Zinc-responsive skin disease in northern breeds

Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies and some German Shorthaired Pointers inherit a reduced ability to absorb zinc, and the skin shows it: crusting and thickening around the mouth, eyes, ears and on the pressure points of the legs, often with secondary yeast infection¹. The Merck Veterinary Manual describes diagnosis by skin biopsy and by the response to oral zinc, and notes that the condition can flare with stress or hormonal change¹.

It is not a senior disease as such, but it is lifelong and it looks like several other things an older dog can get, from allergies to autoimmune disease. If a Husky or Malamute develops crusty patches on the face, mention zinc to the vet before long courses of steroids are tried.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Your vet knows your dog.

Sources

1. Cutaneous Manifestations of Multisystemic and Metabolic Defects in Animals (zinc-responsive dermatosis). Merck Veterinary Manual. Accessed 2026-09-22.