Pigmentation problem

[pmjblue]

Right.....after months of research I have come to a dead end, so posting a question in the hope someone 'may' have an answer! Around 12 months ago my rough collie started to lose the pigmentation in her lips and the base of her nose at around 18 months of age. Loads of tests, not collie nose, and tried everything, even importing some liquid stuff from Australia - tried spinach (raw and cooked), pygmaleon, Dorwest herbs products, seaweed, kelp, nettle liquid, collodial silver, and some anti fungal cream which I put on her nose. Stopped giving her carrots and have even had her fur tested to see what could be the problem. Now she has lost the pigmentation around her top eyelids, and the bottom lids look like she has black eye liner on. More recently she has had eye problems, and after tests, we have found her to have a lack of tear production and 'dry eye'. Her nose and lips are now back to almost black again, although I anticipate during the summer the nose will go a dark liver colour again, and the lips may yet again go pink. Around the time that this started I bought a water fountain, which was plastic, and I promptly removed this, thinking she was allergic to plastic.......and I also washed her toys in biological washing powder. Any bright ideas!?

[lankeela]

Sorry, got no answer other than what you have already tried,
just felt bad that after all your answers to other people, no-one bothered to answer your question!

Bit late for this year, but you could ask on some of the stands at Crufts. Doreen Paige is usually spot on with stuff like this.

Do you know about UKShowdogs, a Yahoo! Group for - well - UKShowdog owners! Things like this are discussed on there regularly.

[lankeela]

I have asked on one of my other groups, and the general recommendation is seaweed powder, although you say you have tried this.

More worrying is the discussion on 'dry eye' - one suggested a product called Optimune. Another said their dog had to have the tear ducts operated on and eventually lost the sight of one eye. It was eventually traced to an auto immune problem. Sorry can't be more help.

[lankeela]

Have a look at this site and put in the search box Collie Nose and then Dry Eye.

http://www.peteducation.com/default.cfm

[pmjblue]

thanks Lankeela - I have had products from Doreen Paige already. And strangely enough she has been prescribed optimmune. Her tear duct production was very low, the one did not even register on the scale, and the minimum reading is apparently 5 - normal reading is 10, but apparently most dogs read around 15-20. After putting Optimmune in twice daily her reading went up to 17 in one eye, and 10 in the other, but I have tried not to use it every day now and reduced it to every other day, and when I took her for a check up on Monday, the readings were down to 10 in both eyes again. However, I 'think' the pigmentation is coming back a little, as the corners of the skin around her eyes are almost back to black - so the pigmentation loss in her eyes could be due to dry eye, and nothing to do with her nose and lips. However, she now has a reddy/pinkish area on her nose again, so I cant win! I am now convinced the latter problem is related to a horrible habit that bitches have, especially when they are in season, and she is due, so just trying to stop her putting her nose where it shouldnt be! Strange one though, you will have to ask around and let me know if anyone has any bright ideas!