# Dirty belly syndrome?



## jmp24

I hope someone else has this problem-
my dog is 5 yrs old, and had a clean, fairly hairless white/pink belly when I got him in the fall.

Not sure why, is pee maybe splashing up mixed with our fine, sandy soil here in the Pine Barrens? He has this dark, dirty, what can only be described as a "film" all around his genitals and up to under his front legs (armpits?) and it will not come off. Last time he had a bath, I tried rubbing jojoba oil into the areas first and then had him stand in water that touched his belly area all thru the bath, and used a sponge to gently scrub the areas, but the stuff will not budge! He doesn't smell bad or anything, but considering he sleeps with me, UNDER the covers of course, and glued to my side all night, it is kind of grossing me out. And of course I want him clean and healthy. 

ANyone have any ideas or suggestions?


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## melonypersians

i had heard someone else say they had the same problem and she said it was a food allergy. i hope this helps.


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## Katie

I would check with a vet to make sure it isn't anything medical but sometimes the white/pink bellies change to a darker pigment and can look dirty.


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## *Tricia*

I'm not sure if this is what you're talking about or not, but like Katie said, the areas that are light colored and not hairy will darken when exposed to sunlight to protect the skin from burning. During the late fall and winter months, Holly's belly is perfectly pink. As soon as the sun starts shining in the beginning of spring and she lays by the patio door letting the sun beat in on her, her belly turns to very dark (ugly) brown and kind of patchy. The first year, I took her to the vet and she explained about the pigment change and that it is completely normal. And, no, it won't come off with scrubbing! haha


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## jmp24

How interesting! And how silly, scrubbing away at this poor dogs belly, not understanding why the dirt wouldn't come off. Poor Oobi, he has alot to put up with with me! I thought at one point that I DID scrub some off, which is why I was convinced it had to be on the surface, but I could have been wrong. I just inspected him again after reading your replies and the skin on his side that is more exposed when he lays in the sun in in front of the patio door IS darker than the other areas. Much darker,.and it does look very dirty. The funny thing was, besides me trying to scrub it off, is that I have been smelling him and smelling him, and I just could not figure out how he could be so dirty but smell so clean!

So, I suppose it will get light again depending on sun exposure? I know he was pink and white when I got him...but I also know he lived in the city with his old family and I get the feeling he did not go outside much, and if he did it was probably only for a moment or two. Now he spends a good part of the day out in the fresh air, happily chasing squirrels and chipmunks!

Thanks all!


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## *Tricia*

That's funny! Yeah, it will get lighter and darker based on how much sun the skin is exposed to. My husband will actually come home from work during the summer time and check her belly and be able to tell me if she was laying in the sun that day or not! It won't go back to the nice pink color until it is consistently cloudy -- a couple days of no sun will fade it, but not make it go away.


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## Milo 07

My chi doesn't have this problem but my bullmastiff sure does. The area around her genitals is alot darker than anywhere on her. It looks like it needs a good cleaning but its stained that way. I asked our vet about it and she said that sometimes a dogs urine is so strong that it will stain the skin, espically after a long peroid of time. Maybe this is what your guys got.

Hope this helps!


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## janscott

*Looks like a dirty belly?*

My little Max (14 weeks old) had a lovely pink tummy when I first picked him up from the breeder, but slowly since then his tummy and under his throat and neck and the base of ears where the skin is sparse has gotten darker. It looks like dirt but it can't be - I wash my wood-laminate floors every single day (I have to with 3 dogs!) He is so blond that it is quite noticeable. It bothers me - but it sure doesn't bother him! It's like a grey mottled color. Bathing and soaking him or using puppy wipes does absolutely nothing. He smells sweet and clean but looks like a little tyke! It seems it is only like that on his bare skin and it's sort of freckly-looking. Is this normal as they get older?

_click to enlarge_

 This is his tummy right after a warm, soapy bath and a good tummy scrub!


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## svdreamer

janscott said:


> My little Max (14 weeks old) had a lovely pink tummy when I first picked him up from the breeder, but slowly since then his tummy and under his throat and neck and the base of ears where the skin is sparse has gotten darker. It looks like dirt but it can't be - I wash my wood-laminate floors every single day (I have to with 3 dogs!) He is so blond that it is quite noticeable. It bothers me - but it sure doesn't bother him! It's like a grey mottled color. Bathing and soaking him or using puppy wipes does absolutely nothing. He smells sweet and clean but looks like a little tyke! It seems it is only like that on his bare skin and it's sort of freckly-looking. Is this normal as they get older?
> 
> _click to enlarge_
> 
> This is his tummy right after a warm, soapy bath and a good tummy scrub!


