# Discolored (dark) skin on dog's belly



## Bente

What is it when a dog (Golden) develops dark, almost black, skin in the hind leg "arm-pit" area of the belly (sorry, can't think of a better description)? It's not dirt..

The affected area seems to be getting bigger but it has never seemed to bother the dog at all. 

I think I'll be taking her into the vet for him to have a look but wondered if anyone had any thoughts...

Thanks in advance.

Bente


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## Aussie

Bente,

Our 13 year old labrador has developed discolouration on her belly. Not considered significant. 

The vets started to talk of lichenification????, but as our case seemed related simply to old age and did not cause problems, I have not over the years worried about it. No itching for example. 

BTW, why do light coloured dogs nails seem to grow faster??

Let me know what your vet thinks for interest please.


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## Bente

We're going in to see the vet tomorrow morning. I'll let you know what they diagnose (doesn't sound like it will be easy to figure it out, nor will it be easy to treat, and, who knows whether it is a first symptom of something more serious...)

And thanks for all the pm's. Will keep you guys advised.

Bente


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## Aussie

Glad to hear you received PM's. Must be thought serious?

Just in case our lab requires treatment, I will take our old girl to say hello to the vets tomorrow.  No doubt they will think I am a worry wart again.


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## jimandkristine

We had a ylf that developed this and it was later found that it was a form of staph infection which eventually took over and we were forced to put her down as a year of antibiotics and treatments just would not make a dent. We have since changed vets to the one that finally diagnosed it instead of sticking with the one that said "ah don't sweat it I have seen that before and it just goes away"


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## Breck

Can someone please clarify for me exactly what the issues are here?
I have an 8 yr old spayed yellow lab bitch.
Periodically I notice the normally fair colored skin on her belly darken.
Is this something I need to be concerned about?


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## Bente

The vet diagnosed Seborrhea, something he noticed in her last fall and noted in her charts at that time. After googling it, I have more questions, certainly chief among them is whether this darkening of the skin is all there is, or whether it is just a symptom of a larger problem.. The vet felt it was not a serious problem as it presents itself now, but I'm a bit uneasy about this whole thing...

He seemed to think it was the result of allergies, although he did no further testing to confirm this. Again, I'll keep an eye on things. 

If you google "Canine Seborrhea" there's certainly enough stuff to get concerned about..


He treated her by giving her a Depo-Medrol Injection (anti-inflammatory corticosteroid) to lessen swelling, itching and redness. She has always been an itching dog, and prone to wax build up in the ears, so maybe it is just allergies..

We'll see.


Her dark skin and hair loss is limited to her belly. Normal coat elsewhere. 

Bente


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## NateB

I found that my yellow female would get that in the summer when the haircoat on the belly was as thin as it ever is. Usually would go away in the winter when the coat was heavier. My estimation is that extra pigmentation was the skins natural reaction to chronic irritation. That is what a tan is for people, extra pigmentation of the skin due to irritation of the skin from the sun. In the dogs case with a thinner haircoat, her belly skin was more exposed to being laid on and just general exposure to the elements. She lived primarily outside. She only had color changes but did not have thickening of the skin or extra oil on the skin as is seen in seborrhea.

If what you are seeing is like I described then do not worry about it.


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## Griff

NateB said:


> I found that my yellow female would get that in the summer when the haircoat on the belly was as thin as it ever is. Usually would go away in the winter when the coat was heavier. My estimation is that extra pigmentation was the skins natural reaction to chronic irritation. That is what a tan is for people, extra pigmentation of the skin due to irritation of the skin from the sun. In the dogs case with a thinner haircoat, her belly skin was more exposed to being laid on and just general exposure to the elements. She lived primarily outside. She only had color changes but did not have thickening of the skin or extra oil on the skin as is seen in seborrhea.
> 
> If what you are seeing is like I described then do not worry about it.


Same thing my YLM gets each summer. His coat thins out as it gets hotter out and it looks like his underbelly is a little dirty; more noticable under the pits. As Fall sets in and his coat "winterizes" the condition goes away.


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## afdahl

A few years ago when I was doing some research to write about color in Labradors, I read a bunch of scientific, medical, and genetics papers. I learned that melanin (pigment) plays a role in the immune system. A number of different mechanisms lead to production of melanin, including infections and sun exposure. Black Labs have other pathways to melanin production that are blocked in the mutation that causes yellow/golden. Where a black Lab's belly is uniformly dark, a yellow or Golden may change with the seasons. Sun exposure could cause darkening, as could some infection of the skin.

By this logic, seeing the pigmentation could indicate a broad range of things, from nothing wrong (a little time in the sun) to something significant (a skin condition).

Amy Dahl


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## jimandkristine

*Staph can cause that as well. Especially if your dog has allergies or maybe allergies that just popped up.
A would say a vet is in order*


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