Dog's nose changed colour

[teaching91]

I have a 3 year old collie/samoyed pup. His nose is black...at least it was. It seemed to be getting lighter...and brown...over the past couple of weeks. Now, it is a light shade of pinky/peach and is edged in black. His behaviour isn't unusual...he doesn't seem to be in distress or discomfort...I called the emergency vet clinic to see if I should be concerned and/or bring him in...they thought that this was definitely unusual but didn't know what could cause this to happen. Does anyone have any idea as to what could cause this? Thanks.

[Shaykeija]

When Dallas was a puppy, her nose looked like a little black button. The vet thought she looked really cute. Over the years her nose went from jet black to pink. She was part husky. My husband used to say that she wore the colour off from nosing around. My vet was not concerned at all. But for piece of mind, you should get your vet to take a look.

[Gazoo]

Originally Posted by teaching91

I have a 3 year old collie/samoyed pup. His nose is black...at least it was. It seemed to be getting lighter...and brown...over the past couple of weeks. Now, it is a light shade of pinky/peach and is edged in black. His behaviour isn't unusual...he doesn't seem to be in distress or discomfort...I called the emergency vet clinic to see if I should be concerned and/or bring him in...they thought that this was definitely unusual but didn't know what could cause this to happen. Does anyone have any idea as to what could cause this? Thanks.

I can't believe your vet didn't know what snow nose is? New vet?

Have had a Sammy in the past here's some info on snow nose.

The most common cause of a fading nose is "snow nose," says Grant Nisson, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in West River, Maryland. Vets aren't sure why, but many breeds of dogs will lose pigment from their noses during the cold months. (This rarely occurs in cats.) People once thought that snow nose was caused by bright sunlight reflecting off snow and bleaching the nose white -- or by a combination of cold and trauma, since dogs often use their noses as miniature snow shovels. Vets have found, however, that even dogs living in warm, southern climates may get snow nose, so weather doesn't appear to be a factor.

There is no proven way to prevent snow nose, although some breeders swear that giving pets vitamin E and kelp will help restore the color. (Your vet can recommend safe amounts.) Vets sometimes advise getting rid of plastic food bowls and replacing them with metal or ceramic bowls since some pets may be allergic to plastic. Finally, your vet may suggest a thyroid test be done. There is no evidence to prove that it is true, but some vets believe that low thyroid levels can cause the nose to lose its color.

excerpt from: http://www.ivillage.com/pets/petsymp...501140,00.html

[teaching91]

Hi there,

Thank you very much for the information!!!! It is one more thing for me to consider. I will be calling my vet tomorrow (Monday) and taking my pup in to have him checked. I had spoken with people at the emergency vet clinic (not the regular vet) and they thought the condition was unusual...but didn't know why. Not a comforting thought...hopefully my vet will be more informed. My vet is very good...a few years ago she successfully treated my aging ****er who had been critically diagnosed with autoimmune disease and was bleeding internally. She researched...tried everything...and even monitored the dog on weekends and stat holidays. With a 10% chance of survival...my dog made it!!! Especially since that time I am very aware of any changes in my pets' health; early detection of possible conditions is critical for treatment success.

I had also e-mailed my Aunt (she is a top vet pathologist in the UK - I live in Canada). She replied this morning with a possible diagnosis of Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE). This is a condition that occurs frequently with collies and collie crosses...and even to a lesser extent, saymoyeds. It is commonly referred to as "collie nose". I have been doing research all morning regarding the treatment...and am a bit concerned about the long term effects and possible systemic toxicity of the medications usually used.

I have read the information on the link that you provided! Once again, thank you very very much for your response!!!!!!!!!! :love: