Why is my dog's pink belly skin turning purplish? Is it serious?

If your dog has recently been in an accident or possibly ingested a toxic substance, blue or purple discoloration can be caused by bruising or internal hemorrhaging. Otherwise, this could be a condition called cutaneous hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation is seldom a disorder in its own right, but rather a result of another medical condition. This can include conditions such as bacterial infections, [allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/canine-allergies/), [Cushing's disease](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/cushing-s-disease/) and [obesity](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/obesity/). Inflammation is typically responsible for the emergence of hyperpigmentation, unless your dog is a Dachshund. Hyperpigmentation is a primary disorder for Dachshunds. Signs of [hyperpigmentation](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pigment-changes-of-the-skin-and-coat) include a dark purple, blue, or sometimes black or pale brown color to the abdomen, limbs, and groin. Texture changes may also occur to the skin, in which case you will notice the skin becoming more dense and course. Regardless of the cause, I recommend that you have your dog examined by your veterinarian to determine the underlying cause of the color change in your dog's skin.

The picture shows skin that has a pink tint to it on my screen. But a purplish color could indicate issues with anemia or the red blood cells. I would recommend that the breeder have the puppy examined by a vet to see if it is significant. A CBC and examination of a blood smear will help determine if there are any red blood cell abnormalities.

Blue and purple spots could be bruises and if they are spreading I would be worried that your dog may have a coagulation problem. This would be very serious and would need to be investigated. A small blood test will find out whether your dog is either suffering from a congenital blood coagulation disorder or possibly ate some rodenticide which can cause the blood not to coagulate. Of course it could also just be hyperpigmentation. There are various causes for that, one being an endocrine disorder where the adrenal glands produce too much cortisone (cushings disease). I would recommend you make an appointment for an exam with your veterinarian.

It appears packer is having some bruising of his umbilical area. I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian for a good physical exam. Some dogs have small umbilical hernias that occur at birth. Fat or even intestines can get stuck in the hernia and cause problems. Also he could be having a local skin reaction but it is really hard to tell by a picture. Hope that helps and he feels better soon.

Hello, my name is Dr. Elizabeth and I am worried about Bingo. From the photo, that looks more like bruising. Bruising on a dog is always an emergency as it can indicate internal bleeding, a clotting disorder or low platelets. I recommend to have Bingo examined immediately. If your normal veterinarian cannot see her, I recommend to go to an emergency clinic. I hope everything gets figured out quickly and that Bingo does well.

Based on the picture I am Concerned that this may actually be bruising (however pictures do have their limitations). If this is bruising and there is no known trauma then I would be very concerned about a bleeding disorder or exposure to rodenticide which can be life threatening. If this is a rash then she is probably pretty uncomfortable and she would likely benefit from medication to decrease his itchiness. Either way I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by a veterinarian immediately. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

It sounds like an ecchymosis (basically a bruise under the skin) which is abnormal. Typically this indicates an autoimmune disorder called IMT (see link below) which can be very serious if left untreated. I suggest you take her to your vet tomorrow so they can examine her and do some blood testing. It is hard for me to say for sure that this is what she has without examining her myself. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951884