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Akitas => Akita Discussions => : KiraNGunnersmom November 19, 2008, 02:54:59 PM

: Black spots appearing on the underbelly skin.
: KiraNGunnersmom November 19, 2008, 02:54:59 PM

I noticed tonight that Kira has some black spots on her skin on her underbelly and I dont ever remember her having that there.
They arent small either, not mole like more like patches.
Anyone else's pups ever experience this?

: Re: Black spots appearing on the underbelly skin.
: sc.trojans November 20, 2008, 07:12:19 AM

Is the skin turning - or are there specific, defined spots?  If the skin is turning black along the loins, or in the armpit area this is a good sign of an endocrine problem.  It is commonly seen in dogs with low cortisol/low adrenal function and these dogs are often hypothyroid (pituitary drives adrenals which drives thyroid) and so commonly thought of as a low thyroid issue as well.

If the spots are defined, then this could be a host of other issues and by itself, too hard to tell.

: Re: Black spots appearing on the underbelly skin.
: einalem November 23, 2008, 02:38:28 PM

My Akita, Shoda has plenty of black spots too. He had a few of those spot when he was younger, around 7-10 months, I thought he was gaining a new dark spot on his coat but that didn't happen. Now he has what seams like hundreds of these spots, I thought it might be spot where he has been bitten by fleas, or scabs from scratching, or a skin irriation. I'm gonna take him to the vet in a few days to find out. My little dog has the same spots though.

: Re: Black spots appearing on the underbelly skin.
: CrazyLoveRosie November 23, 2008, 04:15:18 PM

I discovered a line of black spots on Rosie's belly one day too. False alarm though. It just happened to be accumulated dirt from her laying on her tummy outside.

: Re: Black spots appearing on the underbelly skin.
: KiraNGunnersmom November 24, 2008, 03:20:19 AM

I took Kira in to be seen about her spots.  The vet(a new one, our beloved Dr. J has moved to Fla.) said that it just looks like pigment and has always been there(How the h*ll does he know, this was the first time he EVER saw her)
I just dont remember her have spots on her belly,  I  remember it being pink.
He said to watch it and if it spread or gets darker to bring her back in.
On the bright side,   he said she is the best behaved Akita he has ever met in his 15 years of being a vet and wanted to know what we feed her and bathe her with because her fur is so soft. 

: Re: Black spots appearing on the underbelly skin.
: einalem December 03, 2008, 09:53:34 AM

I'm glad to hear that is just pigments. Do you know where in Florida your doctor moved to? If he's close by I might just become his patient :)

: Re: Black spots appearing on the underbelly skin.
: KiraNGunnersmom December 03, 2008, 04:31:41 PM

I believe she is now in pensecola.