Why does my dog have black spots on her belly that won't wash off?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. From what you are describing these sound like comedones, or clogged pores. A comedone is similar to a pimple, in that it is a collection of oily material in a pore. It is black because of exposure to oxygen and accumulation of debris. Comedones may be a sign of a skin issue such as mites, or over-secretion of oils, but they can also be signs of an underlying hormonal disease such as Cushing's disease. As long as they are not irritating to your dog, there is no need to try to get rid of them. Comedones may be reduced by use of benzoyl peroxide shampoos, which have “follicular flushing action,” the ability to go down inside pores and hair follicles and remove foreign material. I recommend contacting your regular veterinarian who may recommend a medicated shampoo, and/or may recommend that your dog be seen for an exam and bloodwork to evaluate for any underlying diseases that may be related to his/her comedones. I hope this is helpful!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Based off the picture, these dark black spots on Honey's abdomen appear to be comedones, which are basically clogged pores that fill with oil and skin debris. There are clinically insignificant, and shouldn't cause her any issues. If she doesn't seem bothered by them, she should be just fine! If she seems to want to lick or cause irritation to the area, she may have another confounding skin issue such as a superficial infection. I hope this is helpful!

Hello. These are comedones, essentially black heads, & they are commonly associated with dogs that have allergies. You can try bathing CJ in a benzoyl peroxide product ( shampoo or gel ) for its follicle flushing properties. Bathe weekly & make sure you leave the shampoo on for at least 10 minutes before rinsing. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Judging from the pictures I suspect what you are seeing are blackheads. I would recommend using a shampoo called Dermabenz to help remove these. You can find this shampoo online quite easily and bathe twice weekly until resooved. If the condition does not improve or it worsens then I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Those black spots look like comedones (aka: blackheads). I suggest you use this shampoo that contains benzoyl peroxide. Lather the affected areas (no need to do the whole dog), let it sit for 10-15 minutes and then rinse throughly. Do this every 2-3 days until they are gone. Then use this shampoo 1-2 times every month for maintenance. ( allivet.com/p-7130-oxiderm-shampoo-ps.aspx )

Those looks like comedones (blackheads). They are not really a big problem. You can use a benzoyl peroxide (not hydrogen peroxide) product to see if you can get them to go away. Since you are in Iraq, I don't have any idea about what product to recommend you use. Usually a human acne product will contain benzoyl peroxide. I suggest you try to find something like that and then post again with photos of the product so we can tell you if it is OK to use and also, how to use it. Your other option is to do nothing. She has very few and they may never cause her any problems and they may go away on their own. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Dogs can get blocked pores and blackheads, or what we medically call comedones These typically can be treated with a benzoyl peroxide based shampoo (i.e. Duoxo shampoos). In most situations these are benign, but it is always a good idea to have your vet do a general health exam on your pet to ensure no other underlying disease processes are occurring as well. Pets with hypothyroidism can be prone to this condition. Your vet can also provide an appropriate shampoo to help keep pores healthy. Adding an omega 3 fatty acid for pets can also help improve skin health. Best of luck.