Why does my dog have dark spots and is lethargic without itching?

Poor pup! It's possible she has developed an allergy (it could be environmental or food related) or an endocrine disease (like hypothyroidism or cushings disease). It sounds like the lesions are all over and I don't like the fact that her nipples are becoming discolored. I think your best option is to have her examined by the veterinarian. At home you can try giving her an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for pets but it may not correct the underlying cause. This can however improve over all skin health. There are two brands of food, Royal Canin and Nutro, which are aimed at skin health and they may help as well but again, they may not affect the underlying problem. Lastly, bathing her in an oatmeal type pet shampoo can help to condition the skin. This should not be done more than once a week. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello there. Great question! Hyperpigmentation can be caused by many different things: 1. Hypothyroidism (low functioning thyroid) – Up to 33% of dogs diagnosed with hypothyroidism showed signs of hyperpigmentation as one of their symptoms 2. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus – Some dogs diagnosed with lupus 3. Allergies – If your dog experiences allergies he may also develop hyperpigmented areas on his skin 4. Malassezia – Is a yeast infection that often has hyperpigmentation as a symptom 5. Demodicosis (skin mites) – Is caused by a mite and is a lesser known cause of hyperpigmentation Pseudo-Cushing’s Syndrome – Is an endocrine disorder that is common in dogs middle age and older and can have hyperpigmentation as a result The skin may go back to normal color if you can treat the underlying cause. That would entail some advanced testing with your vet. What you can do is try to used a medicated shampoo like Malaseb. http://www.allivet.com/p-299-malaseb-shampoo.aspx?gclid=CMut-Oat69QCFZOIswodc3oBAQ This shampoo is for yeast and bacteria. Lather it on the dog, leave it sit on the coat for 10 minutes and then rinse thoroughly. Use 2-3 times a week. If you notice no difference then I think you should do some advanced testing with your vet. I hope this helps! Best wishes to you and Bella!

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.

Hello! Those lesions could be caused by an infection like bacteria or even fungus as well as allergies. Usually though mild infections and allergies don't cause dogs to be depressed/act abnormally. If his behavior continues, he has any vomiting, or his food/water intake goes down further I recommend having your veterinarian do an exam as those changes could be caused by something more serious, like liver issues, anemia, an infection or even cancer.

Skin darkening can occur due to natural aging, low level irritation from infection or allergies, a healed wound or changes in hormone levels from hypothyroidism. Your veterinarian may be able to determine the exact cause after a thorough physical exam. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Without a photo or examining her myself it is hard to say what is going on. I have two thoughts that came to mind after reading your post. One is that those spots could be post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation - basically the skin was inflamed maybe from the previous allergies and because of the inflammation the skin turns black. This should resolve and the skin will go back to normal. My other thought is that the spots could be actually bruising and we call those ecchymosis. This could be a serious problem even if she seems to be acting normal. This is a problem with the clotting cells called platelets (immune mediated thrombocytopenia). Of course, it could be something else entirely. Those are just my first thoughts. I suggest you get Kaya to your vet for an exam just to be safe. Hope this helps.

Hyperpigmentation of the skin/fur can be caused by a number of things, including trauma that is causing the skin or coat to need to repair itself (which can return to normal over time on its own), secondary to issues such as hypothyroidism or Cushing's disease, or in response to infections from bacteria, yeast, or fungus. If the area does not resolve on its own, seems to be spreading, or becomes itchy or bothersome, I would have your vet take a look. They can take a sample of the area to check for infections, and may recommend bloodwork to rule out metabolic diseases, however these disease are less common in younger dogs. In the meantime, keeping the spot clean and dry, monitoring it for any spreading, rapid changes, or new symptoms, and keeping Leo from rubbing or scratching at it may help it resolve.