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Your dog may suddenly start going grey in patches in front of your eyes. While these patches and depigmented areas can be esthetically displeasing, they are not considered as dangerous to your pet’s health. Vitiligo is often hereditary but sometimes can develop as an autoimmune response related to and affecting the melanocytes. Stress can sometimes be a cause of this condition as well. There is no known treatment for vitiligo and if stress isn’t the problem, your dog will continue being his happy self. If the unusual color of the skin worries you, you can get your veterinarian to darken the area with tattoo ink. An alternative to this measure is to try supplementation, which is thought to have some effect.
Vitiligo is the loss of pigment from the skin or hair of your dog causing patches of fading or white color. Vitiligo may be unattractive to you, but is considered a harmless condition.
Types
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Another theory implies it could be immune mediated - meaning your dog’s system may for some reason produce antibodies that destroy the color pigmentation
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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.
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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.
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Management is the option here, as recovery for the lost color is almost always irretrievable. Very rarely does the natural color come back on its own accord. Once you have checked with your dog’s veterinarian expert and he has confirmed the vitiligo condition, it is a matter of living with it. A healthy and varied diet, plenty of exercise and time outside in the sun, and that is the best you can really do for a dog with this condition. Providing a stress-free environment for your pet accepting your dog for what he now looks like is important for the mental health of your four-legged friend. It has been noted that Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants such as vitamin C may help this problem, so that is worth discussing with your veterinarian.
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Nameless
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
6 Years
Moderate severity
0 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
She was born in early 2013, a beautiful pup with promising confirmation. She was a dream in the show ring, beautiful animation, taking her first Best-of-Breed at age 7 months, over specials. There was a series of events that led to the dog ingesting nearly two doses of Frontline, the topical flea medicine. A few weeks later, when she was about 9-months old, developed a pink spot on her brown nose. Then, it started spreading. It seemed her pigment was just... disappearing. Within 2 months, she lost pigment in most of her nasal planum and about 1/3 of her face. Her facial hair turned white, over regions of depigmented skin. In early December, as the condition advanced, my husband capitulated and said, "Take her to the vet". His diagnosis was canine vitiligo, though he did express some uncertainty in his diagnosis, and encouraged me to take her to a veterinary dermatologist. A local dermatologist's office informed me they were no-longer accepting new patients. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, and led me to call UC Davis. Of course, by then, it was mid-December and the UC Davis veterinary hospital was shutting down for the holiday season. I could not get an appointment until late January. The wait felt interminable and excruciating, as the depigmentation continued to advance. UC Davis was wonderful. My dog must have been seen by at-least a dozen veterinary students and their supervising veterinary professors. They confirmed the vitiligo diagnosis. To my surprise, they 'prescribed' vitamins. Vitamin C, daily, and, three days a week, a tablet of Trinfac-B, which contains vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 in a compound that contains the gastric juice called Intrinsic Factor, which aids in the absorption of the B-vitamins. Within a week of starting the vitamins, I could literally see the tide turn. The pigment started returning. Within three months, perhaps 80% of the pigment had returned to her face. Then, the process slowed, significantly. Somewhere in there, I read about the work of Dr. Amala Soumyanath, at the Oregon Health and Science University. She has attained some success in treating vitiligo with piperine, a black pepper extract. I began to apply piperine, topically, to the dog's depigmented areas. The repigmentation continued, very slowly. It is now 4.5-years later, and we have probably regrown another 15% of the pigment. Almost all of the pigment has returned to her nasal planum. At the base of her right nostril, has been the most persistent patch of white skin. Recently, pigmented nubs have developed into the depigmented area, and a fine, light brown mist is appearing between the nubs, indicating, that pigment will soon bridge between the nubs. I remain optimistic, that in the next 1-2-years, we will completely re-pigment her face. Photos of the re-pigmentation, are available, upon request.
Duster
Rottweiler
3 Years
Moderate severity
0 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
My pet Duster is also suffering from Vitiligo and there are many white patches on in whole body. We consulted our Vet and took his medicines and supplements but no positive result came. Then we went for homeopathic medicines and now it seems that he is recovering. Hope he will be back in form soon and even in any negative circumstance, we are happy living with him with this condition.
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