A rare skin disease called vitiligo is turning his black coat white around his eyes, mouth, body and bottom.
“He’s just getting whiter and whiter,” says owner and Grey Lynn veterinary nurse Vanessa Townsend-Paley. “Even his nails that were once black are turning white.” The six-year-old is believed to be the first rottweiler with vitiligo in Australasia.
The disease, which also affects humans – most famously singer Michael Jackson – and other animals, attacks the cells that produce skin pigment melanin. When melanin production stops, skin loses its pigmentation and turns white. But doctors don’t know what causes it and have no cure.
“Rommel’s the only one in the whole litter of 13 that’s changed colour,” says Ms Townsend-Paley, 32.
Vitiligo is genetic but some believe it can be triggered by stress or trauma.
Rommel broke his leg six months before the vitiligo surfaced. Ms Townsend-Paley believes the trauma only sped up what was going to happen anyway. She noticed something was wrong when Rommel started losing the pigment around his mouth.
The North Shore resident works at Grey Lynn Vetcare. She asked veterinarian Alex Melrose to treat the problem but it didn’t go away. “Then Rommel started to develop white spots on his back, one then more,” Ms Townsend-Paley says.
“That’s when we started questioning what was going on.” She combed the internet for more information and after Rommel developed about 30 spots overnight, a biopsy revealed vitiligo. “Everyone was just blown away,” she says. “Then it was like well, what do we do from here?”
Dr Melrose suggested she try copper supplements and high doses of vitamins to help restore pigment and regulate the immune system. “But that hasn’t stopped it or slowed it down,” Ms Townsend-Paley says.
“You just don’t ever see a case like this. I’ve tried everything. Most people say it’s untreatable. “Rommel’s in perfect health otherwise but now he’s not taking anything. We’re just letting it take its course because nothing’s worked.
“It’s just a case of wait and see.”
[...] Vitiligo Cover » Rare Case of Rottweiler With VitiligoJun 15, 2007 … rottweiler with vitiligo A rare skin disease called vitiligo is turning his black coat white around his eyes, mouth, body and bottom. “He’s just … [...]
hey guys, I’ve been following this website. I have a male Rottweiler who is going o be 2 in 2 months from now. My boy had one white hair just behind his neck at the beginning of his spine when he was about 8 months old. That white hair stayed forever and over the past 3 or 4 months, his white hair spread increased and his back got a lot of white hair, not totally white but one out of every 10 hair would be black. Rather if you run your hand along his fur you could constantly see one or 2 white hair. He got one or 2 specks on his nose, but those pink spots have surprisingly disappeared. Although his front toe nails are turning white, suddenly I’m noticing a lot of white hair fall in him. I’ve been giving him ‘Beaphar Top 10′ multi vitamin tablets. This I feel has really helped him. He is extremely attached to me, and he used to get stressed when I was away at school for the better part of the day. Now that I’m done with school, i’m home for vacations and he seems so much more relaxed. I hope there is a cure for all your Rottweilers with Vitiligo. if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me and if you have any thought, please do contact me. Cheers
my rottweiler bitch chelsey is 3yrs old and she has vitiligo but i would say it started turning white after her mother bit into her face when they were arguing over there food. she got a cut just near her eye after that the hair near the cut went white then her nose turned a pale colour and now she has white splodges over her body here and there asif she is going old and grey looking. i first thought it was due to trauma coz of the bite she recieved, but then i came on this site and now believe it to be this vitiligo. coz it matches to everybody elses description. other than that she in perfect health and she my dog. i used to breed them and altogether i have 4 rotties mum dad and son and daughter. the rest of them ok just my chelsey