Dog Community

Willow's nose-what's going on?

Posted : 9/29/2008 9:58:13 PM

I'm really concerned about Willow's nose--well more the area just about and next to her nose I guess. This hair loss has gotten progressively worse over the past two months. I know she's on Prednisone, but not sure it would do this. The area is just dark, not irritated, or red or anything. And, this is the only area on her whole body that is like this. Her fur has thinned out in areas since the Prednisone but she doesn't have any bald areas.

So, here are some pictures. Could this be bacterial? I'm going to take her to the vet, I think?? It's gotten progressively worse over the last two months which would coincide with her starting the Prednisone.

This first one was taken in July--around the 7th--pre Prednisone.

[IMG]http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9826/dsc00581id0.jpg[/IMG]

And, recently--

[IMG]http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/1048/dsc00765wh1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/4932/dsc00762cl6.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/8241/dsc00775hc4.jpg[/IMG]

I added this last one to show that it's visible even from a distance. ( I trimmed her elbow for another issue, she didn't loose that on her own.)

[IMG]http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/1548/dsc00761ip6.jpg[/IMG]

Any ideas?? I've looked and looked online and can't seem to find anything like this.

Thanks, Lori

This one might be a little clearer--I wasn't going to post it because she looks so PO'd. She's definately sick of me taking pictures of her nose.

[IMG]http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/331/dsc00758hv7.jpg[/IMG]

sl2crmeg

Posted : 9/29/2008 10:02:04 PM

It's kinda hard to see - those bumpies? All I can think of is that maybe her hair follicles are a little infected right there - you know, with her immune system being suppressed and all, infections are easy-peasy.

I was actually thinking of Willow today. When Pirate was on Pred, he had the fuzzies BIG TIME. He was hairy-er than I'd ever seen him, and poor Willow is going bald!

ETA: Duh. Forgot to say what I really meant! How often is she getting blood draws? So long as it's not bothering her, I might wait until her next draw and have your vet take a look at it then. Pirate was going weekly and then bi-weekly for draws, though, so we didn't have too long in between appointments.

BEVOLASVEGAS

Posted : 9/29/2008 10:09:56 PM

I would *guess* that the pred is causing it. When Bev was on pred, he developed a spot on his shoulder that looked very similar to that on Willow's nose.

BlackLabbie

Posted : 9/29/2008 10:31:11 PM

I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions as to what might be causing the hair loss...but I did want to say that Willow is one of the most human looking dogs I've ever seen.

grab01

Posted : 9/30/2008 1:48:11 AM

Jules had weird hairloss above his nose as well. He also had it on his ears. He was on no medication, and no bloodwork ever showed anything odd. We'd settled on his perhaps having some weird alopecia, but now the hair has grown back a tiny, tiny bit. Nowhere like it was before, though. So no clue.

I'd definitely have her checked, though.

And Miss Willow is looking lovely, even with her sparse nose Smile

boredpuppy08

Posted : 9/30/2008 5:21:07 AM

My rather uneducated guess - a fungal infection. Especially if she's also got some small hairless areas on her elbows, or the backs of her legs or her knees. If it were bacterial it would probably be somewhat inflamed and 'weepy' and gross.

calliecritturs

Posted : 9/30/2008 7:58:00 AM

Sorry my internet was down last night and I couldn't get on -- Lori, I'm going to bet thyroid as we talked about in the other thread *and* a good possibility that it could be fungal or similar. I *can* tell you that after long term steroid stuff, for some reason it *does* play havoc with the area around the nose -- it tends to dry the skin in areas like that. PLUS the depressed immune system then allows any small fungal thing to take hold. I'd ask the vet - he may have a topical.

willowchow

Posted : 9/30/2008 10:43:44 AM

Thank you everyone. I sort of had the same ideas as everyone mentioned too. I am going to get her checked out. She goes for blood draws every other week. But, I think I'm going to take her this week to get this loooked at because I'm so concerned.

jessies_mom

Posted : 9/30/2008 7:08:46 PM

I don't have any suggestions Lori; just wanted to say that I love looking at her pics, even with the missing hair around the nose.

willowchow

Posted : 9/30/2008 8:11:48 PM

Thank you to everyone for the compliments too! We appreciate it, I know she doesn't look like she did.

4HAND

Posted : 10/1/2008 4:18:44 AM

I feel bad for Willow,that looks uncomfortable.This may be a shot in the dark but, several years ago I had chicken pox as an adult.I took an anti-viral medication that left me with yeast and fungal skin infections.I chose to ignore my doctors advice to go on yet another medication and instead took high quality probiotics[refrigerated section of vitamin store] and get the refined sugars out of my diet.Within days the yeast was gone and weeks my skin cleared up.Does Willow eat a grain-free food?This could help.

Tena