How can you tell if you have an albino dog?
Without genetic testing, albino dogs can only be determined most easily by a close inspection of his nose and eyes. Like albino cats, the eyes and the tissue surrounding the eye sockets of albino dogs appear to exhibit a pinkish hue. The pink in both eyes and skin is not true pink, though. What seems to be pink is actually the result of diffused blood flow in these areas.
Dog and cat eyes are able to process a great deal more available light than human eyes. This is not only why they have far superior night vision, but also why their eyes appear red in flash photography. What we perceive as pink or red in any standard dog’s eyes is simply excess light reflected back out through the blood vessels in their eyes.
The pink of an albino dog’s eyes, nose, and the skin, especially surrounding the eyes and mouth, will appear to be very pale, even bleached out. An albino dog’s eyes themselves may retain some minor pigmentation, but this coloration, too, is pale or translucent in nature. The lack of melanin and pigmentation in a dog’s skin puts these dogs at higher risk, not only for sunburn, but also for developing skin cancers.
Some dogs may appear to be true albinos, but retain some pigmentation, which will be most noticeable on the nose or stomach. We can call this partial albinism, but there is actually a range of melanins, and as such, a wide variety of albinisms are possible and observable in dogs.
That said, in cases of partial albinism, dogs produce only a small amount of melanin, sufficient to produce limited coloration. With the exception of small areas of pigmentation, whether in eyes, skin, or coat, what remains will retain that extremely pale, color-drained appearance.
Do white dogs have eye problems?
Regardless of breed, white dogs are more likely to have visible tear staining on their faces, because the pigments in their tears can easily dye light-colored fur. Also, dogs with long hair on their faces may be more prone to excessive tearing.
How can you tell if your dog has bad eyesight?
Symptoms of Vision Problems in Dogs
