By Maria Azzurra VolpeShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberA dog owner revealed how her Labrador retriever’s fur changed after developing vitiligo and internet users can’t cope with it.
Pictures shared on Reddit on Thursday under the username u/multi_the_opossum show the pup in 2023, with her fur completely black, and then in 2025 with half of her coat, including most of the face and neck gray.
“My 9-year-old baby girl has vitiligo it appeared two years ago,” the poster says in the caption.
Anthea Schick, veterinary dermatologist and national specialty director of dermatology at Thrive Pet Healthcare, told Newsweek that vitiligo is an autoimmune condition that causes loss of pigment in the skin and, sometimes, in the hair, like it did for the pup in the clip.
...“Vitiligo occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks melanocytes, which are the cells responsible for producing pigment, leading to progressive lightning and complete depigmentation in affected areas,” she said.
While the exact cause of this condition is not fully understood, vitiligo is believed to be immune-mediated, as the body mounts an inappropriate immune response targeting the melanocytes. Genetics probably play a role as certain breeds are predisposed.
“The condition is not contagious, infectious or related to pain, itching or poor health. No single gene has been identified as responsible for the development of vitiligo, and it's likely polygenic, meaning multiple genes are involved,” Schick said.
According to Schick, vitiligo most commonly begins in young adulthood, with patchy pigment loss on the face, especially around the nose, lips, and eyelids, though, any area of skin or coat can develop pigment loss, including the nails and the foot pads.
“The color change usually progresses over weeks to months,” she said. “Dogs remain comfortable throughout the process; there's no itchiness, inflammation, or pain associated with vitiligo. In some dogs, the pigment can return over time, but more likely it's permanent.”
Vitiligo is purely cosmetic; it does not reduce the quality of life, and affected dogs do not feel unwell, so they don't require any medical treatment.
“Because depigmented areas lack protective pigmentation and melanin, sun protection is recommended to prevent sunburn. Most veterinarians can diagnose vitiligo based on a physical exam, though a biopsy can confirm the condition to rule out other causes,” Schick added.
Rottweilers, Doberman pinchers, Belgian Tervurens, and Siamese cats are most likely to get it, although any breed or mixed breed can be affected.
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The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 57,000 upvotes and 775 comments on the platform.
One user, Xxtatgirl93xx, commented: “She turned into a wonderfully cute doggo from an already cute doggo!”
FullThrottleBandit said: “All I see is that she's progressively getting more and more unique, and she was one of a kind to begin with. Truly a rare pupper.”
Davenporten added: “Are you sure she wasn’t a Dalmatian covered in ash to trick Cruella?”
Newsweek reached out to u/multi_the_opossum for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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