My dog has a big red/purple spot on her belly. Could it be bruising?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chewy. Yes, this area does appear to have a bruise. However, bruising is not common in dogs and can indicate a bleeding disorder. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian today. Bloodwork should be tested. I hope this information helps!

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but my two top guesses would be that this is superficial pyoderma (a common condition for dogs in which normal bacteria or yeast get out of control and cause sores/pimples/red moist spots) or it could be true bruising, which would indicate a clotting issue with her blood. It's easy to tell the difference in person (or it could certainly be something else as well - pictures don't always tell the full story) and the treatment/testing required is entirely different, so I would recommend taking her to the vet ASAP. As long as she's not lethargic and has normal appetite then waiting until tomorrow should be fine. The exception to that advice would be if you're sure or highly suspicious that it's really bruising (ie you look at her in 10 minutes and see a bruise popping up everywhere you held her lightly for these pictures) - if it's definitely bruising, go to an emergency clinic if possible. I hope that helps with decision making for tonight. Wishing you and Chasee the best of luck and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes. Purplish discoloration can indicate inflammation but if it looks like bruising, that can indicate internal bleeding. Best to get her checked out today! I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Based on the picture I am Concerned that this may actually be bruising (however pictures do have their limitations). If this is bruising and there is no known trauma then I would be very concerned about a bleeding disorder or exposure to rodenticide which can be life threatening. If this is a rash then she is probably pretty uncomfortable and she would likely benefit from medication to decrease his itchiness. Either way I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by a veterinarian immediately. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Blue and purple spots could be bruises and if they are spreading I would be worried that your dog may have a coagulation problem. This would be very serious and would need to be investigated. A small blood test will find out whether your dog is either suffering from a congenital blood coagulation disorder or possibly ate some rodenticide which can cause the blood not to coagulate. Of course it could also just be hyperpigmentation. There are various causes for that, one being an endocrine disorder where the adrenal glands produce too much cortisone (cushings disease). I would recommend you make an appointment for an exam with your veterinarian.

Poor Skye! This could be due to her chronically licking that area, a yeast infection, or even allergies. From the picture it looks more like it is on the surface of the skin and the skin may even be a little thickened in that area but it is difficult to say for sure without being able to touch it and see it in person. If this isn’t the case, then yes I would worry about bruising and I would try to get her seen by a vet soon. Bruising like this could indicate a clotting issue which could be auto-immune or due to certain toxins. Early intervention is key for a positive outcome. If it seems like it is just the skin then I would put a cone collar on her to prevent licking and you can try benadryl twice a day to see if This helps. See link below. Chances are she will likely need some oral meds to help it go away completely so if it hasn’t improved soon I would have your vet look at her to see what meds she may need. If you are unsure, it is always best to have your vet look at her to ensure this is just a minor skin infection and not something more serious. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/

Based on the photos, I am concerned that the purple area is some bleeding/bruising in the skin which we often see when a dog has low platelets. I'm not sure based on the photo, but I suspect the white area is a nipple that just looks really prominent due to the bruising around it. Low platelets are a very serious problem; even though he's otherwise acting fine, please take him to your vet to have him examined. They may recommend running some lab work to find our what his platelet count is. There are many causes of low platelets, some possible causes include an infectious tick-borne disease, an auto-immune disease where his body is destroying his platelets, or cancer. Because all of these are very serious, and because low platelets can lead to life threatening anemia, please take him to your vet. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!