Someone who knows dog stuff, look here

[nessonite1]

I've noticed something a little disturbing on my puppy in recent months. The skin on her belly seems to be turning from pink to black. She's always had fair skin and a blondish orangy coat.
Today I toniced that the same thing is happening on a patch of her back. Not only is it going dark there but it seems rough and dry and cracked.
She's 12 or 13 years old which isn't TOO old for a hound mix, right? Other than slowing down and gaining a bit of weight in the last few years she seems in good health.
Any idea what could be causing this? My vet is way out in PA but I'll take her there if it seems to be something serious.
The pictures below are one from May of 2004 and one from just today.

 

[MaxDragon]

I have no idea. I would guess its age spots, like people get. But to be sure you should take her to the vet. At her age, it's good to take her more often than just once a year for shots.

 

[Cbarton]

I would lean towards what MaxDragon says...not into animal medicine, but it doesn't look either infectious or malignant...

 

[Donald1]

It looks like what my dog had which was sarcoptic mange. She will probably start to loose some hair around the infected areas. A good flea and tick powder will cure that in a few weeks. Good luck!

 

[hermione]

hi! Kim here.. vet tech for a long time.. my best guess would be a skin infection.. poss staph.. fairly common. esp in older dogs, 'cause the skin does tend to dry out and become predisposed to bacteria.. hope to have helped! Kim

 

[nessonite1]

It looks like what my dog had which was sarcoptic mange.

😵 that's what I was really afraid of. I know that is very expensive to treat and is deadly if it goes untreated.
Thanks all for the advise...looks like Im gonna have to talk to the vet.

 

[BigNorm]

well rough skin and discoloration are signs of a rash of sorts, does it hurt your dog to be touched there, or does it scratch there more often? i honestly wouldn't take chances, could be a simple rash, could be a serious disease it picked up from the outdoors, just take em to the vet to be safe.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

ness: i would 100 percent get the dog to the vet to be looked at. also not just for this but a checkup evey six monthos or so is not a bad idea either. The hollywood brother knows a good vet in pa if your vet is booked up. also when you go to your vet, ask him or her about putting a creme or lotion to keep area moisturized. the other thing is you can talk to your vet about giving your beloved pet a product called BREWER's YEast. it is very good for hair and coats on animals and may help make hair shinnier and stronger.

good luck to you and your dog ness. The hollywood brother knows what it is like to have ao lder pet and then make the final call that you make for them but haunts you every day. The other best advice that the hollywood brother will give you is to make the dog happy and spend time with the dog. As the pet grows older we hate to think it, but the time grows shorter. i am sure this is nothing that serious but the hollywood brother point here is to spend time when you can because no one knows the future. it is the same point with loved family memebers and telling them you love them just in case something happens.

 

[nessonite1]

*sigh* my poor little puppy....

Both of my doggies are getting old. The other one is in pretty bad shape. She's arthritic and her teeth are bad...I keep thinking she's not got much life left and then she holds on some more. Fortunately she doesn't seem to be so uncomfortable that I would consider putting her down.
that would be a beast of a decision to make. I never had to put a dog down before except for one who we needed to because she (supposedly) bit someone. T_T

 

[Sockstickler]

Ness, if your dog's having arthritis problems and you want her to be comfortable, I'd suggest asking your vet about giving her some glucosamine with chondroitin and maybe some rimadyl. One of my dogs has a degenerative bone problem in her elbow and that helps her a lot.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

the hollywood brother forgot about that. that stuff works good. i nfact vets been suing it for years and now pet owners are using it on themselves as well.

 

[timothy]

Try applying Olive oil. My dog's (a boxer) belly was dry with crack skin, and it helped.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

ness: one piece of advice that the hollywood brother will give you is to enjoy and spend time with your beloved dogs. unfortunatly dogs only last a very specific amount of time. that is the bad news. the good hollywood brother news is if you just spend time and be with them, they give you unconditional love and are very happy. All the hollywood brother is saying and this goes to all pet owners, is to spend time every day with your pets to make there lives better