What is this black spot on my pug's upper thigh? Is it serious?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see the area that you’re referring to on Zekes thigh. It does appear to be spreading. This can be caused by clogged pores or follicles, a skin infection, or for mites. It is important to have him looked at by a vet to determine exactly what is causing it. That can also prescribe medication, as well as a medicated shampoo, and treat the mites if he has any.

Thanks for the image. That could be an area of trauma or irritation. It may also be some localized infection (bacterial or fungal) or maybe a papillomatous growth (wart). If he is licking or chewing at the area, place an e-collar (cone) on him and schedule an exam with your veterinarian. If the spot is not bothering him and he is behaving normally otherwise, you can choose to monitor it at home for rapid change or growth, bleeding, discharge or discomfort. Should any of these symptoms develop, an exam with your veterinarian would be required to definitively diagnose the underlying cause. Any treatment will depend on the diagnosis.

I am sorry to hear about Rocco. This looks like it could potentially be a tumor that has a small ulceration or wound. We can have tumors that are benign and do not spread/cause other problems, but others are aggressive and should be removed. I would recommend bringing Rocco into the vet for an exam. Your vet may try to get some cells from the tumor to examine under the microscope in order to determine the type/behavior of the growth and determine if it should be surgically removed or if it can just be monitored.

It does look like a hot spot, aka moist dermatitis. Ideally, Titus should be examined by your veterinarian for confirmation. He will likely need the area shaved and cleaned. An e-collar (cone). May be needed to prevent scratching or rubbing. Your veterinarian will decide whether to treat topically, systemically or both. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications may be dispensed.

It's really difficult to tell what they are from the photos, because they are so small. If they have been there for a few months, then I would be concerned that they are an abnormal growth. I am concerned about melanoma as a potential cause, or they could be little warts or cysts. It's best to bring him in to the vet for an exam. They can look closely at this and help identify the cause. They may need to take a sample and send it to the lab in order to identify it. The sooner the cause is identified, the better the outcome can be if it's something serious.

You will need to have this examined by your veterinarian as this could either be a harmless wart or it could be a beginning melanoma which may need to be removed while it is small. It is not possible to determine what exactly this is just from a photo. Please make an appointment with your vet.

As this mass or spot is in an area of the body where we do see melanomas and other masses and where there is not a lot of extra skin, I suggest you have this examined ASAP by your veterinarian. This may be just a little skin infection easily treated with antibiotics, however in case it is a tumor, the smaller the mass the easier it is removed and the better and quicker it heals.