My dog's red leg blotches turned black. Should I take him to the vet?

If it is the black dog with white legs with a large red lesion on his right rear leg, it looks like he has had a serious injury (not disease) where he either had a large laceration/cut and the skin edges are widely separated now or he had a large section of skin ripped away as can happen if he was perhaps hit by a car or had some other traumatic event. Under ideal circumstances, he would be sedated for the wound to be cleaned and flushed out and given an injection of a long acting antibiotic, pain meds and the lesion/leg would be bandaged for it to heal by second intention unless up close it looks like the skin edges can be debrided and sutured back together. I don’t see red skin all over though, if you have pictures showing the red skin better in other areas of the body other than the right rear leg that would help! Thank you!

I would be most concerned for a lick granuloma although it is difficult to tell from pictures. These can be related to arthritic pain, boredom, compulsive disorders and allergies, among other causes. The treatment depends somewhat on what the vet suspects the cause is- but may include diet changes, pain medicine, antibiotics if it appears infected and/or behavioral modification. If your vet does not think it looks like a granuloma in person they may recommend a biopsy! I hope this helps and Mercedes is back to normal soon!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Jack being an English Bulldog, this is possibly due to allergies if associated with itchiness or just a normal change in skin pigmentation which may be just transient. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

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!

That redness could indicate a bacterial infection. Sometimes the infection is a primary problem but sometimes it can indicate an allergy or allergic reaction. Less commonly, skin mites can look like this. On the right side, there is a very dark red discoloration. This could be present if he is licking or scratching at it. The concern I have is if that red discoloration is bruising. Bruising is not normal in dogs and is considered indicative of a possible emergency. Reasons for bruising include an autoimmune disorder, eating rat poison, a bleeding disorder or liver disease. If you suspect that is a bruise, I recommend to have Jax seen by the veterinarian quickly. A skin rash is not an emergency. You need to keep him from licking the area by making him wear an elizabethan collar at all times. You can wash the area daily with hand soap and rinse well. You can apply a dab of coconut oil and rub it in well a couple times a day. If it is not much better with in a week, take him to his veterinarian. If the area gets worse or if he seems uncomfortable, also get him in sooner to be seen. Lastly, you can always just have him seen by the veterinarian. They will be able to provide stronger medication that will clear that up much faster. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Judging from the pictures you have provided I suspect what you are seeing is due to a skin infection, either bacterial or fungal. I would recommend that a veterinarian examine the area so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. If you are unable to get to your vet right away I would recommend starting the below products which can be found online quite easily or at your local pet store. I hope this helps and that Ed's skin improves. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. 1. Douxo PS chlorhexidine combination shampoo and bathe twice weekly until the infection is resolved. 2. Malacetic conditioning spray and apply to the area until resolved 3. Welactin omega 3 fish oil capsules 4. Essential 6 spot on by dermoscent

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.