Bifid nose

A bifid nose, also known as a cleft nose or double nose, is a condition in which a dog's nose develops as two separate halves separated by a central groove. In the Turkish Pointer (Çatalburun) breed, a bifid nose is considered a characteristic feature and is not a defect. In rare cases, it can also occur in individuals of other breeds, where a double nose may develop from other genetic or developmental causes.

In Turkish pointers, this trait is associated with the c.1122-2A>C mutation in the PDGFRA gene. The phenotype appears in heterozygotes, i.e., individuals who have one copy of the mutated gene inherited from one of their parents. This probably corresponds to autosomal dominant inheritance. However, no homozygotes for this mutation have been identified to date, so the exact inheritance pattern has not been definitively confirmed.

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References:

Buckley, R.M., Bilgen, N., Harris, A.C., Savolainen, P., Tepeli, C., Erdoğan, M., Serres Armero, A., Dreger, D.L., van Steenbeek, F.G., Hytönen, M.K., Parker, H.G., Hale, J., Lohi, H., Çınar Kul, B., Boyko, A.R., Ostrander, E.A. : Analysis of canine gene constraint identifies new variants for orofacial clefts and stature. Genome Res 35:1080-1093, 2025. Pubmed reference: 40127928. DOI: 10.1101/gr.280092.124.