Dog's hair lighter and texture changed near collar. Should I worry?

Does she normally wear a collar or scratch the area at all? If she is young with that hair loss and does not wear a collar then I would have it checked to make sure it is not the mange. If she wears a collar then it maybe irritation from that. If it does not bother her and it is regrowing then monitoring it for further changes is an acceptable answer also before trying it checked

This may be a normal aging change for her. As puppies lose their puppy coats the adult fur can change color and the skin pigment can darken also. If the skin looks normal with no sores I wouldn't worry about it. If she is itchy that may cause changes in the skin color. A veterinary visit is indicated if you are seeing abnormal areas on the skin.

Hi and thank you for your question! Sometimes dog hair can change in color and texture when they age just like human hair can. I wouldn't worry too much about the hair change unless it appears like he is loosing fur, the skin around the fur is red, inflamed, scabbing, or infected-you will want to see your veterinarian if that is the case.

There are two possible reasons for this: 1) since he is shedding a lot anyway at the moment the additional rubbing of the collar is "helping" shed more and faster, 2) He may have a sin reaction to the collar and therefore the Hair falls out. As long as the skin looks healthy, not red, no injuries or rash present, I do not think you have to worry. You may want to take off the collar for a while to eliminate mechanical rubbing damaging the fur.

I would not worry too much about this slight change in skin color. Oftentimes if a dog is itchy and scratches a lot it can cause hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) and sometimes skin infection. (Looking at the picture it does not appear that Sandy has a skin infection at this time). Keep an eye on the skin and if she does seem irritated by it then I wouldn't worry.

If Cuddles does not appear to be itchy, losing fur, have dry/crusty skin then this may be a normal change in the pigment of the skin. Sometimes that happens as pets get older. Other things can also make the skin change color like chronic allergies. When in doubt, take him to the vet to get checked out.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Pigmentary changes to the hair/coat are not that unusual, especially if there are no underlying lesions. If your pet ever sustained an injury to that area in the past, even a mild infection or burn, the hair follicles can be affected & color can change months to even years later. So, if she is not bothered by the area, you feel no lumps, bumps, roughness, see no redness or dermatitis, then this may just be a normal change in an unusual area. Just mention it to your vet at your next visit. Take care.