My dog's white butt hair is turning brown/orange. What's wrong?

Hello. The rusty colored skin is an indication that Bowie is spending a great deal of time licking his bum. Pigments in saliva will discolor hair once it is exposed to air & light. It is likely Bowie has allergies & this is causing his uncomfortable itchiness. He may also have an issue with his anal glands, which are located just inside the rectum, or he may have a parasitic problem, either internal or external like fleas. Your veterinarian can sort this out rather quickly & recommend any number of medications, supplements or therapies to make Bowie much more comfortable. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

What a handsome fella. : ) The haircoat can change color as its exposed to the sun, so this would be my first suspicion. However, if you are seeing any brown stained areas, then this is due to excessive licking, which usually indicates an allergy or OCD licking behavior. At any rate if the skin is normal in appearance and not red, there isn't anything to worry about medically at this time. Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Take care

The brownish-red discoloration on your dog's face looks most like salivary staining. The enzymes in the saliva interact with the fur, causing this type of reddish-brown staining. Salivary staining generally occurs when a dog licks a particular area excessively, like the paws or groin, or when they drool a good bit. It's especially noticeable in white dogs, like your adorable pup. Some dogs may drool excessively if they're nauseous, so keep a close eye on your dog for changes in their appetite, vomiting, or lethargy, as these could be signs of a medical issue. If your dog is otherwise doing well, allergies are often to blame (particularly this time of year). You can try bathing your dog with a gentle oatmeal shampoo. It's best to seek veterinary attention if you see this discoloration elsewhere on the body, as this indicates that your dog is itchy if they're licking a lot, and would likely benefit from additional treatment. I hope that everything goes well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! That color indicates saliva staining so she has been chewing at it. This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. Other possibilities such as mange need to also be considered and a physical examination and basic diagnostics should help sort that out. 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!

Many things can cause redness around the rear end. Common problems I see are irrigation due to seasonal allergies, infection of the anal sac, and sometimes skin infections or tumors. If it seems painful or is not improving I would recommend he be seen by a veterinarian. Thanks for using Pet Coach

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The most common reason for the fur to be that color is from excessive licking. There is a pigment in dog saliva that stains the fur reddish brown. As for her urine being brown or red, that is not normal. I would collect a urine sample and have her seen by your Vet tomorrow. The most common reason for red-brown urine is blood. Bloody urine can be from a UTI. The Vet can diagnose an UTI from a urine sample and also address her excessive licking (allergies, skin infection or fleas are common causes). I wish Harlow the best!

I would monitor her for any diarrhea or straining to deviate or any itching or scratching or excessive licking in that area. If you rice that then I would have her anal sacs checked and possibly a thyroid test or checked for an infection around that area.