Should I be concerned about a black spot on my dog's skin or fur?

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Pigmentary changes to the hair/coat are not that unusual, especially if there are no underlying lesions. If your pet ever sustained an injury to that area in the past, even a mild infection or burn, the hair follicles can be affected & color can change months to even years later. So, if she is not bothered by the area, you feel no lumps, bumps, roughness, see no redness or dermatitis, then this may just be a normal change in an unusual area. Just mention it to your vet at your next visit. Take care.

This does not look concerning to me. I suspect it is just normal pigmentation in the skin (like freckle-- only obvious quite large!). If he is licking at it a lot, or if the associated skin seems warm or inflamed, have your vet take a look. Again, overall I don't think you need to worry. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

If Cuddles does not appear to be itchy, losing fur, have dry/crusty skin then this may be a normal change in the pigment of the skin. Sometimes that happens as pets get older. Other things can also make the skin change color like chronic allergies. When in doubt, take him to the vet to get checked out.

Is she itchy or having any other issues? If not it looks like pigment and if they continue to get larger or more than I would have your veterinarian take a look just to be sure. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These are likely patches of hyperpigmentation. However, continue to monitor them closely because sometimes skin cancer such as melanoma can start like that. If these ever become raised or seem to bother him or appear to be spreading, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check on it and sample to get a diagnosis. Best of luck!

I would recommend an examination by your vet. Darkened areas of skin can result from inflammation of the skin and this could be due to a fungus such as ringworm, a bacterial infection, or we can see skin tumors/growths in dogs as well. Your vet can examine the skin/fur and may recommend a ringworm culture, a skin cytology test to look for bacteria or yeast, or other testing depending on the appearance.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Many dogs normally have darker pigmented areas of skin under their fur. In some dogs, this does pigment can increase with age. It is impossible to tell only from a photograph however if this is normal pigment. She would need to be assessed by a veterinarian with a physical exam to determine if there is cause for concern.