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My dog's pink gums are now black. Is this a normal color change?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Husky | Male | unneutered | 2 years and 1 month old | 59 lbs

My dog gums was pure salmon pink color but now it is black, is there something wrong going on?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

Veterinarian

Published on September 15th, 2017

Hi and thanks for your post!

That black around the gum line is a normal pigment variation.
This type of pigmenting of the gums can be normal in some dogs like the Siberian Huskies. It does not indicate a health concern.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

8Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Anna M., DVM
Veterinarian
Published on April 16th, 2019
Hello, and thanks for your question about Bruno. There is no way to supplement melanin. We can sometimes see melanin loss with certain auto-immune disorders such as lupus - but the photos you provided look like normal variation in pigment. It is normal for dogs to have a mixture of black and pink gum tissue, as we see in this photo.

If you are concerned that this color loss happened very quickly, I recommend you have a vet take a look at Bruno, as they be able to examine Bruno and determine if there are any other signs of a potential auto-immune disorder. But if the only change is his gum color, then I suspect this is normal for Bruno.

Hope this helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Maria DVM
Veterinarian
Published on March 16th, 2019
Throughout dog's lives their pigment will change. Some will change to pink while others to black. I wouldn't worry. If you are worried and want a definitive answer a biopsy would need to be performed. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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