White spot on dog's nose.

Dr. Marie replied:

This is a tough question to answer without being able to examine Sadie, but I'll give you a few ideas of what this could be.

It's possible that this is a pustule. This would be a sign of a skin infection. It may have started with a break in the skin or even an insect sting. If it is a pustule then Sadie's likely going to need antibiotics prescribed by the vet.

It's also possible that this is a viral wart. A viral wart looks like a tiny little cauliflower like growth. If this is the case then it will go away on its own but may take a few months to do so. Someone recently discovered that putting a dog with a viral wart on an antibiotic called azithromycin can make it go away within 10 days though. Viral warts are contagious to other dogs.

It's also possible that this is the start of a serious autoimmune condition such as pemphigus or discoid lupus. These conditions are rare though. If this is the case then the bump would turn into a blister and then ulcerate (i.e. get raw and inflamed.)

I have also seen dogs just get pigment changes on their nose that are nothing to worry about.

While I can't give you an official diagnosis online, if you'd like to send a picture I can perhaps give you a better idea and let you know whether a vet visit is necessary.

If you can get a picture you can send it to photos@askavetquestion.com.

I'll be online for about 20 minutes more tonight...but I'll check in in the morning if I've missed you.

Thanks,
Dr. Marie.

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