Black dots on French Bulldog skin? When to give puppy first bath?

Hello. You can bath your Frenchie today if you like. Use a mild, oatmeal based shampoo, or one labeled for puppies of which there are many. I would not bathe more than every week or so, unless she gets extremely dirty. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Black spots on the skin are often an indicator of inflammation. I would recommend that you have Chanel examined by a vet. Bulldogs are notorious from having many different types of skin issues, and early treatment may limit some of their severity. The vet will do a thorough exam, and may take a sample to examine under a microscope, which can check for mites, bacteria, and yeast.

Without seeing the spots it is hard to say what it is and what we would recommend. I recommend either submitting a question with pictures attached or taking a trip to your veterinarian to have Chanel looked at. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Some dogs can have color changes to their coats as they age and it isn't necessarily a medical issue. It is wise, however, to get your dog checked out to be sure the skin under the fur is all normal and not causing a changing appearance to the coat. The skin of dogs can darken due to inflammation and infection and this can make the coat appear darker in color.

Breeds like French Bulldogs, Boxers and English Bulldogs are prone to skin abnormalities around their muzzles. They can have issues with acne, infected hair follicles, ingrown hairs and sometimes even allergies. Jack has some pretty big lesions so I recommend to have him checked out by his veterinarian as he may need systemic medication to address inflammation and possibly infection. Talk to the doctor about topical treatment that you can provide on a routine basis. Keeping his muzzle clean and dry will also help to prevent this moving forward. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions!

That spot on Louie could be several things including an injury, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesion with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just the spot). Protect the area from licking or scratching. If it doesn't start looking better within about a week or if it gets worse, have him examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely just a change in pigmentation and not necessarily abnormal. I recommend that you continue to monitor this and if at any point it becomes raised or she seems bothered by it, have her evaluated by your veterinarian. Good luck and have a good night!