Vitiligo, the disease that affected Michael Jackson, causes pale white spots to appear on human skin.
But as any dog owner can attest, this rare disorder affects animals too.
Buster, an adorable four-year-old dog living in Oklahoma, went from black to completely white due to his vitiligo.
Photos posted on Reddit show the dog’s incredible transformation in changing color in the space of two and a half years.
Vitiligo is a condition in which skin pigment cells are destroyed in certain areas of the body, but it affects the coat and hair in addition to the skin.
The incredible before and after photos were posted on Reddit by Buster’s owner, Matt Smith. His pet completely changed from black to white over the course of two and a half years.
It is not clear why vitiligo occurs, but it is thought to occur when something interferes with the cells that produce melanin, the substance that gives color to skin and hair.
Since Buster’s owner, Oklahoma City-based Matt Smith (TallyMatty), posted the photos on Reddit, the story has gone viral.
“My son Buster (4 years old) has completely changed from black to white over the course of the last two and a half years,” Matt said.
“Buster has the skin condition vitiligo – it causes depigmentation of the skin (and coat).”
Other Reddit users responded with amazement, while many made comparisons to the world’s most famous vitiligo patient, Michael Jackson.
One posted: ‘Wow! This is the most fascinating thing I’ve seen on Reddit in a long time.
“I was sure this was going to be fake until I skimmed it.”
Another said: ‘If you hadn’t shown the transition I would never have believed it.
Another simply posted: “I’m barking at the dog in the mirror.”
The owner posted several snaps dating back to the beginning of Buster’s amazing transformation.
The owner had noticed white spots near Buster’s mouth and chin before they began to spread across his face and body. Pictured, August 2022
A human or animal with vitiligo experiences depigmentation, which occurs when the skin loses its natural pigments. Pictured, November 2022
It is not clear why vitiligo occurs, but it is thought to occur when something interferes with the body’s melanin-producing cells. Pictured, May 2023
He had initially noticed white spots near Buster’s mouth and chin before they began to spread across his face and body.
“He would lose his black fur and grow new white fur,” Matt said.
“So there was a time when he was going bald in spots until his fresh, fluffy white fur grew out.”
Fortunately, vitiligo in pets is painless and the dog is not known to experience any suffering or discomfort.
It’s also quite rare: Vitiligo is said to occur in less than one percent of dogs, according to Rover.com.
Some breeds, including the Rottweiler, Old English Sheepdog, German Shepherd, and Dachshund, are more prone than others.
In some dogs the entire body will become depigmented, but in others the condition will only appear in the form of patches or spots.
Vitiligo usually appears in adulthood, adds Rover.com, and almost always begins on the dog’s face.
According to PetMD, there are no treatments available for vitiligo that will re-pigment a pet’s affected skin and coat.
“However, since vitiligo causes no discomfort, your dog or cat will be fine living the rest of their life with this condition,” he says.
August 2023: Buster is mostly white with dark spots concentrated around his back and tail.
October 2023: Vitiligo in pets is painless and the dog is not known to experience any suffering or discomfort.
Many more owners have shared their experiences of having pets with vitiligo, including Elli, the adorable cookies and cream kitten from Germany.
Another Reddit user, u/BacardiBlue, said he once had a jet black cat that developed vitiligo.
“It started turning white on all its extremities…tip of nose, tips of ears, nose and tail and then it spread further,” they said.
“It was amazing to see the transformation over the 7 years I had him and my vet was absolutely fascinated.”
Meanwhile, Rowdy the black Labrador developed white spots around his eyes that appear to have been painted on by his owners.
MailOnline has contacted Mr Smith and The Kennel Club for further clarification on Buster’s breed.
