| Nasal Solar Dermatitis |
Discoid Lupus is an immune disease of the skin involving the face and nose.
This disease is also called collie nose, even though other breeds are affected by it, too.
Symptoms are rough scaly skin &/or ulceration where the nose and the skin meet and a loss of the
pigment of the nose. You may see small pink spots on the dog's nose at first. The nose may
become shiny instead of the normal pattern. Deep sores may occur where the skin meets the nose
as this disease progresses further up the bridge of the nose. Sunlight causes irritation (50% of
cases) and keeping the dog inside or using sunscreen helps to prevent or alleviate the symptoms.
Cancer may develop if the dog becomes sunburned. This disease is not life threatening, but is
unsightly.
Treatments are sunscreens, cortcosteroids as a cream, pill or shot, depending on the severity of
the disease, and avoiding sunlight. Treatment usually responds well to steroids. Vitamin E has
also been helpful, but may take some months to show results.
Breeds affected are:
Brittany Spaniel, German Shepherd Dog, Shetland Sheepdog, Collie, Siberian Huskey and
German Shorthaired Pointer.
Some breeds are more likely to have it than some others. It may occur within families of dogs. It
occurs most often in areas where there is a lot of sunlight.
This disease is also called collie nose, even though other breeds are affected by it, too.
Symptoms are rough scaly skin &/or ulceration where the nose and the skin meet and a loss of the
pigment of the nose. You may see small pink spots on the dog's nose at first. The nose may
become shiny instead of the normal pattern. Deep sores may occur where the skin meets the nose
as this disease progresses further up the bridge of the nose. Sunlight causes irritation (50% of
cases) and keeping the dog inside or using sunscreen helps to prevent or alleviate the symptoms.
Cancer may develop if the dog becomes sunburned. This disease is not life threatening, but is
unsightly.
Treatments are sunscreens, cortcosteroids as a cream, pill or shot, depending on the severity of
the disease, and avoiding sunlight. Treatment usually responds well to steroids. Vitamin E has
also been helpful, but may take some months to show results.
Breeds affected are:
Brittany Spaniel, German Shepherd Dog, Shetland Sheepdog, Collie, Siberian Huskey and
German Shorthaired Pointer.
Some breeds are more likely to have it than some others. It may occur within families of dogs. It
occurs most often in areas where there is a lot of sunlight.
