Is it normal for dogs nose to change color? Here’s What to Expect

Symptoms of Snow Nose in Dogs

The one symptom of snow nose is simply the change in a dogs nose color.

  • Fading or lightening of a dogs nose color
  • The color change associated with snow nose can be permanent but is usually a temporary change, and the nose returns to its normal color. Some dogs even develop snow nose repeatedly each year. An important distinction between snow nose and other nose conditions is that only the color of the nose changes, not the texture.

    The 10 Reasons Your Dog’s Nose Is Changing Color:

    There are many reasons that your dog’s nose could change color. Some of them occur naturally in lots of dogs and they aren’t cause for concern. However, some conditions that can cause your dog’s nose to change colors could be detrimental to your dog’s health, and you’ll want to know as early as possible so you can get veterinary attention for your canine and prevent health concerns from becoming full-blown medical emergencies.

    One of the most common reasons for a dog’s nose to change colors is that it’s aging. The pigment in your dog’s nose is likely to change as it ages, which can either cause a dark nose to turn to a lighter color or vice versa.

    Injuries to the outside of the nose such as cuts and abrasions can cause the nose to turn pink while it heals, though the original color should return once the injury is fully healed.

    Causes of Snow Nose

    Cold weather may play a causative role in snow nose, but researchers have not proven this association. Other suspected influences include:

  • Weather changes
  • The amount of daylight
  • An elevated enzyme called tyrosinase
  • Snow nose has been noted more often in certain breeds, so there may also be a genetic factor involved. Siberian huskies, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, and Bernese mountain dogs are most commonly affected by snow nose, but it can affect any breed of dog.

    Other diseases can mimic snow nose in their early stages, some of which may be dangerous to a dogs health. Crusting, scaling, bleeding, irritation, open sores, and other changes to the texture of the nose may all be signs of a serious condition that should be evaluated by a veterinarian, including:

  • Lupus: A type of autoimmune disease, discoid lupus erythematosus causes changes to the nose of a dog. Like other diseases affecting the nose, crusting and scabbing are seen in addition to changes in the nose color.
  • Pemphigus: There are three types of pemphigus: pemphigus foliaceus, pemphigus erythematosus, and pemphigus vulgaris. These are autoimmune diseases that can cause patches of redness on the nose that develop into blisters and open sores; changes in nose color may also occur.
  • Cancer: Some types of cancer affect the skin and nose, causing color changes, redness, bleeding, and scabbing. These wounds usually have difficulty healing.
  • Trauma: If a dog has scraped or rubbed its nose on something abrasive sometimes a layer of skin is removed which changes the color of the nose until it heals.
  • Dog’s Nose Losing Black Color