Mr. Squash E Bear
Fall 2007
Mister photogenic always had a smile for you. He wasn’t a big kisser but he sure loved to hug. Squash will be gone 3 years next month. Miss you big guy.
This is part of the Black and White Sunday Blog Hop. Thanks to My Life in Dog Years for hosting. Click here to get to know other wonderful animals and their parents and to see how you can take part in this fabulous blog hop!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
When I got home from my trip, the family was very concerned about Sofie’s nose. They had all noticed that her black nose had slowly been turning pink. They worried that she was doing something to herself, like scraping off her skin (ouch!). Or that she was sick. I assured them it was nothing to worry about, but then I started to worry. Why does a dog’s nose turn from black to pink? Did she have a vitamin deficiency? Was there something wrong? I know that with age most of my animals had started to lose pigment in their noses, but she was only 2 years old. So, being the ‘research-everything’ person that I am, I of course ‘Googled’ the situation, and found some very interesting facts.
Black Nose
April
1. Some dogs loose pigment in their noses in the winter. (Which is what I think might be going on here.) They call this ‘snow nose’ or ‘winter nose.’ Who knew? Though it seems to be something that is more common to dogs like Labrador Retrieve, Golden, Bernese or Husky (Sofie being none of those that we know – well maybe Golden?), the seasonal variation is no cause for alarm and goes back to black in the warmer months. I guess we will have to see.
2. Age of course is another reason. There is an enzyme called Tyrosinase which produces pigment. As a dog ages the nasal plenum (that is a cool word, don’t you think?) might change from black to brown or pink, as less of the enzyme is produced. Interestingly enough, Tyrosinase is also sensitive to temperature. This may be why the fading of the ‘plenum’ in warmer months happens too.
Pink Nose
January
3. Dermatitis, especially from plastic bowls, has been found to temporarily cause this. Or a real trauma, like an abrasion. If allergies are the cause, the dogs gums will possibly be red or inflamed too.
4. There is an immune disease that can cause a pink nose, called Vitiligo. (That is the disease that Michael Jackson said he had that turned his skin from black to white. I wonder if Sofie can sing?) But if a dog has this, there would be white patches usually throughout its body and white hairs. This seems to be found in Doberman, German Shepard, Rottweiler, and Dachshund mostly. It appears to be a rare problem, but I was happy to know that it can be managed by nutritional supplements (if you’re worry about the color of your dog’s nose). I guess show dogs can be disqualified if their pigment is not exactly right – so this might help in those cases.
Any changes in our little furry charges is always a cause of concern, but luckily Sofie has to go to the vet soon for her Booster shots, so I will have Dr. Kate take a look. Otherwise I would just wait until spring to see if her nose turns back to black. If it stays pink I guess I will have to invest in some Doggie sunscreen (Is there such a thing?).
What color is your dog’s nose?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Louise, Sofie, and Mojo
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Following Up Friday gives me a chance to catch you up on a few previous posts:
We are watching, so be warned!!
12.27.12 Two Dogs At Every School, got a lot of interesting comments. People were mostly concerned about the safety of the dogs. Yes I understand that a crazy person with a gun could shoot one of the dogs on entrance to the school, but isn’t that the point. Better to sacrafic one life for the lives of many (as Victoria Soto did for her students)? I did not get as much support around the idea as I expected. People were worried about allergies and the liability, and all of them are fair concerns. I guess it is just better to give every teacher a gun and make them focus on protecting their class instead of teaching our children (ok, I am being sarcastic here). The truth is, guns are not the problem, mental health is, so maybe we are protecting the wrong thing. I am disheartened, but will keep thinking on this one.
12.29.12 The Catnip-apillars come in a 3 pack from PetSmart. They were nothing fancy but all the animals are really enjoying them (Sofie Bear loves to suck and nibble on cat toys (OK that is weird now that I write it.)
Sofie’s 1st snow ever.
She was amazed, 2012
12.30.12 I never really thought about how many animals never will experience snow. But then, my zoo won’t experience desert, though I guess they could experience sand if I took them to the beach. I love the diversity of followers and the view from their locations. Makes me realize how incredibly different our environments are and how wonderful a medium the internet is to be able to virtually experience another climate.
1.1.13 A New Year and new experiences await. I forget to mention my new friend Pawsitively Pets, who was my buddy in the Christmas Blog Exchange. She has a wonderful and informative site, so go by and tell Ann Paws that DogDaz sent you.
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Follow Up Friday is part of the blog hop hosted by Heart Like A Dog. Check out the other blog hoppers:
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo 