all of them) so I suggest you get your dog to your vet for an exam so you can discuss steps for testing. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am not sure I can fully see the area you are concerned about. If it is the area near the nose that has less hair or the 2 white/pink spots. I do not think anything about the picture is life threatening unless I am missing your concerns. Hair loss on the muzzle can be from trauma or repeated digging/rubbing with his nose, ring worm (fungal) or demodex (non-contagious mite). If the area doesn't improve or it spreads then I would have your Vet check him out. If he is rubbing his nose to bury things then prevent him from doing so. I wouldn't recommend putting anything topical on the nose because he will likely just lick it off. I hope this helps and please repost with clarification if needed.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. From the pictures I can see that the skin has darkened in the area around the mouth. It is common to have some hair loss at the elbow since this is a pressure point and bigger dogs lay down on this part of the leg quite a bit. Many times I will see callus formation near the elbow as well. As for the mouth and the crusted discharge you saw, it could be a bacterial skin infection or fungal as well. I typically recommend using malacetic conditioning spray and apply this 2-3 times per day until resolved. If there is no improvement then I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at this for further testing and treatment recommendations.