# Dry, cracked, and peeling nose??



## CHOM (Oct 17, 2012)

Well.. i dont know if it is because of the weather. But my poor boys nose is super dry and cracking on the sides mostly. He drinks plenty of water. I am assuming it is the weather change because my lips are EXTREMELY dry and cracking as well these last few days. Anyways, his nose is so dry its loosing pigmentation on the sides and turning pink :/ Has this happened to anyone else? What can i put on it to prevent this? I just did a quick google search and read that vasaline is toxic to dogs? Thanks in advance :crazy:

I should also note that he is 3/4 GSD 1/4 Husky.


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

"cracking" nose - does it appear similar to cobblestone?

And pigment loss - german shepherds are genitically predisposed to Canine Discoid Lupus, and it sounds similar to what you are discribing. Dry peeling nose and pigment loss.



















There are also a number of other skin ailments that GSDs can be predisposed to. Especially with pigment loss, I wouldn't necessarily just assume dry climate to be the cause. I would probably get in to see your vet.

Zeke has a condition called mucocutaneous pyoderma on his nose, where it appears dry and a large crack appears that bleeds. Basically, it's a "genetic", chronic staph infection that GSDs are predisposed to. We treat it with an antibacterial cream that we apply every time it flairs up - about once a month


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)




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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

CHOM said:


> I should also note that he is 3/4 GSD *1/4 Husky*.


What Anubis Star said...there are a few semi-related auto-immune diseases that affect the nose.

In your case hopefully not, and thankfully you mentioned husky. This may be zinc responsive dermatitis (ZRD) and is do to an inability to process zinc.

You would have to see vet about this as zinc/copper ratio treatment (if too little zinc throws copper off and visa versa, either way can have adverse effects). Not sure case of ZRD if copper suffers to, or if presents copper toxicity...zinc would then be used to chelate the other mineral....but you cannot mess around with this on your own. Yu should do this under a vets care. 

See link

huskyresources.com - Zinc Deficiency Husky, Malamute and Sled Dogs


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## Max_lab (Oct 30, 2012)

Did u find a disgnosis/solution to your problem? Right now my boy have exactly the same conditin and looks just the same like yours. 
regards,


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