Q: My Lhasa apso’s pink belly has turned to purple. No other symptoms have appeared. Can you help me?
— S. T., Tallmadge
A: I don’t have much information to go on but I will touch on the most common causes of skin discoloration in dogs.
Sometimes simple things are overlooked. I would first check bedding for colorfastness. I have worn boots that stained my feet and legs so a dog bed or blanket could be the culprit of the color change. Also, dogs with pigmented spots on their skin will generally change as they age. The spots spread and can cover a large area as the dog ages. This is considered a normal, nonmedical age change. Most other things that would cause a dog’s belly to turn color will have other symptoms. Since your dog is not showing any other symptoms, the cause of the purple skin may not be a medical condition.
So far I have assumed that the skin turning purple is pigmentation but that may not be the case. If your dog is showing purple dots, spots or blotches on the skin of the abdomen this could be what we call petechiae. Petechiae are caused by broken capillaries due to trauma, toxin ingestion or blood clotting problems. If your dog’s belly looks like a bruise, this could be a very serious problem. I would expect that if your dog had a bleeding issue, more symptoms would have appeared quickly and you would have made a trip to the veterinarian right away.
The most common cause for skin turning purple or black is hyperpigmentation from repeated trauma. This is generally found in dogs that have chronic skin issues and scratch all the time. The skin also becomes thickened and hair loss occurs.
Lhasa apsos are known to be one of the breeds affected by an autoimmune skin disorder called Sebaceous adenitis. Not only will you see discoloration of the skin but also hair loss and often lesions. Most commonly we see signs of this disorder on the ears and sides.
Hormonal issues are also a consideration with skin pigment changes. Thyroid disorders, lack of estrogen in spayed females, Cushings disease and other endocrine disorders can cause the purple discoloration you described. You would likely be reporting other symptoms in your dog if this were the case. You may see weight gain, increased appetite or decreased energy just to name a few.
Skin tumors such as melanoma can also cause skin color changes. To prevent the spread of skin cancer, you should have any new or changed growth or freckle evaluated by your veterinarian.
I would suggest you watch your dog for subtle symptoms that may have started months prior to the color change. They may be things that you didn’t originally think were relevant. You may have become used to seeing that behavior for a long time prior to the skin turning purple. If you still have concerns, talk to your veterinarian about your observations.
Thank you for your question. I hope I was able to help.
— Dr. Connie White Lawless,
Copley Township Pet Vet Animal Clinic
Please send questions about your pet to Kathy Antoniotti at the Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640; or send me an email to kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com. Please include your full name and address and a daytime phone number where you can be reached. I will forward your questions to the expert I think is best suited to answer your particular problem. Phoned-in messages will not be taken.
