My dog's skin is turning dark in certain areas. What's wrong?

Thank you for your post! Is there an odor to the skin? When skin changes color like this, it can be due to a skin infection or allergies. Some breeds have darker skin and this can develop later in life. If you are concerned about this I would schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to ensure there is no infection present that needs to be treated. Please feel free to contact me with further questions / concerns.

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.

Increased pigmentation in the skin can be a result of hormonal changes such as those seen with hypothyroidism or chronic inflammation such as with skin allergies or yeast infections. The bump in the picture could be due to inflammation as well or could be a cyst, wart or skin tumor. If the bump is getting larger, does not go away or seems to be bothering Rhonda, I would recommend that you have her seen by your veterinarian. The changes in skin color may resolve with time but if they do not or seem to be getting worst, I would recommend seeing a veterinarian. They may recommend checking thyroid levels to rule out hypothyroidism.

This may be a normal aging change for her. As puppies lose their puppy coats the adult fur can change color and the skin pigment can darken also. If the skin looks normal with no sores I wouldn't worry about it. If she is itchy that may cause changes in the skin color. A veterinary visit is indicated if you are seeing abnormal areas on the skin.

It may be due to true skin problems like allergy or skin infection. However, if she doesn't show excessive skin itchiness or redness she may have hormonal problems (diabetes, underactive thyroid gland, overactive adrenal gland etc). You shoud get her checked by your vets. They are likely to recommend skin testing and blood test to find out what is going on.

I would recommend reverting to his original food or a hypoallergenic diet and adding some omega fatty acids to promote skin repair and regeneration. If the diet has triggered these symptoms, they should regress over 6-8weeks. If he develops severe itching, antiinflammatory sprays or gels may be required from your vet. Seasonal allergies are also very common at this time of year and tend to develop in younger dogs (usually between 6mths and 3 yrs for first symptoms)

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.