Why are my dog's ears stained and the area around them darkening?

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.

I can see what you've mentioned with darker skin pigmentation and a bit of hair loss around his ear. It's certainly possible that the pigment change is a normal variation, because skin pigment can change a bit over time. However, that doesn't explain his hair loss. I agree that the area pictured doesn't look consistent with significant inflammation, which is often associated with allergies or many infectious conditions. Instead, I'd tend to be more concerned about vasculitis or autoimmune issues. Ultimately, I think it would be best to take your puppy to his vet for an exam. Depending on their exam findings, your vet may need to examine some skin cells under a microscope or submit a biopsy sample of skin to a pathologist to get to the bottom of this issue. A bit of sneezing or very mild itching isn't uncommon this time of year, as springtime allergens can bother dogs just as much as people.

Without seeing them, I cannot say for sure. Some will turn from fly bites but usually have crust on them. Some will turn from yeast or bacterial infection. Some will just scar from age and will lose hair. It could also be due to mange or a thyroid problem. Since this is New, I would have your vet take a look to see if it is something that needs to be treated. I hope this helps!

It could be a sign of allergies or low grade irritation. Your best and most thorough option is to have Sophie examined by the veterinarian. The skin can get darker in the groin and arm pit areas naturally but the ears should not be red. I hope this helps.

Thinning hair and a darkening of the skin could indicate something like allergies, a diet that is not right for her, fleas or (less likely) and endocrine condition. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. If Zoey is wanting to itch the area, you need to protect the area from trauma by having your pup wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Make sure she is up to date on flea prevention. Diets and supplements take 2-4 weeks to take effect. If the changes are not improving after 2 weeks or if they are getting worse, have Zoey examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It looks to me like something more serious could be going on, although it can be difficult to tell from a picture. Sometimes vasculitis can cause discoloration and poor blood flow to the tips of the ears - this would need a biopsy for a definite diagnosis. I would recommend rechecking with your vet.

The change in pigment can be due to excessive tearing or irritation from Luna rubbing the skin around her eyes. I recommend having her eyes checked, it looks like she may have mild conjunctivitis. This is treated with eye medication and when treated it should reduce the eye discharge. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Luna.