Why are my dog's testicles red or discolored? Is it low platelets?

Hello. Platelets are needed for blood to clot, so if platelets are low you will see actual bruising ( black & blue spots ) or discrete blood spots in the skin or on the mucous membranes. A simple CBC ( complete blood count ) will report the number of platelets *& tell you if there is a problem or not. What you are describing with the redness & inflammation sounds more like an allergic reaction, something that can affect the skin in this area very commonly. If you are worried about platelets, consider having the blood work done. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am sorry to hear about your issues with Bruno, it can be very frustrating dealing with skin problems. I cannot really see anything unusual in the photo provided. Sometimes skin pigmentation can change in dogs, so if the pigment has changed but it isn't irritated/red/itchy/oozy then I would just monitor. If it is irritated/itching despite current treatments he may need additional testing such as culture of the skin or allergy testing to determine why this is a problem.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to a severe infection for example. This warrants a veterinary evaluation as soon as possible as this is likely causing him severe discomfort. They would be able to check this more closely and recommend therapy accordingly. Best of luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Porker. If he is eating, drinking and acting normal, it is likely not an emergency. However, he should see his veterinarian if the redness does not resolve. He could be experiencing an allergy or a superficial skin infection. His veterinarian will examine him and determine the best medications to help him feel better. In the meantime, you can try bathing him with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula to soothe the skin. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bronco. Yes, I agree that his scrotum appears very irritated. I recommend placing an E-collar on him to prevent any licking which could make the skin worse. If he will let you, you can bath him with a moisturizing shampoo such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula to soothe the skin. If the lesions do not resolve, he will need to see his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

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!

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am not concerned about the white or pale skin color of his scrotum. I think that is a variation of normal. As for the bowing of his front legs, that is likely an angular limb deformity but to tell I would need to see him walk. It is usually from premature closure of one of the growth plates in the leg. If he walks normal it could be a variation of normal. If he isn't limping and can run well I wouldn't worry too much about the legs. Have a good day!