Have been reading thro another topic and am horrified to learn that blackened skin could be a bad thing. Help!!!

18 months ago I got a pale skinned, light haired, Shihtzu - all the better to check for fleas and ticks. She was clipped pretty close about a week ago and I was a bit put out to see that she has got a lot of black skin showing thro, particularly on one side, but didn't think too much about it - thought it was maybe just natural ageing.

Have looked it up on the internet and now am very concerned that she could have any of the following: Cushings disease, hypothyroidism, chronic skin infection, reproductive hormone disorders. This dog came on heat at about 4 months old and never really went off heat. I wanted her spayed but vets wouldn't do it. Eventually she settled a bit but on operation was found to have a uterus full of blood and an ovarian cyst. Everything was removed and she recovered well and has been playful, alert, interested, loves walks. But she is always looking to have her fanny rubbed by any convenient foot!

So what to do? She is supposed to be travelling soon.

It never rains but it pours! Any advice gratefully received.

if she was spayed with full hysterectomy/ovarectomy then u have solved the problem of reproductive hormonal problems but not others. cushings disease is noticable in that she would have distinct physical look to her. thyroid also: other signs go along with the dark skin, plus the hair would be very thin on both sides equally of her body like a saddle...

some dogs just have dark/clack pigmented skin in patches. after clipping, some dogs look like holstein cows!! , different then blackened skin from chronic skin irritation or disease. black skin looks black, darkened skin is where skin used to be pink or pale and is dark and also thickened /or thinner or different textured. blood tests can rule out thyroid and other problems...

bina

if she was spayed with full hysterectomy/ovarectomy then u have solved the problem of reproductive hormonal problems but not others. cushings disease is noticable in that she would have distinct physical look to her. thyroid also: other signs go along with the dark skin, plus the hair would be very thin on both sides equally of her body like a saddle...

some dogs just have dark/clack pigmented skin in patches. after clipping, some dogs look like holstein cows!! , different then blackened skin from chronic skin irritation or disease. black skin looks black, darkened skin is where skin used to be pink or pale and is dark and also thickened /or thinner or different textured. blood tests can rule out thyroid and other problems...

bina

Bina, thank you for this. I will take her to the vet are vets (maybe second opinion would be a good thing). But after she was clipped she was at the vet for her montlhly going over and they said nothing about black patches tho they were very evident. Unfortunately I can't find my magnifying glass. But will try to sort this out by week end.

Problem is with vets here in LOS that they don't ask general questions about dog like the vet 'back home'. Here they just treat what one is concerned with at the particular time.

If anybody knows of a good vet in Pattaya like 'back home' please let me know.

if she was spayed with full hysterectomy/ovarectomy then u have solved the problem of reproductive hormonal problems but not others. cushings disease is noticable in that she would have distinct physical look to her. thyroid also: other signs go along with the dark skin, plus the hair would be very thin on both sides equally of her body like a saddle...

some dogs just have dark/clack pigmented skin in patches. after clipping, some dogs look like holstein cows!! , different then blackened skin from chronic skin irritation or disease. black skin looks black, darkened skin is where skin used to be pink or pale and is dark and also thickened /or thinner or different textured. blood tests can rule out thyroid and other problems...

bina

Hello,

I was alarmed to read this thread. I have a male Bichon Frise. After a grooming session i see blackened patches. Could it just be due to his age ? He is in fine shape but he is 13. He has cataracts also but has no trouble with them yet. The vet told me that an operation here in Goa is not possible but suggested that don't do anything about the cataracts anyhpw !

the black patches after clipping is the black where the dog's hair is darker so pigmented skin also...

blackened skin all over is often a reaction (allergic reaction) to fleas, and the dog licks himself (like on the belly)...

cataracts can be operated on but i think here in israel we refer to a dog eye doctor /or surgeon who specializes in eye surgery... not sure in other countries what is done..

for a bichon frise, (all white i presume) it depends on where the patches are i guess... if they are on areas that he was licking a lot, that is the answer... not sure about these skin things though... we had a golden come in , with black (ened) skin apparently due to flea bite allergies.... but we did skin scrapings and sent out to bigger lab , anweres not back yet.. we are also curious since he is a pure bred white/cream indoor golden retriever with no past health problems...

wierd

bina