My dog has black raised sores on his lower belly. What could it be?

Hi there and thank you for using Boop by Petco to address your concern. Judging from the photo, these look to be cutaneous hemangiomas, which are typically benign. However, these can turn into malignant cancerous tumors if not addressed early enough. I recommend having these removed before they turn into cancerous tumors. These superficial skin tumors are typically removed using electrocautery. Removal is typically simple and requires no major aftercare for healing. I hope this helps! I would discuss having these removed with your veterinarian as soon as possible. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

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.

I'm not quite sure what it is, either! It could be small amounts of dried blood in the pores, dirt, or debris from the bumps healing. I can see a few more pustules in the second picture, so it looks like Panda hasn't completely resolved the original issue. You can try a follicle flushing shampoo, like Dechra DermaBenSs Shampoo which contains benzoyl peroxide, but Panda may need oral antibiotics to clear up any infection present. Also, make sure she is on a good flea preventative as sometimes flea bites can present this way. If it isn't looking better in a couple days, Panda should definitely go to the vet for diagnosis.

Black spots can be a normal pigmentary change in the skin if they are not raised/rough feeling and feel just the same as the rest of his skin. We can, however, see darkening of the skin with chronic skin inflammation (called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) or some skin tumors (such as melanomas) may be raised and dark in color. If you are unsure, the safest thing to do would be to have your vet take a look at the areas to confirm if they are of concern or not.

If the spots seem to be growing then you should have a vet examine her. Your vet can aspirate the lesions to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat. They could be benign lesions but there is no way to know without doing an examination. She may need an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, or they may need to be removed.

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

A common cause of darkened skin in these areas is from chronic inflammation, which could be caused by fleas, flea allergies, food allergies, bacterial or yeast infections, etc. I would recommend starting Cookie on a monthly flea preventative if she isn't already, and checking in with your vet to see what could be going on.

Hello, and thank you for your question. The black patches look like they could be benign skin tags or warts, or sebaceous cysts. I would still have them checked out by the vet, who may recommend a fine needle aspirate to confirm what they are. Often times chronic itchy skin can result in hyperpigmentation (the skin's response to chronic inflammation), so I would not worry too much until you get it assessed in person by the vet. I hope this helps, and that your vet visit tomorrow goes well!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be

It could be simple dirt/grime or blackheads (comedones). Either can be resolved by daily washing with a gentle soap or cleanser. See your veterinarian if the area becomes red, inflamed, causes discomfort or spreads.