Why is my dog's nose losing color? Should I be concerned about it?

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 a number of reasons for loss of pigmentation on a dog's nose, most of them just cosmetic, which is what yours appears to be. As long as the skin remains healthy and normally textured, I would just to bring it up to your vet the next time your dog is in for his annual visit or take a picture and send it to them now to see what they have to say about it. This article has more information: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/depigmentation

A dog's nose changing color can be related to aging, or it could be due to winter nose. This is when a dog's nose turns lighter in the winter months due to the lack of sunlight. You are correct, however, that there could be a medical cause behind it, and you can have your dog seen by a vet to rule that out.

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.

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.

I agree with your vet. I would not be too concerned at this time. It is not uncommon for dogs to lose pigment to the nasal area without it being a significant problem. It could be from an injury and if it is, the nasal planum does not always go back to normal color - it may stay that way. If it gets worse, meaning the discolored area gets larger or if it starts to get crusty, then I would recommend some testing like a biopsy of the tissue. I hope this helps. Try not to be too worried just yet! :) I think Bentley will be just fine!

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!