Vitiligo is a condition in which patches of skin, and sometimes hair and claws, lose their color. It is acquired, not present from birth: the pigment cells in the skin, called melanocytes, are lost, and the area turns white or pale [1].
A 2019 review of the published cases counts vitiligo as one of two autoimmune diseases known to target these pigment cells in animals [1]. Autoimmune means the body’s own immune system attacks the tissue, here the cells that give skin and hair their color.
If your dog’s skin or nose loses color and its eyes are red, cloudy, squinting or painful, see your vet the same day. A different disease can cause both, and it can threaten sight [1].
Which pets get it
- Dogs: in the 74 published dog cases the review pooled, about half were Belgian Tervuerens and about one in five were Rottweilers. Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds and a few other breeds were also on the list [1].
- Cats: only a handful of cats have been described, and six of the seven were Siamese [1].
- Age: in the reported dogs, color loss usually began at around two years old, though it started anywhere from puppyhood to old age [1].
Signs of vitiligo
- Pale patches on the face: in most reported dogs the first white spots showed up on the face, often in several places at once. The gums and lips were affected most often, followed by the eyelids and lashes, nose, mouth, ear flaps and muzzle [1]. In the few reported cats, the nose, the skin around the eyes and the paw pads lost color [1].
- Other places: some dogs also lost color on the paw pads, paws, legs, neck or body [1].
- Hair and claws: the coat and claws can turn pale too [1]. In one litter of Labrador puppies, only the hair lost color [1]. For other claw changes, see nail and nail bed problems in dogs and cats.
- Changes over time: the pale areas can spread. In some dogs a few spots on the gums grew until the whole mouth was pale, and a couple of dogs lost color over the whole body [1].
- Otherwise normal skin: under the microscope, skin with vitiligo usually keeps its normal structure and simply lacks pigment [1]. Most reported dogs and cats had no other illness [1]. Pale skin that is also red, crusted or sore points to something else, so have it checked.
Look-alikes that need a vet
Loss of color is not always vitiligo.
Uveodermatologic syndrome in dogs. This is the second autoimmune disease that attacks pigment cells, and it hits the eyes as well as the skin [1]. In the review, most dogs showed eye problems first, and poor vision or blindness was the most common reason they were brought in [1]. On the skin it causes color loss, often with sores, crusts and redness, mainly on the nose, around the eyes and on the lips [1]. Akitas, Siberian Huskies and Samoyeds were the breeds seen most [1]. The review’s authors stress that fast diagnosis and early treatment matter to prevent blindness [1].
Lupus and other diseases of the nose. In facial discoid lupus, the nose first loses color, turns red and gets scaly. Later it can develop sores and crusts and lose its normal pebbled surface, and sunlight makes it worse [2]. The hairless tip of the nose is affected in every case [2]. Unlike vitiligo, these diseases make the skin red and sore. For more on them, see dry, crusty nose in dogs.
How vets find the cause
Your vet will look at where the color loss is, check the eyes, and ask when it started.
Because vitiligo is mostly a cosmetic problem, vets often recognize it from its look and history alone. If tests are needed, a biopsy is taken from the edge of newly pale skin [1]. A biopsy is a small piece of skin checked under a microscope.
When the nose is red, scaly or sore, a biopsy is the key test for lupus [2]. A dog with skin changes that suggest uveodermatologic syndrome also needs a full eye exam [1].
Treatment
There is no treatment that reliably brings the color back. Published reports describe many different attempts in dogs, with mixed results, and none have been reported in cats [1].
The review notes that vitiligo is mostly cosmetic, so any treatment should be weighed against its possible side effects [1]. Even when a treatment helps, it may only stop the patches from spreading rather than return the color [1]. Do not use any human skin product on your pet unless your vet tells you to.
If tests find another cause, such as uveodermatologic syndrome or lupus, your vet will treat that.
At home, as directed by a vet:
- do not put any cream, dye or product on the pale patches unless your vet tells you to;
- check your dog’s eyes for redness, cloudiness or squinting;
- watch the pale areas for redness, crusts or sores;
- go back for any recheck your vet suggests.
Outlook
What is known comes from a small number of reports:
- Vitiligo is mostly a cosmetic problem for the animal [1].
- In a few dogs the color came back without treatment, including two Belgian Tervuerens and a litter of Labrador puppies [1]. In one cat, some color returned on the ears more than three years after it was lost [1].
- Long-term information on treatment and outcome is sparse, because only a few cases have been published [1].
These are statements about groups of animals. They cannot predict how one pet will do. Your vet can explain what this means for your pet.
When to see your vet
See your vet if your dog or cat has:
- new pale or white patches of skin, hair or claws [1];
- color loss on the nose with redness, scaling, crusts or sores [2];
- color loss together with red, cloudy, squinting or painful eyes [1] (same day);
- pale patches that spread or seem to bother your pet.
FAQ
Is vitiligo harmful to my pet?
Vitiligo itself is mostly a cosmetic problem [1]. Other diseases that cause color loss can be serious, so let your vet check first.
Will the color come back?
It varies, and no one can promise it. See the Outlook section above.
Can I use a human vitiligo treatment on my dog or cat?
No, not unless your vet tells you to. Any treatment should be weighed against its side effects, and none reliably brings the color back [1].
Which breeds get vitiligo?
In the published dog cases, Belgian Tervuerens and Rottweilers were the most common breeds. Nearly all reported cats were Siamese [1].
The bottom line
Vitiligo makes patches of skin, hair and sometimes claws turn pale in dogs and cats, mostly on the face. Some breeds are affected far more often, it usually starts in young adult dogs, and it is mostly a cosmetic problem. No treatment reliably brings the color back, though it sometimes returns on its own. Because a serious eye disease and sore nose diseases can also cause color loss, let your vet check any new pale patches, and go the same day if the eyes are affected.
This article is for general information only and does not replace advice from your veterinarian. If your pet’s skin or hair is losing color, see your vet.
Sources
- Tham HL, Linder KE, Olivry T. Autoimmune diseases affecting skin melanocytes in dogs, cats and horses: vitiligo and the uveodermatological syndrome: a comprehensive review. BMC Vet Res. 2019;15(1):251. Open access, CC BY 4.0. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6639964/
- Torres SMF, et al. 2.7 Facial Discoid Lupus Erythematosus: Dogs. Small and Large Animal Dermatology Handbook, Vol. 2. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2025 (CC BY 4.0). https://open.lib.umn.edu/animaldermatology2/chapter/facial-discoid-lupus-erythematosus-dogs-and-cats/