My puppy has raised brown spots on her tummy. Should I worry?

Skin lesions like these can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. Sometimes puppies like Palmer can get a type of “puppy acne” along the belly as well. If the lesions do not start to go away in the next week, or if they start getting worse, I recommend making an appointment to have Palmer seen by your veterinarian to help determine the cause of the bumps you’ve noticed and to make sure they are treated appropriately. The vet will likely want to look at a sample from the area under the microscope to determine if there is an infection and to figure out what medication is appropriate for treatment.

It may be a reaction from a small insect bite or the start of a skin infection. If Reggie is still eating and drinking and acting normally, I would have that spot checked out by your veterinarian when they do his vaccines.

Without images or a physical exam, it can be difficult to determine definitively what is on your pup's skin. That said, many puppies have patches of [darker skin](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pigment-changes-of-the-skin-and-coat/) on their bellies. If these areas are flat, smooth to the touch and not bothering him, then it is probably just his skin coloration. If the areas are itchy or raised, then it would be a good idea to have them checked out by a vet since this may indicate a [skin infection](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/staphylococcal-pyoderma-1/) or some other problem.

Hello, thank you for your question about Bella. Brown/black spots on a puppy's belly could be a sign of a few different conditions. It is possible that this is a bacterial skin infection called impetigo/puppy pyoderma that is relatively common in puppies. Another possible problem is that Bella may actually have some blackheads/irritated skin on her belly. With either of these conditions if the spots are mild and Bella is not bothered by them you could try gently cleaning them with a gentle cleanser decided for us in dogs. If Bella is scratching/rubbing at the spots or there is a colored/odorous discharge I would recommend having Bella seen by your veterinarian so that they can further examine the spots and determine the need for another treatments. Hope this helps, good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Leo. He appears to have a small area of darker pigment than the rest of his belly. If this area is flat and not growing, it is likely not a cause for concern. If the areas become raised or rapidly changes, then he will need to see a veterinarian. If you are concerned though, it is always a good idea to have him seen by his veterinarian soon for peace of mind. I hope this information helps!

Congratulations on your new baby! I have a dog named Theo too! Good choice of name! We very commonly see superficial skin infections (an overgrowth of normal bacteria) on the bellies of young puppies. They typically start as red bumps that rupture and form a crust, then leave a darkened ring for a little while until they heal. If that is what is going on with Theo, I would expect the dark areas to get lighter then resolve. If that is not the case, then I would have your vet examine him. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Those spots could be normal skin changes for your dog, areas of chronic irritation such as from grass or laying on a rough surface, or rarely an auto immune disease. If they start increase in size, number, have any sort of redness or appear raw/ulcerated she get checked out by a veterinarian. For now I would recommend monitoring them and no special shampoo should be needed.