Black nose turning pink?

[Steph4302]

My 2 year old miniature poodle has always had a completely black nose. The past few months we have been noticing that the top of his nose is turning a brownish/pink color. Any ideas as to why?

[dogmom192]

I've been told this color change can be caused by feeding in metal bowls.  (My Great Pyrenees jet black nose has also turned pink).  I've been told to only feed/water in ceramic bowls.  

[Butterfly1961]

I have a husky, she is only 2 years old, her nose went from black to pink, I was told it could be Discoid Lupus!!  I'm finding that it is very common in a lot of breeds.  The only way to know for sure is to have a biopsy done of the nose.  This is serious & you will need sunblock, antibiotics & vitamins

[suzi-q]

My Tiffy's (she was a minature poodle)n used to get a light brown/pinker color in the winter months...it would get a little darker in the summer...I think it has to do with the sunlight.

[puppy_boo]

Losing pigment is common in some small breed dogs, including Maltese and Bichon.  It probably can happen in Poodles, too.  Usually they are born with pink noses and paw pads.  As they get older, the pink changes to black.  Depending on the breeding, strong pigment will last for years.  However, it is not uncommon for dogs (even those who come from great breeding lines) to begin losing pigment beyond puppyhood...usually around 1 or 2 years of age.  It normally starts to turn brown, then pink at the top of the nose before spreading throughout the nose.

You mentioned that you have limited your dog's outside exposure.  Exposure to sunlight often helps with keeping the pigment.  Once you start exposing your dog to more sunlight, the pigment will come back.  Sometimes, this doesn't work, and some people will include kelp in the dog's diet.  

Losing pigment is mostly cosmetic.  Usually there's no health issues involved.  However, please consult with your vet to be sure.

[Steph4302]

Hmm. He hasn't been getting his nose into anything that I know of. His outside time has been limited to potty time only due to the extremely cold weather. It's really strange because it's not an abrasion or a sore of any type. I'll just keep watching it and i'll ask at our next vet visit. thanks for the reply!!

[ginger899]

Has he been snuffling a lot in something? Like rough grass or snow? He could have abraded the skin on his nose (It's always the top of the nose that gets affected when they do that) Mine gets that, hunting for field mice in rough grass. It's hard to dissuade her, without damping her spirits. But I have to call a halt to it if her nose gets sore.
There may be other reasons for this I don't know. If you're sure he hasn't had the chance to snuffle in something, talk to the vet.