My dog has black spots spreading on his belly. Are they mold?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Judging from the photo, these look to be cutaneous hemangiomas, which are typically benign. However, these can turn into malignant cancerous tumors if not addressed early enough. I recommend having these removed before they turn into cancerous tumors. These superficial skin tumors are typically removed using electrocautery. Removal is typically simple and requires no major aftercare for healing. I hope this helps! I would discuss having these removed with your veterinarian as soon as possible. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi and thanks for posting! Thank you for sending along a picture as well. From your picture, it looks to me like comedones or otherwise known as blackheads which occur when the hair follicle becomes clogged. Usually these can be treated with certain medicated shampoos that contain benzoyl peroxide in them to help flush out the follicle. Be sure to purchase these shampoos from your veterinarian as dogs can be especially sensitive to human shampoos and other human hygiene products. I hope this helps!

This looks like a mild bacterial skin infection. Dogs can get this from laying on damp ground. Often it will go away on its own. You can bathe the area with antibacterial shampoo once or twice weekly to help it heal more quickly. Since she’s not bothered by it I’m not overly concerned. Should it worsen please take her in for an exam. She may need oral antibiotics if is gets bad. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Marley.

Without images or a physical exam, it can be difficult to determine definitively what is on your pup's skin. That said, many puppies have patches of [darker skin](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pigment-changes-of-the-skin-and-coat/) on their bellies. If these areas are flat, smooth to the touch and not bothering him, then it is probably just his skin coloration. If the areas are itchy or raised, then it would be a good idea to have them checked out by a vet since this may indicate a [skin infection](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/staphylococcal-pyoderma-1/) or some other problem.

I'm not quite sure what it is, either! It could be small amounts of dried blood in the pores, dirt, or debris from the bumps healing. I can see a few more pustules in the second picture, so it looks like Panda hasn't completely resolved the original issue. You can try a follicle flushing shampoo, like Dechra DermaBenSs Shampoo which contains benzoyl peroxide, but Panda may need oral antibiotics to clear up any infection present. Also, make sure she is on a good flea preventative as sometimes flea bites can present this way. If it isn't looking better in a couple days, Panda should definitely go to the vet for diagnosis.

This looks like it is most likely an infection in the skin. It is very common to start out red and crusty like this. The black spots are usually a reaction to irritation and the skin gets more pigment. Most of the time, infections in the skin are secondary to allergies or anything else that causes inflammation in the skin. I would recommend an evaluation by a veterinarian and a skin scraping. The skin scraping will look for mites, yeast and bacteria. This way, the veterinarian can choose the right type of treatment. Often, these infections need to be treated with oral medication. I hope this helps and that Chappie gets better soon!

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!