My dog has a skin condition, vets disagree. What's the real issue?

I am so sorry to hear about Drako! It is definitely quite possible given the appearance and his breed that he could be suffering from an autoimmune disease such as lupus. Other possibilities would include bacterial and fungal infections, solar dermatosis (sensitivity to sun) and zinc responsive dermatosis, and less commonly cancer. It looks like if your dog didn't respond to the antibiotics and steroids then some additional testing needs to be done. A biopsy is the fastest way to determine what the problem here could be. I would recommend discussing this with your vet and if they don't feel comfortable asking for a referral to a specialist.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tawket. I worry that she could have an autoimmune skin disease. This is where the dog's body attacks its own skin cells resulting in an ulcerated and cracked nose. A common type of this disease is known as discoid lupus. There are other types as well though. It is typically diagnosed by a skin biopsy. I would ask her veterinarian if this is a possibility. I hope this information helps!

Lesions on dog's noses can be dry skin, allergies, hyperkeratosis or autoimmune disease. At home you can try giving her an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for pets but it may not correct the underlying cause. This can however improve over all skin health. There are two brands of food, Royal Canin and Nutro, which are aimed at skin health and they may help as well but again, they may not affect the underlying problem. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello. It looks like Reina may have Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE). It is common in her breed. It is an autoimmune disease of the skin that causes loss of pigment and scaling (usually around the nose first) and worsens with exposure to UV sunlight. A biopsy is needed to make a definitive diagnosis. I would suggest you take her to your vet for an exam and to talk about the biopsy so you can get a diagnosis and to talk about treatment options. Here is a link for you to read about DLE: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2470 I hope this helps. Best wishes to you and Reina. Dr. Amber

There are four main causes of persistent skin issues and you must figure out the underlying cause to address the problem. The causes are: flea allergy, food allergy (this needs to be ruled out with a hydrolyzed diet), environmental allergy or hypothyroidism. With out any further information, it’s hard to know how to advise next steps. If your veterinarian is not comfortable with treating chronic skin conditions, find one who is. I recommend to rule out fleas with a product like Simparica. I rule out food allergy with a diet called Ultamino. Hypothyroidism is a blood test. Environmental allergies are unfortunately very common and also more complicated but they can be determined with a blood test as well. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello. Has your veterinarian done a biopsy on the nasal tissue? If not, until cancer is confirmed, this could be something else like an infection or autoimmune condition. Please discuss this with your veterinarian because there are things that might be appropriate to treat this condition based on what is found on the biopsy. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

These look to be burns but it could also be an autoimmune disease, fungal disease, cancer, bacterial infection, etc. There is no way for us to diagnose him over the internet just based on some photos. Obviously the home treatment is not working so it is best to have him evaluated by a veterinarian. This needs some testing and some more intensive treatment.