Vitiligo in Dogs

• Black or brown pigment fades and can become quite white which can look quite startling or unusual on your dog
• Splotches of white start appearing on your dog’s face, especially on the nose or around the eyes 
• Sometimes it is only on small areas such as the nose 
• Other times it can occur all over in large patches 
• Vitiligo is considered harmless to your pet and does not cause distress 
• It rarely reverses and re-pigments

Types

• Breeds prone to this condition include Rottweilers, Golden Retrievers, Yellow Labradors, and Siberian Huskies 
• It may only discolor certain areas of your dog’s body, or restrict itself to perhaps one area 
• Often it can just affect your dog’s nose, causing a condition referred to as a snow nose 
• It can affect the area around the eyes and affect the eye itself in extreme cases 
• It may appear sporadic in any breed of dog, producing random patterns
• The paws can have a mottled loss of coloration

To see your dog suddenly start to change its color or become patchy and slightly strange looking can be alarming at first. Although it doesn’t cause your dog pain and he remains his usual healthy self, getting him checked by the veterinarian is a wise decision as there may be health issues causing the vitiligo.  Your specialist will evaluate your dog’s condition and run diagnostic tests to distinguish the cause of the change in colors. Skin scrapings taken from your dog’s skin where the fading is occurring will help with the diagnosis, as will a blood test to rule out other disorders such as a hormonal imbalance, or hypothyroidism. If your dog is showing anxiety, a change in lifestyle and behavior may be needed to settle the anxiety which may be causing this condition. 

Diagnosis is usually based on the skin and blood samples examined under the microscope. While the condition is not in any way life threatening, it can be quite anesthetic, meaning your dog may look a little odd especially if he is dark by nature and breed and suddenly starts changing color and pattern. A Rottweiler that produces blond or white patches looks quite unusual because people are used to that breed being very dark, but your dog won’t worry about it and will continue as if nothing has happened so there is no need to be concerned once you have your veterinarian’s positive diagnosis.

There is no treatment available that will return your dog to its original color. Occasionally, your dog’s patches may re-pigment and the color will return even partially or fully, but this is a very rare event. The effect of vitiligo is quite variable, with some dogs suffering extensive patching or fading, while in others it will only affect the nose and perhaps around the mouth. Some veterinarians suggest getting your dog outside more often to enjoy the sunshine, in the hope that the sunlight will stimulate the melanocyte production and prevent new loss of colors from occurring. Vitiligo is not associated with diet, but it wouldn’t hurt to get your animal specialists opinion on whether your dog’s diet is providing the right nourishment for optimal function of the immune system. Some veterinary caregivers will also prescribe nutritional supplements such as Omega-3 and Vitamin C.

If the loss of color really concerns you and your dog looks quite odd because of the placement of the patches of pigment loss, your vet may be able to darken the lightest areas cosmetically with tattoo ink.