A white crust on a dog’s nose is not something you expect to see.
It’s important to understand what’s going on with the dog’s nose when this happens. It will help shed light on the environment around the dog along with its current condition.
So, why is there white on the dog’s nose?
The white crust on a dog’s nose can occur when the area has been sunburnt, the dog is beginning to age, there’s an injury, or the dog is dealing with an underlying skin condition (i.e. vitiligo).
For the most part, you will not have to worry about white stuff on a dog’s nose. It will go away on its own or this is simply a sign of aging.
What you want to look for is a potential injury that might have been missed. This injury might be the reason there is white stuff on the dog’s nose. If you feel like the dog is in pain then you will want to visit a vet.
Here are the main reasons a dog will have a white crust on its nose.
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Reasons For White On Dog’s Nose
1. Sunburn
If a dog’s nose is white and dry, this might be due to the area getting sunburnt.
While dogs are resilient and will do fine in the sun, this does not mean overexposure is going to keep them safe.
Too much exposure to the sun is going to cause the dog’s nose to whiten. This is not going to be noticeable at first but the condition will worsen with time.
If you notice a dog’s nose is sunburnt, it’s best to bring the dog inside and then apply an ointment to the area. This should be a dog-friendly ointment that is going to soothe the dog’s nose.
As the nose begins to heal, the white stuff is going to go away on its own. You will need to be patient and keep the dog as comfortable as possible during this process.
2. Natural Aging
Yes, dogs will begin to show signs of aging and this is one of them.
This happens because the color of the dog’s nose is going to change. It is not going to be a dramatic change but it will be enough that you are going to notice as you get up close to the dog.
What is the color going to change to?
It’s going to change to a white or light color as time goes on. As the dog grows older, the nose is going to get even whiter.
3. Injury
If there is a white spot on a dog’s nose, the dog might be dealing with an underlying injury.
If there is trauma to the area, the dog’s nose may be white. This happens due to the healing process associated with the dog’s nose.
It will take a bit of time for the nose to heal.
If you believe the area is injured, you should take the time to speak to a vet. The vet is going to help assess the dog’s nose along with the white stuff that is on it.
You want to make sure the injury is not too bad. This is going to allow you to come up with a safe recovery plan.
4. Skin Condition (Lupus/Vitiligo)
Vitiligo on a dog’s nose is possible.
This is when the area begins to lose its pigmentation and is going to turn white. Some dogs will have this start at the tip of their nose and then it will work its way throughout the body as time goes on.
If this is the case, this is a skin condition that is going to become a reality for the dog with time.
It is also possible the dog is dealing with lupus. This is another condition that will change the dog’s nose to a whiter color.
Final Thoughts
Why is there white on a dog’s nose?
If there is a white crust on the dog’s nose, this can be caused by natural aging or the nose getting sunburnt. In some cases, the nose gets injured or there is an underlying skin condition such as vitiligo that causes the dog’s nose to turn white.
This is not going to be a sudden change.
It will take time and that is why it’s important to keep an eye on the dog’s nose along with other symptoms it might be facing.
If the dog does show signs of discomfort then there might be something else going on with the dog’s nose.
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