Pigment loss & bleeding nose

[Kathleen]

Greetings from Montana! I've briefly checked through past topics and did not see this one posted, but I might have missed it. Our shelter-rescued dog, Winter, has lost the pigmentation in her nose (she's a German shorthaired pointer cross, 3 years old). The vets are noncommittal about it, suggesting that it's an auto-immune disease affecting the face only (not systemic lupus). Discoid lupus is a possibility, according to my research. A couple years ago a veterinarian put her on steroids, but it changed her personality for the worse, and her personality is not great to start with! Then we used a topical steroid with minimal effect (she licks it off--same with sunscreen).

The problem is worsened by sunlight. During shoulder seasons (spring & fall) she likes to lie in the sun because it feels good. When summer arrives, the sun is too intense and she mostly stays out of it. During the winter, her condition improves greatly. She's in bad shape right now--her nose is pink, raw, and fragile, crusty around the edges, and bleeding. It doesn't seem painful, though. She must be part bloodhound, because she lives to smell the smells and her nose is always on the ground, which leads to scraping and more bleeding.

It appears that it will be a life-long issue. I'm thinking I'll try vitamin E after a little more research--while it might not help, it probably won't hurt. Has anyone else had to deal with this--successfully, or otherwise? Thanks!