Prefectly normal. As he ages, the spots on the skin will come out. Nothing you can do, washing won't help.  Just like freckles or moles on a human, some dogs gets spots on their skin that doesn't change their hair color.


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## ittychichilover

Hello All-

I know this tread is a bit old. My chihuahua has been to 3 vets. He's blonde and has short hair. He was tested for ticks, seed ticks, fleas, mites, mange (all kinds), ringworm, staph, scabies, crohn's disease, thyroid. He had a full blood panel done, numerous skin scrapings, urine and stool samples run. Finally and after close to $1300.00 in visits, he was only given an antibiotic on this last visit because he had a secondary bacterial infections from "a food allergy". He had brown staining and red paws from licking, biting and chewing etc. He absolutely does NOT have fleas or flea poop as I have been told that from 3 different vets. He's on comfortis. So, the most recent vet told me he was allergic to fish, chicken, lamb, grains, corn, wheat and beef. I have been feeding him duck duck goose dry and frozen raw patties for the past 2 months. This food change (orig zp dry venison then to primal freeze frozen lamb and now s&p duck) has not improved his condition. He was also eating s&c's atlantic salmon kisses and I was giving him salmon oil on occassion in his food. I quit the lamb and fish as directed by the most recent vet. She said that the brown film-like stain on his chest, chin and between his legs was from saliva stains (not sure how he licks his chest or under his chin-his tongue isn't long enough!) and from the allergy coming out of his body. She said it is not turning "black" like some dogs and it does come off eventually with diluted rubbing alcohol but soon returns. About a month ago he started to lose hair on the side of his neck too. It all looks the same or somehow tied to one culprit. This area on the side of his neck is also stained brown and now he has a hot spot-which the vet has instructed me on treating-this spot started as a scab. Also, he has small black scabs all along his spine and a few here and there on the outside of his back legs and a few on his neck. They fall off and a bit of hair comes with it. My current vet is puzzled. Is this something in Chi's? Is it possible he is mixed (doesn't look like it at all-I'm very familiar with Chi's and have had many growing up) with another breed with all these skin/allergy/coat issues? One last thing...his coat is rough on his spine only and on the lower half of his bottom. Everything else is very soft and normal to the touch like most chi's. The only thing I can think of is he is allergic to the probiotics in his s&c food and maybe most high-end foods have them in their foods he's tried. He uses colloidal oatmeal and coconut oil shampoo-non-detergent-all-natural. Please help if you can! Thanks


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## svdreamer

Poor baby. I had a dog that seemed allergic to everything, it sure is frustrating. Mine got some relief switching him to Call of the Wild venison and buffalo. Hope you can figure it out. Are you sure it's not environmental? One of mine got bad skin problems when I switched detergents that I washed their beds and blankets in. Good luck. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## lilbabyvenus

Have you looked into DIY raw? There are a lot of good starter links stickied in the food section of the forum. 

LS recommended a special shampoo to LBChi about a month ago. It's called Natural Cade Oil Shampoo. Maybe worth a try with all the scabbing?

This is her link if you're interested in reading about her experience: http://www.chihuahua-people.com/chihuahua-health/103810-please-help-guillermo-losing-his-hair.html


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## Angel1210

If you've gone the food route and there's no improvement. Then I would be inclined to lean towards environmental. I'm sorry I can't be of much help. It must be rather frustrating! How is he other than the coat and skin issues? Is he eating? Playing? Etc. do you have carpeting? Could it be something in or around the house or yard? Fertilizer or insect spray? Do you go to parks with him? Just trying to think of something that he is exposed to on a regular basis. I know that contact dermatitis wouldn't present itself that way, but you never know! 

If you think it could be from food, then check into do it yourself raw, as I think Pam suggested. It couldn't hurt! 

I hope you are able to solve this puzzle!


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## Angel1210

Angel1210 said:


> If you've gone the food route and there's no improvement. Then I would be inclined to lean towards environmental. I'm sorry I can't be of much help. It must be rather frustrating! How is he other than the coat and skin issues? Is he eating? Playing? Etc. do you have carpeting? Could it be something in or around the house or yard? Fertilizer or insect spray? Do you go to parks with him? Just trying to think of something that he is exposed to on a regular basis. I know that contact dermatitis wouldn't present itself that way, but you never know!
> 
> If you think it could be from food, then check into do it yourself raw, as I think Pam suggested. It couldn't hurt!
> 
> I hope you are able to solve this puzzle!


Sorry, that was Samantha that suggested raw food! Oops!


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