Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 9/3/2011

Question
Hi there. My Border collie/mixed dog has whiteish colored spots on his nose and on his lips. Is this something we should be worried about??? We moved from a humid place along the coast and first noticed them on his nose then. Since then we have moved to a dryer place 700 miles away from the coast and have seen no difference. His litter mate also has those spots on his nose and lips but still lives along the coast. Any information is much appreciated. I have heard several explanations like plastic food bowls and so on so I am looking for something that seems more realistic. Thank you for your time.

Answer
Without an examination, I cannot be specific.  Often bacterial skin conditions can show up as white spots.  Food bowl problems usually affect the chin, but not the nose.  There are many types of diseases that can cause these lesions.  I would advise you to see a vet and let them examine the dog(s).  Maybe they need to do a biopsy to see if it is anything unusual.