This guide is about a nose that becomes crusty, cracked, lighter in color, red or sore: a skin problem worth showing to your vet.
The hairless tip of a dog’s nose is called the nasal planum. Several quite different skin diseases can change it, and many of them look alike, so this guide explains the main causes and why a biopsy is often part of the diagnosis. [1][6]
Where on the nose?
Some problems start on the smooth nose itself, others on the haired bridge of the muzzle above it. Where the changes are helps your vet narrow the cause:
- The haired skin of the muzzle can be affected by demodicosis (a mite infestation), ringworm and bacterial skin infection. These three can look so similar that vets test for each of them. [3][4]
- Crusts on top of the muzzle are typical of pemphigus foliaceus, which often starts on the face and only sometimes spreads onto the nose itself. [2]
- A nose that loses its dark color, turns red and scaly, and later develops sores and crusts, is the classic pattern of facial discoid lupus. [1]
Discoid lupus can also involve the lips, the ear flaps and the skin around the eyes. [1]
Causes vets consider
Infections and mites
Demodicosis can cause a clearly outlined bald, red patch on the muzzle, and ringworm and bacterial skin infection are the main look-alikes. [3] Ringworm is often blamed when it is not the real cause, especially in dogs, which is why a test is needed to confirm it. [4] See pyoderma in dogs and ringworm in dogs and cats.
Immune-mediated disease (lupus and pemphigus)
Pemphigus foliaceus is the most common autoimmune skin disease in dogs, and facial discoid lupus is the second most common. [1][2] In discoid lupus the nose first turns pale, red and scaly, then can develop deep sores and crusts and lose its normal cobblestone surface. Healed areas may scar. Affected dogs usually feel well otherwise. [1] Vets also keep a skin form of lymphoma and a few other conditions on the list of look-alikes. [1] For pemphigus elsewhere on the body, see pemphigus foliaceus in dogs and cats.
In areas where the parasitic disease leishmaniasis occurs, it can look very similar. A study of nose biopsies from 14 dogs with discoid lupus and 6 with leishmaniasis found similar features under the microscope in both, and concluded that in areas where leishmaniasis is common, vets should test for the parasite in dogs whose nose looks like discoid lupus. [5]
An inherited crusty nose in Labradors
Hereditary nasal parakeratosis is an inherited condition in which firmly stuck crusts, scale and cracks build up on the nose. It has been reported in Labrador Retrievers, their crosses and Greyhounds, and usually shows up in young dogs by about one year of age. A damaged nose may bleed. [6] A change in a single gene (SUV39H2) has been linked to the condition in Labradors. [7] In a report of 11 affected Labradors, the disease was first seen between 6 months and 2 years of age, in dogs of either sex and all coat colors. The skin thickening (hyperkeratosis) and loss of color were confined to the nose, and the dogs were otherwise healthy. [8] Topical treatments applied to the nose were often effective, but continued use was needed to keep the benefit. [8]
Insect stings and bites
Insect and snake bites or stings are among the known triggers of hives and sudden facial swelling in animals. [9] See hives and facial swelling in dogs.
Sunlight makes some nose problems worse
Once the nose loses its pigment, that pale skin is more easily damaged by the sun, and discoid lupus sores typically get worse with sun exposure. [1] A nose that flares up every summer still needs a firm diagnosis, because several of these diseases can behave this way.
Other nose conditions
We have separate guides to other nose conditions: nasal hyperkeratosis (a thick crust on top of the nose), bleeding from the groove under the nose, mucocutaneous pyoderma (crusty sores at the edges of the lips and nostrils) and fungal nose infections.
What your vet will check
Treatment depends on the cause, so the first step is finding it. Depending on what the nose looks like, tests may include:
- Deep skin scrapings from several spots to look for mites [3]
- Hair and scale samples and a fungal culture for ringworm [4]
- A sample from under a crust looked at under the microscope, which helps separate pemphigus from lupus [1][2]
- Biopsies of the affected skin [1][6]
A biopsy is especially useful on the nose because several of these conditions look alike. [1][5][6]
When to see your vet
Book a visit if your dog’s nose:
- Is crusty, thickened or cracked
- Is losing its normal dark color
- Is red, raw, oozing or has sores
- Has crusts that spread to the muzzle or around the eyes
See your vet promptly if the nose swells suddenly, or if your dog also seems unwell.
FAQ
Does a dry nose mean my dog is sick?
This guide covers a nose that is crusty, cracked, sore or changing color, and those changes should be checked by your vet. If your dog also seems unwell, call your vet.
Why is my Labrador’s nose crusty?
Many causes are possible, but Labradors can inherit a condition called hereditary nasal parakeratosis, which causes crusts and cracks on the nose and usually starts in young dogs. [6][8] Your vet can confirm it.
Why is my dog’s nose losing color?
Loss of color with redness is typical of discoid lupus, and other conditions, including a skin form of lymphoma and leishmaniasis, can look similar. [1][5] A vet visit and often a biopsy are needed to know which one.
Can I put human lip balm or sunscreen on my dog’s nose?
Ask your vet first. Products made for people are not always safe for dogs, and your vet can tell you what suits your dog’s nose.
The bottom line
A crusty, cracked, pale or sore nose in a dog has many possible causes, from infections and mites to immune-mediated disease and an inherited condition in Labradors. Because several look alike, your vet’s tests, often including a biopsy, are the way to find the cause and the right treatment.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog’s nose is crusty, sore or changing color, please see your veterinarian.
Sources
- 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/
- Torres SMF, et al. 2.3 Pemphigus Foliaceus. 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/pemphigus-folicaceus/
- Torres SMF, et al. 3.1 Canine Demodicosis. Small and Large Animal Dermatology Handbook, Vol. 1. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2025 (CC BY 4.0). https://open.lib.umn.edu/animaldermatology/chapter/canine-demodicosis-new/
- Torres SMF, et al. 4.1 Dermatophytosis: Dogs and Cats. Small and Large Animal Dermatology Handbook, Vol. 1. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2025 (CC BY 4.0). https://open.lib.umn.edu/animaldermatology/chapter/dermatophytosis-dogs-and-cats/
- De Lucia M, Mezzalira G, Bardagí M, Fondevila DM, Fabbri E, Fondati A. A retrospective study comparing histopathological and immunopathological features of nasal planum dermatitis in 20 dogs with discoid lupus erythematosus or leishmaniosis. Vet Dermatol. 2017;28(2):200-e46. PMID 28133824. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28133824/
- Torres SMF, et al. 3.4 Familial Nasal Parakeratosis and Footpad Hyperkeratosis: 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/hereditary-keratinization-disorders-familial-nasal-parakeratosis-and-footpad-hyperkeratosis-dogs/
- Jagannathan V, Bannoehr J, Plattet P, et al. A mutation in the SUV39H2 gene in Labrador Retrievers with hereditary nasal parakeratosis (HNPK) provides insights into the epigenetics of keratinocyte differentiation. PLoS Genet. 2013;9(10):e1003848. PMID 24098150. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3789836/
- Peters J, Scott DW, Erb HN, Miller WH. Hereditary nasal parakeratosis in Labrador retrievers: 11 new cases and a retrospective study on the presence of accumulations of serum (‘serum lakes’) in the epidermis of parakeratotic dermatoses and inflamed nasal plana of dogs. Vet Dermatol. 2003;14(4):197-203. PMID 12895224. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12895224/
- Torres SMF, et al. 2.9 Urticaria: Small and Large Animals. Small and Large Animal Dermatology Handbook, Vol. 1. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2025 (CC BY 4.0). https://open.lib.umn.edu/animaldermatology/chapter/urticaria/