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

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach 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.

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.

Thank you for providing pictures of the black spots on Belle! You are correct they could be moles, but it's always good to have any concerning spots checked out by a vet. That's because there is always a chance in an older dog that they would be a sign of a malignant tumor. It's not emergency, especially if they aren't getting bigger, and I would have her seen by a vet in the next couple of days. I hope this helps :-)

Those spots on Kalla could be several things including flea bite reactions, allergies, skin mites, bacterial infection, ringworm (which humans can get) or endocrine disease. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions once a day (not her whole body, just the lesions). Also protect the area from trauma by having your pup wear an elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesions do not start improving within a week or if they are getting worse, have her examined by the veterinarian. From the photo, it doesn't look like bruising but if you think it could be bruising, I recommend to have her examined right away. Bruising can indicate a bleeding disorder or getting into rat poison. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.