Cat / Mix - Answered 1440 days ago
My pet's skin color has gotten very dark since the beginning of this year (it used to be a silvery color but has gotten even darker). What do you think might be the cause? Is it the change in hormones because of neutering? Is it because of the ultraviolet rays since she likes being in the sun? Or is it just aging? She looks healthy so I guess I don't need to visit the vet, but I'd like to know since it's been bothering me.
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Janice
United States
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Yoyo
Mix, 3 years old spayed female
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hyperpigmentation is a secondary condition, thus it is a secondary effect. It happens most often when there is trauma to the skin for any reason. Skin inflammation such a redness of skin or scratching the skin are common causes of skin trauma. When such skin trauma occurs, the skin repair cycle is activated. Part of skin repair involves increased melanin pigment as a protective effect for superficial skin layers. When this protective melanin pigment accumulates in the skin layers, skin is visibly darker to see. Causes such as skin allergy in dogs, scratching, skin infection due to bacteria, skin inflammation due to skin parasites, and self-trauma by dogs with activities such as scratching, rubbing, licking, and biting at their own skin are commonly seen in dogs with skin problems. These all can lead to hyperpigmentation. Other causes of hyper pigmented skin in dogs include breed-specific variations, hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism or Cushing’s disease, effects of medications, physiological changes, etc. When other skin lesions such as hair loss or skin redness are evident, these signs are typically more helpful in finding the cause of the skin changes and correcting the signs including hyperpigmentation.
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