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  1. #1
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    Dry skin on nose

    Hoping y'all can help me out on this one: last fall, my chocolate girl started getting a scabby skin on the bridge (top) of her nose. I'm not sure I'm describing it well, but it was like dry skin that was scabbing up. It wasn't oozing or bleeding, and my dog wasn't bothered by it. We went to the vet and the vet suggested coconut oil and a course of Clavamox to help it clear up. While the vet didn't know exactly what was causing it, she suggested the Clavamox just in case there was a lingering bug or something.

    A few weeks later, husband and I were out of town, so we boarded our dogs. When we came back, we noticed that the dry skin was reappearing on my girl's nose. I tried just the coconut oil (to see if the antibiotics were really necessary) and the nose cleared up again. But I've noticed it's happening again, so I'm beginning to think it may be a systemic issue. In the fall, my vet did suggest that it could be an autoimmune issue (I'm kicking myself for not noting what it was) - she would have to biopsy the skin on the nose to find out.

    Our girl is otherwise happy, crazy active, normal appetite and eliminations. We did switch our dogs to Fromm Chicken A La Veg last fall (they had been on Blue Buffalo Large Breed Adult Chicken and Brown Rice), but I would be surprised if the change in food is impacting her nose. Especially since she's been otherwise normal.

    Does anyone have any experience or insight into this? It's easy enough for me to put coconut oil on her nose, but I would prefer to get to the root of the issue.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog dxboon's Avatar
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    You might try an internet search for "hereditary nasal parakeratosis" (HNPK). It's an inherited skin disorder that affects the nose pad/nasal skin. It's now a known issue in certain lines of Labrador Retrievers.

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  4. #3
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    Thank you Dxboon. Learned something new.
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  6. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by dxboon View Post
    You might try an internet search for "hereditary nasal parakeratosis" (HNPK). It's an inherited skin disorder that affects the nose pad/nasal skin. It's now a known issue in certain lines of Labrador Retrievers.
    Oh interesting - I'll definitely look into it. A quick Google search shows an image similar to what my pup has had. I hadn't reached out to our breeder about this issue, but is it something that would show up on her parents? Or is it more likely that they're carriers and my pup happened to get the two recessive genes?

  7. #5
    Senior Dog dxboon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jacksonsmommy View Post
    Oh interesting - I'll definitely look into it. A quick Google search shows an image similar to what my pup has had. I hadn't reached out to our breeder about this issue, but is it something that would show up on her parents? Or is it more likely that they're carriers and my pup happened to get the two recessive genes?
    Like many other recessive hereditary conditions, your pup (if affected) would have to have received two copies of the mutated gene. If two copies of the mutated gene are present, that means both parents would've been carriers or affected themselves. It is an easy thing to test for, so that you do not produce affected puppies. My younger boy was tested for the mutation using a buccal swab (a sterile swab is used in his mouth to collect cells on the interior of his cheek; I did the swab myself at home) that was then sent to an outside lab for results. In the case of my dog, he does not carry the mutation.

    You could have your dog tested to find out for sure if the issue is HNPK. The test is about $60. I did mine through DDC Veterinary. More and more Lab breeders are testing for HNPK nowadays. While it is not life threatening, and should be manageable with moisturizers and antibiotics in certain cases, it's not something you want to produce in your puppies, and severe cases are uncomfortable for the dog and unsightly for the owner.

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  9. #6
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    It could also be lupus.

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  11. #7
    Senior Dog dxboon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by POPTOP View Post
    Thank you Dxboon. Learned something new.
    To be honest, originally I wasn't going to test for HNPK when I did my younger boy's clearances, but when I talked to my mentors in the breed, I learned that it was cropping up more than I was aware, so I decided to test for it. Like all the other genetic testing we have available today, it's one more tool in the toolkit that lets responsible breeders improve on the next generation of Labs.

  12. #8
    Senior Dog dxboon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SunDance View Post
    It could also be lupus.
    Agreed that nasal sores or depigmentation could be lupus also. OP would need a biopsy to rule that out for certain. Nose issues could be a variety of things, that's for sure.

  13. #9
    Senior Dog dxboon's Avatar
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    Here's a link to DDC should you wish to test for HNPK: Cart - Vetdnacenter.com

    If your dog does come back affected, please do let your breeder know so they can test their dogs to ensure that future breedings don't produce any more affecteds. :-)

  14. #10
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    My vet must have suggested lupus as a potential diagnosis, because she did say she would do a biopsy if it persisted. I may do the swab test in the meantime to see if it's HNPK since that would be less invasive / traumatic than a biopsy.

    We don't intend to breed our dogs so we don't have to worry about that. But I will email our breeder to keep her apprised if it is HNPK.

    What little I could find out about HNPK online suggests simply using topical moisturizers to manage the skin. I'm using coconut oil right now, which seems to work. However, I'm all ears if there are other recommendations that people like or that may be more pleasant for my dog.

    ETA - looks like we posted at the same time, dxboo. Thanks so much for that link. And yes, I will definitely let the breeder know if it comes back positive.

 



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