Although white spots on your dog’s nose could be as a result of several common reasons that have no effects on your dog’s health, there are also some cases where white spots on your dog’s nose could mean one or more serious health issues.
It is important that you understand all the different causes of white spots on dogs nose so as to know what exactly you are dealing if your dog happens to have these spots on his nose. In this article, we would be discussing these white spots, their causes and treatments. Come along!
White Spots On Dog Nose
Here are a few things that can be responsible for the white spots on your dog’s nose:
Vitiligo: This condition is not very common in dogs. It is simply the loss of pigments with age. Whereas dogs can begin to have white spots on their nose at any age, it is most common in older dogs i.e. dogs in their middle age or senior age. With this fact, we can safely say that white spots on your dog’s nose can be as a result of aging.
This condition is considered an hereditary condition and the following dog breeds tend to have vitiligo: Rottweiler, Golden retriever, Daschund, German shepherd, Irish Setter, Yellow Labrador, Doberman Pinscher, Siberian husky and Old English Sheepdog.
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Pimples: Dogs, just like humans, can have pimples on their faces. Sometimes, those white spots are simply pimple breakouts with whiteheads on your dog’s nose. Common areas your dog can have pimples are his nose, genital area and stomach. It can be treated, just like human pimples.
Snow Nose: This is only a cosmetic reason and has in effect on your dog’s health. Even though there are reports of dogs having snow nose in warmer weather conditions, you are likely to notice that these white spots often appear on your dog’s nose mostly when it snows.
If this is the case, your dog simply has snow nose and this is not a cause for concern. Snow nose can be permanent or temporary. Although mostly all dogs can have this condition, snow nose is common among these breeds:
Golden retrievers, Serbian huskies, Labrador retrievers and Bernese mountain dogs.
Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE): The DLE is a latent autoimmune disease that remains inactive, showing no symptoms in a dog for years. They begin to show on your dog’s nose, followed by swelling and change of color on the nose. This is a more serious cause than the previously mentioned ones but can still be treated.
Exposure to sun can worsen DLE in your dog so it is best to keep your dog with DLE indoors more often, away from the sun.
Pemphigus Foliaceous (PF): This condition is much similar to the DLE; it is also an autoimmune disease and can be treated just like DLE. This condition is just as serious as DLE but does not show as obviously as DLE flare-ups. It mostly shows as scabies and bumps, resembling white spots.
Genetic predisposition, Viral infections and Prolonged exposure to Ultraviolet light are the factors believed to cause PF. Chow Chows and Akitas are the breeds most prone to PF.
Kennel Nose: This white spot condition, as its name implies, mostly happens with dogs who stay in their kennels a lot. If your dog is mostly in a kennel, you might find white spots on his nose.
This is as a result of your dog nudging around the kennel, trying to find his way out. This would cause a temporary rubbing off of the skin on your dog’s nose.
Keratin Build-up: This condition known as Nasal Hyperkeratosis simply implies keratin build-up on your dog’s skin which causes results in white, bump-like growths on your dog’s nose. Although it is quite serious, It is not all bad as it sounds.
Nasal Cancer: In some cases, white spots on your dog’s nose could be indicating a cancerous growth in your dog’s nose. This is the rarest of all the causes but it is not impossible.
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Treatment For White Spot On Dogs Nose
It is quite important to get any white spot on your dog’s nose checked and tested to properly diagnose and ascertain the actual cause, begin treatments for severe causes and worry less about cosmetic causes.
If your dog has vitiligo, snow nose or autoimmune disease, we advise using products to help give him healthy skin and improve his appearance.
If your dog is one with kennel nose, you only need to put him out of his kennel for some days and see if the skin improves. If the white spots begin to fade, then you are on a good track. With this, you can decide on different ways to keep your dog in instead of the kennel.
You could also try keeping your dog in a bigger kennel or crate, one that allows him move around inside it with ease. Ensure to clean the white spots on your dog’s nose regularly to prevent it from being infected.
If your dog has pimples or breakout of whiteheads, it is mostly triggered by dirty food bowls. Washing your dog’s food and water bowls or an outright change to stainless steel or ceramic bowls should do the trick.
It is also essential that you groom your dog regularly to remove dirt clogged in the pores on his nose, stomach, chest and genital area. Whatever you do, do not try to break the pimples as it could worsen the situation.
If your dog has keratin build-up, we advise that you visit your vet doctor. He is likely to recommend a moisturizer to apply on your dog’s dry skin. Although you can apply some Neosporin on your dog’s nose, based on your veterinary doctor’s recommendation, we advise that you keep it very moderate.
Use as little as possible on the affected area as your dog could like it off without your knowledge and licking off a large amount of Neosporin could be really harmful to your dog. Instead of Neosporin, you can use dog-friendly cleanser with warm water to clean up your dog’s nose.
You will get the same results as with Neosporin. You can also use an antibiotic oil alongside these skin products, in case of infections.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When Should I Be Worried About White Spots On My Dog’s Nose?
If the white spots on your dog’s nose is spreading and increasing in size or it begins to cause discomfort to your dog, you certainly should be worried.
Also, if you happen to notice any discharge of pus, mucus or blood from your dog’s nose, we recommend an immediate visit to your vet doctor at this point to carry out important tests on your dog, as this has become a severe case.
Conclusion
We have established in this article that a white spot on your dog’s nose can be due to several causes ranging from as mild as vitiligo or pimples, to as serious as an autoimmune disease or a cancerous growth.
Getting your dog checked and properly diagnosed would help you know what exactly you are dealing with and help you act accordingly to keep your dog healthy.
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