My dog has a bruise on her leg with no injury. Is it serious?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see the circular, dark red, flat areas on Denim's skin. These definitely look like bruises, and can be caused by abnormal blood clotting. This can be caused by certain toxins such as rat poison, cancers, and inherent inability of the blood to clot. Your vet can run some quick blood tests to determine what is going on. I hope this helps and that all is well with Denim!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Nikki. She needs to see an emergency veterinarian this evening. Bruising is a worrisome sign in a dog, as it is less common that in people. Bruising can indicate significant trauma such as from a broken leg. This would be diagnosed with an x-ray. If bruising is found on other locations on her body, in addition to the leg, then a bleeding disorder could be possible. This would require blood work testing. Her veterinarian will be able to guide you based on her exam findings. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

Hello, Its hard to give you definitive advise, because this could be nothing or something. Most likely, t could also be a simple insect bite or minor trauma that resolves on its own within a couple of days. However, I'd recommend monitoring that bruise for any changes and the rest of his skin and gums for new bruising or bleeding. Mysterious bruises can be a sign of blood disorders. If Charlie experiences any additional bruising, bleeding, or changes in appetite or behavior, I'd recommend taking him to the vet right away. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If the bruising is accompanied by lethargy, swelling and lameness, then Chomps should be seen by your veterinarian or at the nearest veterinary ER. X-rays may be indicated to diagnose or rule out fractures. A "simple" bruise with no other symptoms may resolve on it's own within a few weeks. Restrict activity to just leash walks for elimination in the meantime.

Antiinflammatories (a common class of pain medication) have the potential to lower clotting ability and make bruising more possible; but this is considered an adverse effect rather than an expected outcome. Without knowing the specific drugs she is on, or her current condition, it's difficult to know why you would be seeing this, but it's worth having this evaluated by a veterinarian. Bruising for unexplained reasons usually indicates that there is something wrong with the blood, or blood vessels and these disorders can be quickly life-threatening if not dealt with right away. For these reasons, I recommend having Paris evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. If you have further questions or need further clarification, then you may consider having an online consult with one of our vets on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This way, you can send unlimited pictures and have a text conversation with a vet. I hope that helps and all goes well with Paris.

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like there might be a small puncture near the bruised area? This would mean that Rosie was bitten on the abdomen. These types of injuries could be associated with internal damage, and should warrant immediate veterinary care. If there is no wound, then I would still be concerned about the sudden appearance of a bruise. Bruises can form if there is a bleeding or clotting issue or internal bleeding.

It sounds like an ecchymosis (basically a bruise under the skin) which is abnormal. Typically this indicates an autoimmune disorder called IMT (see link below) which can be very serious if left untreated. I suggest you take her to your vet tomorrow so they can examine her and do some blood testing. It is hard for me to say for sure that this is what she has without examining her myself. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951884