Split Nostrils/Nose - Page 2

Hi Andy---Just got off the phone with the receptionist.  She looked up the account and only saw the words granulation gel.  I heard her ask a tech and a voice said "He makes his own." (The vet, himself, wasn't there.)  Could you bust?  It's probably Derma-gel.  Anyway.....if your vet doesn't know, I will call again tomorrow.  Better yet....I'll give my vet's phone number to yours, and the secret formulation can stay hidden from us peons. (lol)

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but its an autoimmune issue. I had a shep several years ago that had 
this. There was no way to treat it really. There is a specifc name for it, Ill have to look through info to find it. There are herbs/amino acids that help but unfortunately it most likely will never go away. I will post the info I found on it when I find it.  Antibiotics are not effective and will eventually cause more harm than good because any good bacteria will be wiped out.

Nothing I tried (and I tried just about everything) externally helped it. Your better off trying to heal the dog from the inside out.  I feel for you and your dog.

I was also going to go with the Autoimmune Disorder, I would have your Vet do a Coombs and ANA test on your dog and see what that shows. it's a blood test and also maybe even a CBC/Chem panel, I also would check into Lupus that some times shows up on the nose and sides of the mouth.
This is what we see at work, it is just a thought. 
let us know what you find out.
Robin

Sorry to hear about this. My last GSD had this same problem, developed when about age 7. I think the vet called it hyperkeratosis and felt it was an autoimmune problem. We never found anything that worked unfortunately, however he did have periods when it was not so bad. The biggest problem was that once a split developed it took a long time to heal again.

 I'm sorry to hear about these problems, and that it's an autoimmune disease.  I don't have any info to add, but you have my sympathy.

I did notice one thing I can't resist commenting on, I hope you don't mind a little smile on this thread:

"She is also trained to open gates and bring the food bowls to the kitchen after meals ..."

Holy cow, it took me 6 years to teach my human kids to do this!  How ever did you do it?

We haver a Bitch with the same problem, but her Son does not, but here`s the strange bit!!!
if she goes into Kennels for a week its almost gone but back in a few days??
We think it might be our Carpet that has "Scotchguard" on it
Will soon Know having a new Carpet soon with out the protection, if that cures it will post here

Question:
Do you use plastic bowels?

Thanks for all the replies guys. When I took him to the vet she did have a good look at his gums & penis to see if similar lesions were apparent so she may well have had an inkling it was AI but didn't want to trouble me with her thoughts. As originally mentioned this comes & goes and the picture shows the worst it ever gets, which as Missbeeb mentioned is always in the winter. He's coming up to 6 yrs this August and as fit as 5 miles a day in all weathers gets you.

It's good to know what the underlying cause may be but for the moment I'm not going to get into too much of a panic and concentrate on topically treating by keeping it moist. Lennard's last comment raised an incling I've also had, in that we use a woodburner & you wouldn't believe the dust this produces - really fine stuff as well. Also both of us do smoke, yes I know....

Your kind thoughts & concerns are really appreciated and it does also help that I'm old & ugly enough to realise these things come to try us and time spent enjoying the present, as 'ol Nelson does to the full, is never time wasted.

Andy

LMH - I'll hold forth on the gel for the time being but will hold it for future reference.

We use stainless steel bowls.

BTW when I mentioned that we smoke, I meant me & my partner & not me & the dog !!