Dear Dr. Fox: I have a 2-year-old mix of Labrador retriever, Australian shepherd and border collie that I chose from a litter being given away in front of a grocery store. He is a wonderful dog with beautiful markings, except for his nose. Only part of his nose has pigment, which results in the rest of his nose being raw and scabby upon exposure to the sun, which is frequent.

My vet suggested the use of sunscreen, which I have tried along with applying Vaseline, but he licks it off as soon as it is applied. Do you have any ideas or suggestions for treating this? -- B.J.N., Ahwahnee, Calif.

Dear B.J.N.: This condition is so common in border collies that it is called "collie nose," a skin disease often misdiagnosed as a simple photosensitivity to sunlight. This is because it can flare up in the summer with exposure to ultraviolet light and is more evident in white-muzzled dogs. While bacterial, fungal and other skin infections need to be ruled out, the most likely cause is an autoimmune disease that causes localized lupus erythematosus. Corticosteroid lotion is often effective in reducing inflammation, but may delay healing. Make a mixture of five drops each of frankincense, myrrh and helichrysum into 50 drops of almond oil -- apply three times daily. This will help the non-pigmented area of muzzle skin to heal, regenerating new cells and keeping potentially harmful bacteria at bay. Put it on the dog while you are sitting together on the sofa or on the floor, and keep the dog from licking or rubbing the medication off for at least 20 minutes.

Once healed, your veterinarian might consider tattooing the muzzle skin to artificially impregnate the delicate skin with protective pigment. When the dog is outdoors, apply gentian violet, calamine, or zinc oxide for protection. But most importantly, enjoy your dog with either a purple or white muzzle.

I found the tattooing worked well on white-muzzled dogs at my wife Deanna's animal refuge in India. But the veterinarian must rule out any other underlying autoimmune disease when treating this sunlight-sensitive condition.

Dear Dr. Fox: Our adorable 3-year-old Lhasa apso is in good health, but itches uncontrollably after baths. We have tried the following remedies with poor results:

· One vet recommended Virbac Etiderm shampoo.

· Another vet said to put one capful of shampoo in a cup of water.

· Lastly, I tried using only tap water (no shampoo), but she still scratched.

She was given hydroxyzine (25 mg) to take several times a day, but I prefer not to medicate her and especially not that much. Our answer is to not give her baths, but she does get a bit smelly. -- M.G., Oakton, Va.

Dear M.G.: How often were you bathing your dog and why?

If she has an oily and smelly coat, you need to look into changing her diet. Healthy dogs on a good diet don't smell and rarely need to be bathed. All they need is good grooming every few days.

Some people are obsessive dog shampooers, which can disrupt the normal, healthy bacterial population "barrier" on their skin. The skin may become hypersensitive and more prone to irritants and infections.

Cut back on the bathing, and give your dog a half a teaspoon of fish oil in her food daily. Use aloe-vera liquid as a basic shampoo with additional herbs such as German chamomile, lavender, nettle and calendula.

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