# pink/faded nose color



## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Hoping somebody can give me some hints on this:
After his torn Achilles tendon injury, my young Mal-GSD mix started to develop a pinkish hue to his nose. Its almost as if the black faded. His nose had always been black year-round before the injury. 

To give some possibly helpful background, in the time since the injury (which happened in April) he has been living out of his crate in our kitchen. Initially his exposure to the outdoors was only for brief potty-walks. Over the past 3 months or so, he's been cleared to do more work and has spent more time outside with me (either doing agility, obedience or walking/running). He probably only spends an hour a day maximum outside though. Although his muscle tone suffered tremendously in the first 2 months after the injury, I've managed to slowly build him back up. Now he's very solid and muscular. 

Also, shortly after his injury, I started him on a supplement called Nutro. He gets this mixed in his food (Cal. Natural L&R). He gets no other supplements.

Can anybody think of a reason why his nose might be turning pink? I'm wondering if its lack of exposure to the sun or some vitamin deficiency or something. Years ago I had a female GSD with EPI whose nose turned pinkish in the winter. Her nose was solid black all summer, spring and fall. This happened every year since she was a pup.

Thoughts?


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

I have read about several causes of nasal depigmentation.

One, a seasonal thing, called "snow nose," isn't much of a GSD-Mal thing, I don't think. I've read that it was a Labrador and Burmese mountain dog thing.

One thing that would narrow it down some is if he has other depigmentation, around the nose or on body patches.

Has he had blood workups lately? I've read that it can be triggered by something (I don't remember what) that also manifests with hypothyroidism.

I need to find that article. I can picture it, with a list of possible causes of nasal depigmentation, by a vet. I'll get back later today.


----------



## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Thanks, Connie, for your response. I don't think its hypothyroidism, although I did see mention of this in relation to pink noses on the web. He has none of the other clinical signs of it. His coat is soft and smooth, his skin is not at all dry and is clean and free of lesions/scabs/crust, and he is very fit and muscular. 

I looked up a few things on-line and found a few pages that said the faded nose sometimes happens for no apparent reason as a dog ages. 

He also doesn't have any other skin/hair pigment issues. His lips remain black and there are no white hairs appearing in his coat. Some of the web pages mentioned a correlation between plastic/rubber food bowls and pink noses. My dog eats/drinks from a stainless steel bowl.

Perhaps he just needs a tan :lol: 

Seems that my other GSD had what they call "snow nose," which is a seasonal discoloration of the nose.

Maybe I'll have his blood checked for abnormalities just in case.


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Oh, right, I did read that contact dermatitis thing about plastic bowls.

I thought when I read the snow-nose thing that it said "generally not GSDs."

But I do remember some ending to the effect of "probably nothing to worry about."


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Aha...... found the saved URL.
http://www.vetinfo.com/ddepigmt.html#Depigmentation of nose

I had it filed under thyroid instead of pigment. #-o

There are several Q & As.


----------



## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Thanks, Connie! I found that link too when I did an internet search. If I ever find out the cause of his de-pigmentation, I'll let y'all know.


----------



## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Konnie,

I missed this thread somehow, but my Mal (maybe some GSD) is starting to get a slight snow nose as well over the last month or so. Not sure why. Below is the best pic I found to show it. Snow nose is not uncommon in white German shepherds and several northern breeds. It is also called winter nose from hypopigmentation, so maybe our dogs do need a tan. 8)


----------



## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

What a great photo! He is a handsome dog!!!! 

That's exactly what my dog's nose looks like. Hopefully he'll regain his dark nose when he's allowed to spend more time outside next summer. 8) 

Like I said earlier, my purebred, West German show line GSD had the same "snow-nose" syndrome. She was neither a northern breed nor a white GSD. Weird.


----------



## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Or you could just say your dog has done so much good tracking work, he's getting his nose worn down on the ground.  I know I couldn't claim that! :^o (hehe, just wanted to be able to use that emoticon) And thanks on the photo! I'm finally sending that one in as one of the AKC ILP photos. I don't really care if he's purebred or not, but I'm getting a lot of peer pressure from our Sch club to do AKC agility with him. It's just easier doing things with a "purebred" dog.


----------



## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

OK I admit I'm way behind with this thread. Just would like to know how the nose turned out. Would it be possible that keeping him in the crate that he may have rubbed it to the point that it caused this. I think that is a possible answer. So what did you find out?


----------



## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Medically, the dog checked out OK. Now that he's been cleared to go back to training, he has started to rub the top of his nose raw while in the crate in my truck. He rubs it to the point where it bleeds.

The front of his nose is still pink, even though he's spending more and more time outside. Its very possible that he's doing some kind of rubbing on his crate here at home too when I'm outside with another dog.

So - still no clear answer. I'll let y'all know if it darkens up this summer again.


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Konnie Hein said:


> Medically, the dog checked out OK. Now that he's been cleared to go back to training, he has started to rub the top of his nose raw while in the crate in my truck. He rubs it to the point where it bleeds.
> 
> The front of his nose is still pink, even though he's spending more and more time outside. Its very possible that he's doing some kind of rubbing on his crate here at home too when I'm outside with another dog.
> 
> So - still no clear answer. I'll let y'all know if it darkens up this summer again.


I've had success with rescues who had rough sore snoots, using a regular cream for people-sores ("Bandaid Hurt-Free") on it while I waited for fish oil to fix it from the inside.

I know this is not that kind of problem, but the cream has a mild anti-itch and anti-sore ingredient.

So far, I haven't seen a dog lick at it, so I keep it around.


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

And BTW, I've read (and you probably have too) that dogs whose noses were de-pigmenting might be better off with a sunscreen on the pale part until the pigment returns. Not a block, but a screen that reduces the intensity.


----------

