Why is my dog getting black spots on her skin? What can I do?

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.

Hi and thanks for your request. One of the most important reasons for darkening of the skin is a chronic type of inflammation. This is usually combined with more clinical signs (like other skin lesions, itch or alopecia). If no other signs are present then a metabolic or endocrine disease can be suspected. Please repost your question and give us more informations and ideally some pictures so we can give you more specific answers.

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.

Hi there, Thanks for the good photo. This looks like some mild pigment change, probably due to friction of motion in the area. This may become more pronounced as she ages. This is not of any medical concern. Skin changes that you should be concerned about would include but not be limited to: redness, swelling, crusting or flaking, itchiness, increase in greasiness or discharge from the skin, or growths. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

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!

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.